What is going on here!

[Axis II]

Can someone please help me a little here? I started today shooting 45-70 from a Marlin 1895 22'' barrel, starline brass, IMR 4198, cci LRP, 300gr Hornady JHP. My loads were 43, 43.3, 44, 44.6, 45gr. What confuses me is how no matter what I cannot get these loads to shoot! It is also odd that no matter what powder charge weight I had one flier. Each load is weighed and trickled, front rest and rear bag 100yards. If I could put 3 close to each other id be happy and just deal with it but why the fliers? I let the gun cool down between strings and fire about every minute or two. In my picture the

43gr load was aimed at the right center diamond and hit high left and appears to have two in one hole.

I adjusted the scope down and right and fired the two 43.6 rounds that are close to each other and threw the 3rd.

44gr the first shot was the low one which was fine and the others lifted on me.

44.6 did the same thing to me. It hit dead center and then throws them high left.

The center shots 45gr was the first shot in the center and then high left!

Anyone have a clue? I'm tempted to ditch the 300gr and try 350gr FP.

 

[H&R Glock]

Open sights?

 

[Axis II]

Open sights?

No sir! 2-7-33 scope on 7x.

 

[snakeye]

Your right inline with Hornady's loading manual but might want to try the max load of 48.7gr. with a velocity of 2100fps pushing it to the max. What I did find interesting though is Lee's manual shows a 300 gr jacketed bullet @ 53.7c to 57.2c and a velocity of 2293 to 2407.....bullet may have to be pushed hard....just a guess

 

[Axis II]

Your right inline with Hornady's loading manual but might want to try the max load of 48.7gr. with a velocity of 2100fps pushing it to the max. What I did find interesting though is Lee's manual shows a 300 gr jacketed bullet @ 53.7c to 57.2c and a velocity of 2293 to 2407.....bullet may have to be pushed hard....just a guess

Hodgdon is around the 50's for load data like Lee. I printed their data too just incase. I stopped tonight due to low light conditions and watching deer across the field.

 

[cheygriz]

First, make sure you're not flinching.
Second, I would try 4895 or 4064 powder.
Third, I would go to a heavier bullet. Preferably 400 grain. I've had very good results with 400-405 grain soft points from Speer and Remington.

 

[fxvr5]

Those groups look fine.

Maybe you're asking too much of your gun. Ever consider that?

 

[WestKentucky]

Keep bumping it up, or try a different powder. I wouldn’t want to go up to the 400s just because the low and slow route makes distance shots much harder and effectively shortens the range of the rifle. 300 is where I would try to stay, no more than about 350gr.

 

[dirtman]

HORNADY 350 gr. with H4895 group very well in my marlin 1895.... i load them on the hot side...

 

[Erief0g]

To add to the brainstorming.. double check scope mounts are tight.

 

[LoonWulf]

Also, single loading, or from the magazine?

 

[buck460XVR]

How did you rest the gun? Barrel on the bag or front of the stock. Could be that's all the accuracy the rifle/caliber is capable of.

 

[Axis II]

To add to the brainstorming.. double check scope mounts are tight.

Yep, everything is tight and blue lock tightened.

Also, single loading, or from the magazine?

Single loading.

 

[Axis II]

How did you rest the gun? Barrel on the bag or front of the stock. Could be that's all the accuracy the rifle/caliber is capable of.

Forend on the front Caldwell rock rest. I figured that at first but don't get how it changes on me. One min it hits where the crosshairs are and then it changes.

 

[Laphroaig]

Could be that's all the accuracy the rifle/caliber is capable of.

The 44 gr. load is about a 1 1/4" group. For a lever action Marlin I think that is pretty good. Assuming good components and loading practices, I tend to blame fliers on myself. It doesn't take much to have a shot go astray.

 

[entropy]

Like has already been said, you'll have to go hotter with IMR 4198. If you want to step it down and get better accuracy, 4895 or 4064 as cheygriz suggests would be better powders to use.

Forend on the front Caldwell rock rest. I figured that at first but don't get how it changes on me. One min it hits where the crosshairs are and then it changes.

Allowing adequate time between shots? Just spitballin'....

 

[the Black Spot]

My 444 always has one flier no matter what combo i try. The group could paper plate size down to 1", but still that little off flier

 

[Axis II]

Like has already been said, you'll have to go hotter with IMR 4198. If you want to step it down and get better accuracy, 4895 or 4064 as cheygriz suggests would be better powders to use.



Allowing adequate time between shots? Just spitballin'....

I would shoot a round and wait about 2min and fire another shot and wait 2min or eat a chili dog. After shot 3 the gun would sit while i walked down range for shot the crossbow and then fire the next 3 shots.

 

[Walkalong]

It doesn't take much to have a shot go astray.

Amen to that, sometimes (A lot of times?) it's just us.

 

[Toprudder]

Something to try. I have found that with one of my lever actions (44mag, I believe), where I rested the front made a difference. Rested on the front of the fore stock, the groups opened up when compared to resting on the rear of the fore stock.

 

[Axis II]

Thanks for the advice all! I will be trying everything this week and see what happens. Im just trying to find a decent 150yard deer load and then load up all my brass so its not sitting around and a mad scramble when the season rolls around to load and check.