Marlin guide gun 45-70 load development

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Win94

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Have been playing with .45-70 loads shooting a 405 grain plain based hard cast bullet out of the guide gun. I have been shooting at 50 yards with a scope that has only been bore sighted and not zeroed.

H322 is the best performer so far out of the three powders i have tried. Accurates XMR 2015 and IMR 4350 have both been busts with 3" groups and alot of unburnt powder left in the barrel.

Here is 45 grains of H322 with a winchester case and primer. Chronied at 1587 fps.

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Here is 52 grains of H322 also with a winchester case and primer. Chronied at 1876 fps. I get a bit of leading with this one.

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Not sure if i am going to go to a gas check and stay around 1800 fps or keep the plain based at around 1600 fps. The 45 grains of H322 at 1587 fps should still be decent for moose out to 150 yards i am thinking.:D Just thought i'd share and maybe it will help some new guide gun owners out as to where to start.
 
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45/70 loads

I also have a 45/70 Marlin g/s . I hunt elk in the bush with it . I don`t have a scope on mine , I have ghost ring sights and have no problem hitting out to three hundred meters with it . I don`t get great groups at that distance , But I can hit a nine inch pie plate every time . I use a three hundred grain SJHP with IMR 3031 . the average muzzle velocity in just under 1000 FPS . If you want to find out whats good for you that is a good place to start . Joe
 
another one to try:

350gr Hornady FN
53grs of RL7
win mag primer

2150fps


only thing I'll shoot out of my marlin. when It was scopped I was getting 1moa @ 100yrds. have shoot animals further, but never shot for groups.
 
I have had similar results to amphib with RL 7 and 350 gr speers in Ruger #3, except I was using more powder and had signifcantly higher velocity (DON'T PUSH IT IN A MARLIN THOUGH).
 
Amphibious said:
another one to try:

350gr Hornady FN
53grs of RL7
win mag primer

2150fps


only thing I'll shoot out of my marlin. when It was scopped I was getting 1moa @ 100yrds. have shoot animals further, but never shot for groups.
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keep in mind, although 45/70 and 450 Marlin capacities are similar, they do not use interchangable load data.
 
I've good results with two jacketed bullet loads. 350gr Hornady FP with 56gr. of IMR 3031 & a CCI 200 primer for about 1900 f/sec. The other load is the 400gr Speer Flat-SP, 52.5gr of IMR 3031 & a CCI 200 primer.:) The 350 Hornady load 'seems' to work a little better.:D
There are also two cast, with gas check, bullet loads I've been testing. First, a 325gr, 53gr of IMR 3031, CCI 200 primer, about 1900 f/sec. The second, a 420gr, 46gr of IMR 3031, CCI 200 primer, about 1650 f/sec. I've just started with these loads and the initial accuracy seems pretty good. The Lyman Cast Bullet handbook, third edition, is the basis for these loads. Also, I'm using a 1 - 4 Leupold with pivot mounts on my SS Guide model.
In addition, as a light target load in my Pedersoli Rem rolling block, I use a load I found in my old, first edition, Lyman Handbook of Cast Bullets. A 405gr bevel base, 27gr of IMR 4227, CCI 200 primer, about 1470 f/sec. To fill the space between the bullet & powder I use either part of a cotten ball or better yet, 5/8" long piece of Tago foam backer rod. The latter works well & accuracy is excellant.:D:D
 
I also run IMR 3031 out of my 1886 so my load is a bit slower but I can get 1 1/2" groups at 100 meters open sites all day long.
 
For deer hunting my pet load is a Sierra 300gr Flat Nose Hollow Point backed by 51.8gr of 4198 and witch rides at 2150 fps. For moose or elk I use a Cast Performance 405gr Wide Long Nose Gas Check backed by a 48.0gr load of Reloder-7 witch push the bullet up to a mild 1800 fps. Deep penetration for the last one.
 
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blackball said:
I also have a 45/70 Marlin g/s . I hunt elk in the bush with it . I don`t have a scope on mine , I have ghost ring sights and have no problem hitting out to three hundred meters with it . I don`t get great groups at that distance , But I can hit a nine inch pie plate every time . I use a three hundred grain SJHP with IMR 3031 . the average muzzle velocity in just under 1000 FPS . If you want to find out whats good for you that is a good place to start . Joe
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If my memory serves me right, my 1895 shooting 300 gr bullet at 2050 fps the bullet drops was around 9-10" at 200 meters. I don't feel comfortable hunting with that rifle taking shoots further than 150 yards.

With 300 gr. bullet at <1000 fps I wonder what kind of bullet drop you are experiencing at 300 meters? :confused:

Danny Boy
 
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