Marlin 1895 45-70....pleasantly surprised

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super7

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I've been using my 45-70 with the stock iron sights but was having trouble seeing the paper at 100 yards and my targets/groups weren't very good so I decided to scope it (yeah I know). Anyway was pleasantly surprised with what it was capable of after I had scoped it.
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The above target was shot with remington 300grn SJHP (jacketed .457 diam) and 39.2 grains of imr 4198 powder.
I also tried some cast 340 grn and 405 grn (.457 diam....same powder) but they shot much worse....about 3-4 inches. I've got some more 405's ordered but they are .459 as opposed to the .457 I have now. I'm hoping that the extra diameter will tighen up the groups a bit out of the marlin. Any thoughts?
 
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super7 said:
I've got some more 405's ordered but they are are .459 as opposed to the .457 I have now. I'm hoping that the extra diameter will tighen up the groups a bit out of the marlin. Any thoughts?
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.459" works well in my Marlin (Guide Gun). Haven't tried smaller though.

Very nice group there. The Marlins can shoot, both of mine can shoot right around 1" with handloads.

I'm playing with paper patched cast bullets right now. If I get some groups worth showing maybe I'll post a picture or two.
 
I started to play with my 22 inch barrelled model about a year ago. I too, was surprised the same way. I got a bunch of 420 cast grain bullets, some gas checked and some plain base. I've used eight or so different powders and none were what you could call bad.
Here is a target from 100 metres, first five gas checked shot, then marked and then five plain base shot. They all had the same charge, which was 45 grains of 4895, a load considerably higher than factory loads. Just luck, but the plain base made the best group.
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And here is a five shot group at 100 metres with a very light charge of Unique, and 405 grain cast flat base. On shooting them the rifle would go bang, and when the noise faded, you could hear the bullet hit! Without that one "flyer," they would be under one inch.
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super7 said:
I've been using my 45-70 with the stock iron sights but was having trouble seeing the paper at 100 yards and my targets/groups weren't very good so I decided to scope it (yeah I know). Anyway was pleasantly surprised with what it was capable of after I had scoped it.
104j7v8.jpg

55m78x.jpg


The above target was shot with remington 300grn SJHP (jacketed .457 diam) and 39.2 grains of imr 4198 powder.
I also tried some cast 340 grn and 405 grn (.457 diam....same powder) but they shot much worse....about 3-4 inches. I've got some more 405's ordered but they are .459 as opposed to the .457 I have now. I'm hoping that the extra diameter will tighen up the groups a bit out of the marlin. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Nice shooting. Marlin's shoot 459,460 diamter bullets the best. .458 is alright but I wouldn't bother with any bullets smaller than that.
 
For my Marlin levers that have micro-groove barrels I have found to go a bit bigger with the bullets to achieve optimal accuracy. For my .444 Marlin I size my cast bullets to .432 and my 45-70 to .460 and both will shoot right around 1" at 100 yards. If you have the newer Ballard rifled barrels than I have found that a smaller bullet will do just as good i.e. .430 in .444 and .459 in 45-70.
 
I get mine custom made from a machinist on the cast boolits website.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ and he goes by the handle buckshot.

Absolute first rate work and he will make you any size that you want. He made my .460 and my .432 dies and .361 for my .38 S&W revolvers. I can't remember the price but it wasn't much more than a regular die costs here in Canada. He also makes Lee push thru style sizing dies cheaper than lee does for custom sizes.

He hollow points molds and the work is first rate. He did a 311041 mold for me and it came with two different style pins and I think the price was only 30 bucks. Try finding a 311041 mold in Canada that is hollow pointed, you would have better luck finding hen's teeth.
 
My 38-55, with cast GC 285 grain pills and Hodgdon's H322 will group right around 1" consistently at 100 with receiver sights and my tired old eyes!! The Barnes original 255 grain .377" bullet is only slightly less accurate. Eagleye.
 
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