Need advice getting started casting for Marlin 1895cb 45-70

[dbar]

Looking for advice getting started casting for my Marlin 1895CB in 45-70. Im also thinking about casting for my 454 Casul

[6pt-sika]

I had a couple 1895CB's as well as a bunch of other marlin's in 45-70 . For my own use I found bullets sized at .460 or .461" to be the best option . I also used plain wheelweight alloy air cooled . The Ranch Dog 460-350GC and 460-425GC worked well for me . Also the no longer available BRP 462-465GC and the BallistiCast 462-550GC . I loaded all of these with goodly charges of H322 .

For deer hunting and silhouette shooting I would suggest the Ranch Dog 460-350GC bullet above the others .

You are aware that your Rossi 454 will use a bullet sized at .454 or .455" as opposed to the larger bullets in the 45-70 . The Casull would also be better I think with a bullet in the 250-300 grain range . But then thats just my opinion others may say something different .

[Keyston44]

I like the Ranch Dog 460-425 for my 45-70 also. If you can find it now that he's close up shop. I also use the Lee 427-405-F that drops out of the mold at 459 with wheel weights. This is a great all around bullet.

Key

[TheGrimReaper]

I use the Lee 405gr boolit backed by trailboss in starline brass ignited by a CCI LR primer. Shoots GOOD!!!

[Bulletlube]

I have had great luck in my older Marlin with the Lyman 45764361328

[pipehand]

Bulletlube, I had good results with that boolit as well, but it was super agravating to get them to come out of the mold. It's almost like there's a mechanical lock in the copy I have. Even lapped the mold to try to get rid of burrs,etc. IIRC, my guide gun liked 32 grains of H-4198 with that one. Life's too short to put up with it since I got a 6 cav group buy.

[WHITETAIL]

I have a Marlin 45-70 Cowboy and it shoots better then I do.
The load that works for me is Star-line brass.
CCI-200-LR
IMR-4198-38grs.
Lyman Gould boolit 330gr.
5 shots off the bench all touch.:holysheep

[WHITETAIL]

Sorry dbar, I did not welcome you to the forum!
Please forgive me.:drinks:

[Ragnarok]

I use the Lee 405gr boolit backed by trailboss in starline brass ignited by a CCI LR primer. Shoots GOOD!!!

I make this same/similiar load and like the Lee bullet...but am beginning to hate my Lee mold(mine a 405gr round-nose flatpoint hollowbase Lee mold)...I need to find something else 'cause the only other .458/.459 mold I have is a big 500gr spitzer looking slug..which works ok in my trapdoor rifle...but need something else for my Browning levergun.

I've had good luck with Lee molds and the price is usually good...however this hollowbase mold is having some problems with the bottom-plug...sprue-plate fit..etc..and the more I use it the worse it gets! I need to send it back to Lee I guess...

[dbar]

Thank you all this does help alot. And Whitetail I absolutely forgive you....:) You did not need to apologize but thanks forthrowing it out there.

[wmitty]

dbar

If there is a pitfall involved in loading cast in the Marlin; it's using a cast boolet that is too small. I started loading in the sixties using a Lyman 457124 in a trapdoor Springfield. The keyholed targets were interesting to look at, but I had no idea what was wrong, and it set me back 10 years as far as shooting cast 'cause I had already seen you couldn't hit anything with them. Dad bought a 95 Marlin in the early 70's and had the same result with the Lyman boolet - keyholing. Anyway, if you go with 6pt-sika's advice about boolet diameter, you should be a lot better off, accuracy wise. Just my .02
db

[TXGunNut]

Welcome to the asylum, good to have another 1895 fan! I like the RD 460-350 GC mould as well, may be able to special order it from Lee. I push it with 46grs Reloder #7. I've piddled with the 405 and 330 gr Lyman offerings with mixed results but the RD boolit is what my Guide Gun really seems to like best.

[DLCTEX]

I like the RD 460-340 and 460-420 both as well as the lee 459-350PB. I load them over SR 4759 powder.One of the mould makers will cut Ranch Dog's renditions for you, Maybe Accurate?