Feasible to line a Marlin 1895 45-70 barrel?

[RG1911]

The groove diameter of my Marlin 1895 is .4595, the last time I checked. I'd have to get the equipment to cast and size CBs to .462 to get acceptable accuracy. Since I hadn't planned on shooting it that much, and I've got my casting down to just a couple calibers, I had been hoping that I could buy off-the-shelf CBs. However, the largest I've been able to find are .460 diameter. They're better than the .458 normal CB diameter, but I'm sure the rifle should be capable of better than 3 MOA accuracy off the bench with a scope.

So, can the barrel be relined or is the barrel wall thickness insufficient, or is the modern 45-70 too powerful for a successful lining?

Thank you,
Richard

[pietro]

.


Relined to what caliber ?

If you plan on a re-lining to .45-70 in a smaller groove diameter, I think that I'd first try casting softer lead boolits, to see if they'll bump up to the current groove diameter successfully upon firing.

(If you're already casting pure lead, I'd suggest trying a heavier powder charge to bump up the boolits)


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[RG1911]

It would be for 45-70 with a .457 groove diameter.

I am not casting for it now and do not want to start; would prefer to be able to buy off-the-shelf CBs.

Richard

[reivertom]

You may be able to re-line it to a smaller caliber, but I don't know if you would have enough of the original barrel left to do a .45 diameter ID liner. What about an old 38 or 40 caliber blackpowder chambering of some type?

[Dan Cash]

Spend the $100 or so dollars for a properly sized mould from Accurate, pan lube the bullets and shoot with pleasure. Way cheaper than a reline. You don't need to size the bullets if they drop round and the right diameter in the first place.

I just checked the Accurate web site for an aluminum single cavity mould; $77 plus freight. Way cheaper than a reline.

[Texas by God]

What DanCash said. Heck, get a Lee mould and load them unsized TL and boot them in the butt with Unique. It will bump a bullet up somewhat like Blackpowder.
Did this with a friends Marlin Cowboy and we were hitting clays at 100 yds with the iron sights.(Lee 340 FP). 3"@100 ain't bad for bought bullets IMO.
Best, Thomas.

[Sur-shot]

The groove diameter of my Marlin 1895 is .4595, the last time I checked. I'd have to get the equipment to cast and size CBs to .462 to get acceptable accuracy. Since I hadn't planned on shooting it that much, and I've got my casting down to just a couple calibers, I had been hoping that I could buy off-the-shelf CBs. However, the largest I've been able to find are .460 diameter. They're better than the .458 normal CB diameter, but I'm sure the rifle should be capable of better than 3 MOA accuracy off the bench with a scope.

So, can the barrel be relined or is the barrel wall thickness insufficient, or is the modern 45-70 too powerful for a successful lining?

Thank you,
Richard


Richard, You might consider that a reline means a re-chamber. If you add the cleaning and take down, the liner, drilling, fitting, cambering, reassembly, etc., all together, it seems to me that at under $600, a new in the box 95 Marlin would be a pretty reasonable shooter as an option. You could put the old gun on the wall.
Ed

[RG1911]

Richard, You might consider that a reline means a re-chamber. If you add the cleaning and take down, the liner, drilling, fitting, cambering, reassembly, etc., all together, it seems to me that at under $600, a new in the box 95 Marlin would be a pretty reasonable shooter as an option. You could put the old gun on the wall.
Ed

Interesting idea. The case length for each cartridge is almost identical. But, as you point out, all the work will boost the price to the cost of a new rifle.

I'm just not sure of the quality of the new Marlins. There are conflicting reports.

Cheers,
Richard

[rockrat]

Check with the bullet mfgs and see if you can buy unsized boolits from them and just pan lube them and shoot them unsized