400+gr <500gr Postell 45-70 anywhere for MicroGroove Marlin 1895?

My MicroGroove 2007, Model 1895 "JM" Marlin slugs @ .461". I'd like to try some 600yd loads, but not with the usual players @ 535gr. I haven't found any commercially that I can even resize to my specs 'cause they're all too heavy.

I'm not too overly concerned with COAL as I'll feed'em manually. My current custom Mountain Mold 405gr has a nice .200" bore riding section with a .100" driving band right behind it, then the crimp groove. Overall exposed lead is .450".

I can easily accommodate a longer Postell style tapered nose.

Now that begs the question, is this a silly goal for an 18.5" lever gun? (Pls. Don't temp me buying a 26" 1895CB model) If so, I'd prefer to hear a candid answer/comment/opinion now, before I invest more brain power & excitement in this potential project. (I know a tang sight is necessary.) So why bother? - Because my 2 sons are building 600yd, 6.5mm Creedmoor AR style rifles for some "friendly sibling" competition, and I'd like to show up one day with my 105 year old (design) rifle/carbine & give'em a run. Thanks pards.

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Originally Posted by Walstr

My MicroGroove 2007, Model 1895 "JM" Marlin slugs @ .461". I'd like to try some 600yd loads, but not with the usual players @ 535gr. I haven't found any commercially that I can even resize to my specs 'cause they're all too heavy.

I'm not too overly concerned with COAL as I'll feed'em manually. My current custom Mountain Mold 405gr has a nice .200" bore riding section with a .100" driving band right behind it, then the crimp groove. Overall exposed lead is .450".

I can easily accommodate a longer Postell style tapered nose.

Now that begs the question, is this a silly goal for an 18.5" lever gun? (Pls. Don't temp me buying a 26" 1895CB model) If so, I'd prefer to hear a candid answer/comment/opinion now, before I invest more brain power & excitement in this potential project. (I know a tang sight is necessary.) So why bother? - Because my 2 sons are building 600yd, 6.5mm Creedmoor AR style rifles for some "friendly sibling" competition, and I'd like to show up one day with my 105 year old (design) rifle/carbine & give'em a run. Thanks pards.

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Did this on your other thread - I am using a Cast Bullet Engineering 460-535PB which I got him to shorten by one lube groove and driving band so it casts 466grains - its got three grooves instead of four (the picture on their website is good for this boolit - not so good for some others) comes out of my mold at .462 - I am doing the same as you plan - single loading in a Uberti model 1876 - 45/75 cal - boolit loaded right out kissing the lands - it is shooting really well so far - still testing but they are stable at 600 yards - I reckon this one will suit you he makes nice brass molds and single cavity sells AU$115 - you proly land it for a hundred U$ or a tad less.

The main flaw in your plan for me would be the short sight radius (and the short barrel will suffer a bit with blackpowder) - but my eyes are scratchy and I always liked longer guns anyway - if you still see ok you'll be fine - have some fun with those two boys is a great idea .

I didn't even attempt long range however , I did try a NOE version of the 457132 . The trouble with it is that you can't get it back out if you close the action on it .

There is an RCBS 45-500 BP which is also too nose long for the Marlin .

A couple years ago I tried to get a mould done that was basically a copy of a Barnes 325 TacX . Direct duplicate would be 385 gr but with a more conventional HP or pointed it should go 400-425 . I did it with a rebated BT large enough to take a gas check . It never made enough interest to get drawn beyond my graph paper work .

There are a couple different variations of the Money bullet , and another that's more pointed .

Considering some of the things I've gone chasing , I'm not the guy to say a guide gun shouldn't be shot way past normal brush gun ranges .

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

[QUOTE=Harter66;5015340]I didn't even attempt long range however , I did try a NOE version of the 457132 . The trouble with it is that you can't get it back out if you close the action on it .

Yeah once you close the action on one of those longuns you pretty much committed to pulling the trigger - I can get one back out of my 76 at a pinch but needs to jiggle / lift the extractor over the case rim with a small screwdriver - not keen on that and would be many times more difficult in a marlin

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Originally Posted by Walstr

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

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Its a Pedersoli barrel - think it went 4595 - but its a few years ago -
Tried the CBE postell but didnt do much good with it (couple thou smaller)
Black powder only in my 76
I have an 1886 Chiappa that I shoot a duplex load in (6 or 7 grains 4227 plus 64 grains FFFg black under a 335 grain) that might likely work in your Marlin too .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Walstr

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

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Another thought; If you really want to have some fun with those young'ns with their 6.5creed AR's, then how about picking up one of the various 1874 Sharps replicas? That'll get you a long barrel with a LONG sight radius, as well as sights that are made for long range BPCR shooting (either OEM on the rifle, or one of the excellent aftermarket offerings).

Same suggestion with one of the Remington Rolling Block or Winchester/Browning 1885 single shot reproductions.