500 grain lee in marlin 1895

[waco]

My buddy just picked up one of these molds. Huge boolits!!!
Anyone have any load data for this monster in the marlin .45-70???

[45-70 Chevroner]

Some one told me that the 500 grainers are to long for them to cycle through the action. I had a Marlin 1895S and the longest boolit I used in it was the 405 Lyman. I do remember that it will get your attention with heavy loads. As for loads I'm sure you can find lots of loads for it in the Lyman loading manuals and most others. In my Pedersoli Rolling block I like 11 grs of Unique behind the 500 gr Lee at about 1100 FPS, I do not use a filler.

[waco]

I know I will have to seat them to a max of 2.550"
Just not sure how that deep seating will affect pressures, even at trap door levels.
That's why I was wondering about safe load data.
Waco

[Nobade]

Yep, seated to 2.550" with a full load of 4350 or anything slower than that is safe. Faster powders can be used, but pressures go up in a hurry. Stick with 4350 and you'll be safe, as well as make all the recoil you will really need anyhow.

After you have seen what 500's do in the Marlin you can go back to the 400's and enjoy the much higher velocity and easier hits at longer ranges. But you need to try the heavies at least once just to see what they do.

[WyrTwister]

Yep, seated to 2.550" with a full load of 4350 or anything slower than that is safe. Faster powders can be used, but pressures go up in a hurry. Stick with 4350 and you'll be safe, as well as make all the recoil you will really need anyhow.

After you have seen what 500's do in the Marlin you can go back to the 400's and enjoy the much higher velocity and easier hits at longer ranges. But you need to try the heavies at least once just to see what they do.

I will leave that " pleasure " to the rest of you .

God bless
Wyr

[Jim]

I shoot 540 gr. Lyman RNFPs out of my Gibbs with a 105% density charge of 7383. That'll thump ya' around pretty good.

[waco]

Nobade
What would a full charge of 4350 be exactly?
Enough to just make it fill the case to the base of the Boolit, or are you talking a somewhat compressed charge?

[Nobade]

Doesn't matter much. I wouldn't go grinding it up to make more fit, but if you dump the powder in an unsized case until it makes the boolit stop by hand seating that will work fine.

Even a fairly heavily compressed load of it is safe, so a barely compressed one will work too. As Jim above mentions, a load of 7383 works too - it's about the same burn rate as 4350 but less dense. Similar performance though.

[Doc Highwall]

The LEE 500gr bullet is meant for single shot rifles. Lever action rifles are made to handle a O.A.L. of approximately 2.550", anything longer will not cycle through the action.

You can shoot the LEE in a Marlin but they will have to be dropped directly into the chamber and will not be able to be ejected meaning you will have to fire the cartridge.

The RCBS 45-500 bullet is made for lever actions.

[waco]

I loaded some to just under 2.50" and the feed just fine through my marlin. And they eject as well.

[Maineboy]

I have a Lyman 457406 which drops boolits right at 500 grains using an alloy of 50-50 WW&pure lead. I've only tried 3 loads with that boolit, 42 grains of 3031, and 44 grains of 4064 which both gave excellent results, under 1 1/2 inches at 100 yards from my scoped 1895. The 3rd was 28 grains of XMP5744, which wasn't quite as good, 3 inches at 100 yards, but still pretty respectable. The first 2 loads thump pretty hard, in fact they shook the cheap Tasco scope apart.

[MT Chambers]

I agree with the Doctor of Highwalls, that bullet is for single shots, it doesn't provide a proper crimping groove and the somewhat pointed design is not a good killer, the 500 RCBS as well as Accurate molds designs will be flat point, with the crimp groove in the right place, a much better bullet for hunting. Your Lee could "slip the crimp" at the most inopportune time.IMHO

[dubber123]

I shoot a Lyman boolit I had HP'd, weight in 50-50 is 520 grains. I load at 2.550" for 2 Marlin levers. 35 grains of H-4198 runs about 1,400+ fps. and burns very cleanly. Have fun.

[Crawdaddy]

I shoot 463 grain out of my 450 Marlin (1895M) which is basically the same as a 45-70. I am certain I could get the 500 grain ones to work.

Those heavy boolits pack a wollop on both ends. Not for the faint of heart. For those of us who like them, they are a dream come true.

[monge]

Loaded a bunch and shot them out of my xlr ,Wow they pack a punch good to wear a glove on lever hand .nothing roming around NY to to shoot them at buffulo, grizzly !

[hickfu]

I make my own and they come out to around 535gr to 540gr and they cycle perfectly in my 1895 CoPilot
Here is a pic of them.... the others are 350gr gas check, 400gr non gas check, 435gr gas check and the 535gr gas check.
http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s642/DocHolliday4570/TombStone%20Bullets%2045%20Caliber/Tombstones.jpg

All have the same nose profile (.370 Meplat) and cycle perfectly and boy do they hit hard!


Doc

[Doc Highwall]

I really like the nose profile, looks like it will anchor game right there.

[John Allen]

What moulds are these I like the flat nose shape

[hickfu]

I had them made for me at Accurate Molds, Tom is a great guy to deal with and makes a quality mold....
These ones are the 46-350V, 46-405V, 46-430V and the 46-540V and can be found at www.accuratemolds.com
I started a little side business called "TombStone bullet works" and have been selling them on the Marlinowners website. I am kind of on hold now because of my father getting cancer and I need to get him to appointments... its a lot to deal with I am sure but we are hoping that the treatments work. I hopefully will be getting into different calibers soon starting with the 44Mag and then choosing other calibers later. All my gas checks are glued on with Gorilla Super glue and then run backwards through the sizing die to help clamp them down on the sides. Lube was purchased from a forum member and I think he is on this forum as well, D Crockette was the name. Great guy and very nice lube.


Doc