Casting for 45-70???

[bigdogpete]

Hi,

I am going to cast for a Marlin 45-70 lever action in 405 gr. mold. I am not planning on going about 1800 fps. Is 50/50 mix with wheel weights and plumbers lead a good mix?

bigdog

[btroj]

That will be fine. 1800 is pushing it for a plain base but it can be done. Use a good lube.

[alfloyd]

You will need to slug your barrel. Check to see if it is micro-groove or reg rifling. If micro you will need to size it larger to get it to work.
My Marlin is the cowboy with reg rifling.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Lafaun

[btroj]

Barrel dimensions have little to do with alloy selection in my opinion.

If you get minor leading you can water drop. That alloy will harden quite nice that way.

[fredj338]

Barrel dimensions have little to do with alloy selection in my opinion.

If you get minor leading you can water drop. That alloy will harden quite nice that way.

IME, groove dia & bullet fit is very imp[ortant for accuracy & min leading.
I run straight ww w/ good results in my 45-70 GG @ 1600fps w/o gc. If I want to use 50/50 mix I water drop.

[btroj]

It is critical to accuracy and leading- but does it have anything to do with alloy selection?
Two totally different issues.
I don't slug my gun to decide upon an alloy any more than I use a hardness tester to determine bore size.

Confusing issues like this causes much confusion amongst newbies. We need to keep issues separate and clear. Bore size dictates size to diameter. Alloy has little, if anything, to do with alloy.

[45-70 Ranger]

A 405 gr. at or near 1800? OUCH! That sure is gonna give you some thump!

[btroj]

Halthy but not too bad. Get them around 2K and yeah, it gets your attention. I just start lower and work up to it. After a few months it isn't a big deal. On the right end of it!

[bigdogpete]

You will need to slug your barrel. Check to see if it is micro-groove or reg rifling. If micro you will need to size it larger to get it to work.
My Marlin is the cowboy with reg rifling.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Lafaun

I just bought a new Guide Gun and thought I would try to reload some cartridges. Factory loads are a little pricey.

Thanks,

bigdog

[btroj]

I just bought a new Guide Gun and thought I would try to reload some cartridges. Factory loads are a little pricey.

Thanks,

bigdog

A little pricey? That is an understatement.
You will find that cast work very, very well in that rifle. My Marlin works quite well with bullets sized.460. That seems a common size for Marlins.

I like mild loads for most of my shooting. A 405 gr cast over 24 gr of 2400 gives around 1350. Easy on powder, easy on shoulder, generally quite accurate.

Enjoy that rifle, it should be a shooter.

[crabo]

You will find that cast work very, very well in that rifle. My Marlin works quite well with bullets sized.460. That seems a common size for Marlins.



I've found that .460 works well with the three guideguns I have worked with.

How fast are you planning on going? Air cooled 50/50 works better at 1500 fps for me, than water dropped WWs did.

[45-70 Ranger]

I shoot hogs weekly. Had run our of reloads (Gasp!!!) and was forced to buy some of that nasty J-word factory stuff. Rem 405's. They were nasty, dirty, and not so accruate loads that cost $43 for a box! The only good thing was that I got 20 once-fired brass outta the deal.....My cost of reloading less than the price of .22LR's....that's the kind of math I like. :) plus tigher groups to boot.

The GG I shoot is a 2009 production from the old Marlin factory (thank goodness) and is unaltered other than a Williams 5D rear sight. Weighing in at 7.2 pounds, stout loads hit my old body hard and make for unpleasant shooting and thus, groups grow....

[bigdogpete]

I've found that .460 works well with the three guideguns I have worked with.

How fast are you planning on going? Air cooled 50/50 works better at 1500 fps for me, than water dropped WWs did.

I have been reading that about 1800 leading can occur. Though I would stay below that for sure. Maybe around 1500 to 1600. I have only cast for muzzleloaders so I am a newbie to this kind of casting. I use pure lead for my 50 cal. muzzleloader.

bigdog

[Beau Cassidy]

I am running some Ballisticast GC bullets -1453, I think- make of 50/50 WW/pb with no problems on my .450 Marlin. Air cooled. Felix lube. .460 dia. I don't remember the load off hand. I just cast 300 bullets to give a friend of mine. He will get them today and has no idea I cast them for him.

[9.3X62AL]

The 45-70 cartridge in 1873 trim--running a 405 grain boolit about 1300 FPS--is no slouch as a critter thumper. 90% of my loads through my Ruger #1 are at this intensity. Same story when I had a couple Marlin 95s previously. 7/8 oz of 45 caliber flat-nosed heavy metal running 4 football fields per second-plus will anchor just about anything in North America. And has, for 138 years.

Such a boolit running 1800 FPS from the Marlin will cause your shoulder blades to collide. And, at 1300 or 1800 FPS--the boolit will go through-and-through most critters anyway, so a lot of the energy you're projecting (and soaking up on your shoulder) is wasted. Cast your boolit as a soft-point (see elsewhere on this site for directions), launch it atop 28.0-30.0 grains of IMR 4198, and you'll make venison or elk backstraps handily. Inexpensive ammo, pleasant to practice with, and effective as all get-out on critters. There has ALWAYS been a 45-70 at my house for the past 25 years, and I won't be without at least one in the safe.

[Jailer]

The 45-70 cartridge in 1873 trim--running a 405 grain boolit about 1300 FPS--is no slouch as a critter thumper. 90% of my loads through my Ruger #1 are at this intensity. Same story when I had a couple Marlin 95s previously. 7/8 oz of 45 caliber flat-nosed heavy metal running 4 football fields per second-plus will anchor just about anything in North America. And has, for 138 years.

Such a boolit running 1800 FPS from the Marlin will cause your shoulder blades to collide. And, at 1300 or 1800 FPS--the boolit will go through-and-through most critters anyway, so a lot of the energy you're projecting (and soaking up on your shoulder) is wasted. Cast your boolit as a soft-point (see elsewhere on this site for directions), launch it atop 28.0-30.0 grains of IMR 4198, and you'll make venison or elk backstraps handily. Inexpensive ammo, pleasant to practice with, and effective as all get-out on critters. There has ALWAYS been a 45-70 at my house for the past 25 years, and I won't be without at least one in the safe.

I just acquired my first 45-70 and first lever gun, an 1895 SBL and just started working on a good all purpose hunting load for it.

It's funny, the advice you gave above is exactly what my goal was. Heavy plain base booilt, around 1250 to 1300 FPS, soft flat nose for hit and expansion without a huge amount of over penetration.

It's a nice reassurance to hear from the voice of experience and know that I'm on the right track with my goals with this gun and load, thanks for sharing.

[btroj]

My deer load this year will be a 420 plain base over 24 gr of 2400. Gives 1350 or so. I have no doubt it will go thru a deer end to end.

[Tazman1602]

Straight wheel weights and 405 grain would be fine man. 1800 is a bit fast for me, I usually run around 12/1500fps. Remember MILLIONS of buffalo were killed with 500 grains at around 1200fps.

You gonna use a gas check bullet? If so shove it as fast as your shoulder can handle if you want!

Art

[josper]

thanks to btroj I tried the MD 45-70 405gr BGG from NOE with the 24.5gr of 2400 and it's a keeper.

[btroj]

Glad it worked out for you. That is such a good powder for 45-70.