45/70 load & bullet needed below maximum power in Marlin

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ACES&8S

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I have two 45/70 rifles & the only bullet I have ever tried in them is Hornady 300 gr H/P
which requires them both to be absolute maximum before they perform accurately.
Anyone with a Marlin 1895 - 22" barrel using any other bullet below max let me know
what bullet you used in case they might do the same, just wishing.
The other rifle I have is an Encore with standard rifle barrel which can wait.
I just want the Marlin to be a bit more tame, as tame as a 45/70 can be of course.
I can use max loads for hunting but just target shooting doesn't let many others want
to try it after I let one go.
Right now the Hornady is maxed out with IMR3031 & anything slightly below that & it
strings the impacts vertically with each shot, which puzzles me.
Any ideas on another bullet for lower loads please let me know, thanks.
 
I use AA5744 for some light loads using lead or Remington 300 grain JHP's or Lead SWC. My barrel is a lot shorter than yours. But I got good accuracy out of them.
 
I'm using AA5744.
I charge 30.0gr AA5744 under a 300gr Cast Bullet and 35.9gr AA5744 under a 300gr Winchester Silvertip bullet. Both are accurate in my Marlin. Of course that doesn't mean your Marlin will like them.

I save the 405gr Cast bullets for the Trapdoor.
 
what is your 3031 load. i like 52.5 with 300s, it's the lee dipper so it's quick to load.
56.9 grains=Per Hornady book 7 only gives 1900 FPS but then I tried the IMR4198 at 43.6 grains to get the same FPS but bad results of course.
Tried just one grain less & it went all to blazes, like a 4" group at 60 yards.
 
I'm using AA5744.
I charge 30.0gr AA5744 under a 300gr Cast Bullet and 35.9gr AA5744 under a 300gr Winchester Silvertip bullet. Both are accurate in my Marlin. Of course that doesn't mean your Marlin will like them.

I save the 405gr Cast bullets for the Trapdoor.

I am not beyond trying any number of bullets & loads, I am like most of us here, I seldom quit on options regardless of the cost unless,
SHE who knows all finances gets wind of it.
The only thing that ties me up is I don't do our bullet casting, my oldest son does it & has been onto me about getting my 45/70s cast
like he does all the revolvers & 30/30 but I wont know what size to get & like I said I dread getting into all those sizes which ends up
with unused stuff everywhere & believe you me I have lots of unused reloading stuff. Who am I kidding, of course I will get whatever
it takes & more.
The AA5744 seems to be popular with the fellows here, dh1633 mentioned it. I have never used it.
I am saving all the info, thanks.
 
What diameter Cast Bullets do you fellows use for the sizes you mentioned, my son will talk over my head when this begins so give me some
idea for the 300 grain cast, 405 grain cast, as well as the lead swc? I -think- cast sizes are various oversize measurements for each caliber, or
aren't they? I am ignorant on this but you can use a Gas Check with the 45/70 can't you? Because my son is firm on using them as much as possible.
 
If you are looking for a low-velocity load, look no further than a 350grn or 405grn cast bullet and IMR4198 or AA5744. I know someone recommended Unique, that would not be my first choice. You can easily load it from 1200fps on up to whatever you think your shoulder can take. I love IMR3031, but in the .45-70 it's a handful, and would save that for hunting material. I do not cast... I buy only commercially cast bullets like LaserCast, or I order them from Montana Bullet Works and a few other places. I had a Marlin 1895, so I know what a full charge of IMR3031 feels like!

If you aren't having good luck with the accuracy of the Hornady, try a different brand bullet. I did that with the .30-30... I went from the Speer to the Winchester Silver-Tip... and my accuracy almost doubled... just by switching to a different bullet.
 
What diameter Cast Bullets do you fellows use for the sizes you mentioned, my son will talk over my head when this begins so give me some
idea for the 300 grain cast, 405 grain cast, as well as the lead swc? I -think- cast sizes are various oversize measurements for each caliber, or
aren't they? I am ignorant on this but you can use a Gas Check with the 45/70 can't you? Because my son is firm on using them as much as possible.

You don't really need gas checks unless you are pushing the bullets over 1500fps. If you get leading below that, chances are you need to bump up the bullet size a couple of thou. For a modern rifle, I would start with .459" cast bullets.
 
What diameter Cast Bullets do you fellows use for the sizes you mentioned, my son will talk over my head when this begins so give me some
idea for the 300 grain cast, 405 grain cast, as well as the lead swc? I -think- cast sizes are various oversize measurements for each caliber, or
aren't they? I am ignorant on this but you can use a Gas Check with the 45/70 can't you? Because my son is firm on using them as much as possible.
the rule of thumb with cast bullets are .001 over the grove diameter
 
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If you are looking for a low-velocity load, look no further than a 350grn or 405grn cast bullet and IMR4198 or AA5744. I know someone recommended Unique, that would not be my first choice. You can easily load it from 1200fps on up to whatever you think your shoulder can take. I love IMR3031, but in the .45-70 it's a handful, and would save that for hunting material. I do not cast... I buy only commercially cast bullets like LaserCast, or I order them from Montana Bullet Works and a few other places. I had a Marlin 1895, so I know what a full charge of IMR3031 feels like!

