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Thread: load for 1895 Marlin in .45-70

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    load for 1895 Marlin in .45-70

    I have been working up loads for my Marlin "cowboy" in .45-70. I have noticed that there is somewhat of a shortage of available load data for heavy WFN cast lead bullets, so I decided to share what I am doing with Doc Holiday's 425 grain "Tombstone's". I shot a five shot group this morning with 41 grains of IMR-3031 behind a 425 grain WFN hard cast. Next time out, I will likely try 42 grains of IMR-3031 because I want to shoot these bullets at around 1400 fps.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy finstr's Avatar
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    Hey this is excellent! Thanks for the info Rich. I have a 1895 Marlin chambered in a 450 that I reproduce 45-70 loads in just for 'nostalgia' purposes.

    Hey are you the same Rich Cronk that makes the really nice coyote howlers? If so they are truly a work of art!
    I'm the gun totin, meat eatin', BIBLE readin', redneck conservative your mother always warned you about.

    " Holes kill stuff. "

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Try that bullet with 24 gr or so of 2400. It will be around 1350 to 1400 and should shoot well. A filler is a good thing, I use a bit of Dacron. Don't pack iron top of the powder, I just get it ispnside the case trans the bullets moves it into place.

    The filler gains 50 to 100 fps

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finstr View Post
    Hey this is excellent! Thanks for the info Rich. I have a 1895 Marlin chambered in a 450 that I reproduce 45-70 loads in just for 'nostalgia' purposes.

    Hey are you the same Rich Cronk that makes the really nice coyote howlers? If so they are truly a work of art!
    -----------------------------------
    Yep, ya caught me! You caught the Tator. Thanks for the kind words regarding my howlers.

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    btroj,

    I appreciate your offer, but I am trying to stay away from fillers.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Even without a filler the load shoots great. I don't use the filler much of the time, too lazy to add it.

    The filler makes for a slightly more consistant load but I have shot too many sub 2 inch 5 shot groups at 100 to decide that fillers are really required.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Cronk View Post
    -----------------------------------
    Yep, ya caught me! You caught the Tator. Thanks for the kind words regarding my howlers.
    Do I recall from Council Bluffs, Iowa?? Or around those parts?

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RickinTN View Post
    Do I recall from Council Bluffs, Iowa?? Or around those parts?
    -------------------------------------------------
    I am still right here in Council Bluffs, and coffee is always on at Cronk's.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


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    Good to see you here! I remember runnin' into you at one of the predator huntin' sites, but don't remember which one.

    I'm thinking with that 45-70 load you have, if you could get the coyotes to cooperate, you could get several with one shot and stack-em like cord wood!

    Take care,
    Rick

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RickinTN View Post
    Good to see you here! I remember runnin' into you at one of the predator huntin' sites, but don't remember which one.

    I'm thinking with that 45-70 load you have, if you could get the coyotes to cooperate, you could get several with one shot and stack-em like cord wood!

    Take care,
    Rick
    -------------------
    Rick,
    You are right of course, but around here (and everywhere else I have hunted) I have to make sure there is a good back stop to catch the bullets. I place my target stand in front of a terrace here in Iowa. These heavy bullets would shoot through a house and three or four cows ya know.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Heck, I am just across the river and the correct side.
    I am in Bellevue.

    Try some 2400, it works very well.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    btroj is right about the 2400. I'm using a 425 gr LFN in my Guide Gun and getting 1330+/- fps with 25.3 grains and no filler. I do believe you'll like it.
    You have the right to force me to pay for the feeding, housing, clothing, education, and medical treatment of yourself and your children when I have THE RIGHT TO FORCE YOU TO PICK MY COTTON!

    Section 1 13th Amendment to the Constitution:
    "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pipehand View Post
    btroj is right about the 2400. I'm using a 425 gr LFN in my Guide Gun and getting 1330+/- fps with 25.3 grains and no filler. I do believe you'll like it.
    ----------------------------------------------
    There is a powder shortage now, remember? Stay tuned to this station and you will soon see 1400 fps with IMR-3031. Hey, how much powder residue are you guys seeing in the bore after five rounds with the 2400 loads?

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Nice looking group Rich. How is the recoil with that load in your cowboy? I have been shooting pretty much one load in my 1895 CB. 13 grains of Unique with a very old mold 456192 sized to 460 with no filler. I also use it in my 24" Encore. Recoil is about the same in both rifles and groups look like yours except they are more verticle than horizonatal. I'm not sure how fast they are going but at my age my shoulder says fast enough.

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iowa Fox View Post
    Nice looking group Rich. How is the recoil with that load in your cowboy? I have been shooting pretty much one load in my 1895 CB. 13 grains of Unique with a very old mold 456192 sized to 460 with no filler. I also use it in my 24" Encore. Recoil is about the same in both rifles and groups look like yours except they are more verticle than horizonatal. I'm not sure how fast they are going but at my age my shoulder says fast enough.
    --------------------------------------
    The recoil is stiff, but not uncomfortable. The horizontal spread in that group was poor trigger control on my part. The trigger has pretty hard pull for bench work. I use the words "bench work" loosely. I simply drape myself over the hood of my truck and rest the rifle on bags. I have a "sissy" pad coming from the PAST company, and my 525 grain Pile Driver's from Beartooth are due to arrive tomorrow. I don't plan to hunt Buffalo or Grizzly bear, so why am I doing this? An old Grandpa's crazy idea's is all I can come up with. I have ten of those one gallon milk jugs saved up, and my 22 year old Grand Daughter has agreed to video me as I line up ten or twelve of those jugs full of water and shoot through em. That will make a good You Tube feature. Oh yes, I have five rounds loaded up with 42 grains of IMR-3031 behind those 425 grain Tombstone's, so stay tuned to this channel and you will soon see the five shot group.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Rich, get more milk jugs. My 425 grain at 1330 hit the 14th one. Beautiful straight line penetration.
    You have the right to force me to pay for the feeding, housing, clothing, education, and medical treatment of yourself and your children when I have THE RIGHT TO FORCE YOU TO PICK MY COTTON!

    Section 1 13th Amendment to the Constitution:
    "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pipehand View Post
    Rich, get more milk jugs. My 425 grain at 1330 hit the 14th one. Beautiful straight line penetration.
    -------------------------------------------------
    Now THAT is good information right there! I will line up 15 of those jugs then, thanks.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I don't see any real powder fouling after using 24 of 2400. I don't clean after each outing and I can easily get hundreds of rounds between cleanings. Mi usually decide to take the rifle down, clean it all up, and reassemble before hunting season. So yes, it might get cleaned once or twice a year even though I many shoot 3-500 rounds out of it in a year.

    I don't know the situation right now but about 6 weeks ago I go an 8 pounder of 2400 at Guns Unlimited for 109 bucks. They had a fair bit of powder on hand.

    I will say that a 420 grain flat nose doing 1400 fps or so is a penetrating machine. Sould be great on deer. I pushed mine to 1650 for a couple of black bears but I don't know that was really necessary.

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub Rich Cronk's Avatar
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    Well here is today's result with 42 grains of IMR-3031.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


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    Sure can't argue with groups like that! My guess is that 43.3 grs. will put you right on top of 1400fps. Should take care of any vermin in the garden, like buffalo!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check