If you aren't having good luck with the accuracy of the Hornady, try a different brand bullet. I did that with the .30-30... I went from the Speer to the Winchester Silver-Tip... and my accuracy almost doubled... just by switching to a different bullet.

Yes the 1895 Marlin 45/70 loaded max is a handful. I shoot anything of any size but this thing isn't FUN at maximum load, & if I own it I have to shoot it.
The idea for both the Marlin & Encore is to shoot with good open sights but any reloaded can agree when I say, if you scope them to test the loads you
are going to do much better to evaluate each load without the eyes failing you especially at my NEW age.
HOWEVER !!! This thing will leave a half moon over the eye with every shot unless the Lead Sled is used, which is ok with me.
I will try these ideas & see where it goes.
Thanks.
 
have you ever sluged your bore.

I could lie & say yes I have but you will find that I am a willing dummy & willing to learn. what is SLUGED?
When I first got both rifles I bought FACTORY brass bullets & fired 50 rounds thru each one while doing the
recommended breaking in of the barrel, lapped it is another word I use, & cleaning them in stages. Is that
what you call SLUGED?
I always break in a rifle or handgun with factory with lots of factory ammo before using reloads in them, just in
case they have a fault that would be under warranty.
Usually do lots more ammo with other weapons but this Buffalo Rifle stuff has it's limits even on a Leadsled.
 
I could lie & say yes I have but you will find that I am a willing dummy & willing to learn. what is SLUGED?
When I first got both rifles I bought FACTORY brass bullets & fired 50 rounds thru each one while doing the
recommended breaking in of the barrel, lapped it is another word I use, & cleaning them in stages. Is that
what you call SLUGED?
I always break in a rifle or handgun with factory with lots of factory ammo before using reloads in them, just in
case they have a fault that would be under warranty.
Usually do lots more ammo with other weapons but this Buffalo Rifle stuff has it's limits even on a Leadsled.
 
i don't have the need to hot load 45/70 much. years off hot loads way hotter then one could do in a marlin will just rattle your brain. all the loads i have tried form my siamese mauser are very accurate.


index.php
 
Lyman 49th edition reloading handbook has
a lot of cast bullet and reduced loads for the 45/70.
 
The 45-70 is a very versatile cartridge, it will do most anything you ask of it. You do need to know what you are working with in the groove diameter and rifling twist though. I use a stock of pure lead, unsized bullets, (I make them when I am casting using a ladle), to slug my barrels, I use case lube and drive the bullet nose first from the muzzle out through the chamber. I use a Swedish Mauser cleaning rod wrapped at 4 points with masking tape to keep the rod centered in the bore and tap it through with a leather mallet. Then I either size the bullets to the exact diameter or .001 over the groove diameter. Jacketed bullets can be different diameters also by the way so select to closest to your bore diameter.
If you should want to change from jacketed to shooting cast, clean all of the copper out of your barrel before you start testing cast for best accuracy. My Marlin 444, with a micro barrel, shoots very hard cast real well with Unique.
Ed
 
What diameter Cast Bullets do you fellows use for the sizes you mentioned, my son will talk over my head when this begins so give me some
idea for the 300 grain cast, 405 grain cast, as well as the lead swc? I -think- cast sizes are various oversize measurements for each caliber, or
aren't they? I am ignorant on this but you can use a Gas Check with the 45/70 can't you? Because my son is firm on using them as much as possible.
I'm not using gas checked bullets, no need to at the lower pressures and velocities associated with moderate 45-70 loads. I am currently buying cast bullets from the Missouri Bullet Company and they are sized to .459" with a BHN of 18. They work well for me with no leading.
 
I use the 300 grain Sierra Sierra H.P. in my handi rifle 55.5 grains of IMR 3031 gives me 1900 fps and quarter size groups at 100 yards . I killed the first deer with it . With that bullet and 47 grains of IMR 3031. There is a big range with that powder
 
405 gr LFN, 31.5 gr IMR 4198, 2.55 OAL.

This is .5 gr above published minimum load but well below the max. Low recoil, fun for paper punching or ringing steel plates. Rainbow trajectory keeps it a short range proposition.

Stay safe!
 
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I use 405gr lead bullets and 13gr of Trailboss. Good for all day shooting, out to about 200 yd. Bullets sized only .001 over bore are really too small, in .45cal I use bullets about .003 or .004 over bore dia.
Lafitte
 
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