1985 Marlin GBL 45-70 loading help

[colt1960]

Hello, I bought a Marlin 1895gbl that I plan on reloading for. My question is most of the load books and information always seems to give the velocities for rifles with longer barrels. Like 22 in, 24 in, 26 in ect. Mine has a 18 in barrel so I know it will have lower velocities than the hand books call out for. Is there a rough figure I can use to know about how much speed will be lost per inch of barrel? I would also like to load some reduced loads also but dont want to drop below 1050 ft per second. Thankyou Rick!

[kliff]

If you have any preferences, such as powder and bullet weight, now would be a good time to shout 'em out. Might help with a quicker answer if everyone knows what you have, or want to work with...:)

[colt1960]

Im mostly wanting to wanting to know if there is a way to calculate velocity loss from book loads using longer barrels. Most of the trapdoor loads are figured for a gun with a 30 in barrel.I have a RD 460-420 mold that I will start with. Right now I have unique and 2400 for reduced loads. I also have a can of brigadier 3032.

[pistolman44]

Have you shot your GBL yet. I want to buy the same thing. but went on the Marlin owners.com web site and did some research. Some of what I read was before you buy check to see if rear sight is mounted on center and some of these rifles have barrel droop. This is start to scare me now that I'm ready to plop dow $600 for a new one. How doe's yours shoot? What kind of groups you have been getting. The good ones have a JM stamped into the barrel. I'm realy confused now.

[colt1960]

I had planed on buying off of gun broker to start with but like you I joined them also and started reading horor storys about all those bad guns people were getting. So I went to local gun shops to look around so I could hold and inspect it before buying one. The first one I found was this one. I fell in love with it. The stock fit looks great(no gaps or metal showing above the wood) compaired to pictures I was looking at online. the action works good and is not stiff. the sights are fine as is the barrel. I havent got to take it out to shoot it yet but have cycled ammo thru it and its fine. It holds the correct amout of shells. Mine is the dreaded remlin but im very happy with it. Rick!

[Greg B.]

I don't believe all the new Remlin's were bad but some certainly were and it is the complaints of consumers that will save the company. It sounds like you got a good one. While I can't give you velocity estimates for a short barrel look at the Hodgons web site and get something like the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual that list loads for the Marlin 95 in 45-70. Meanwhile start with the entry level loads and work toward what is listed as max. Ranch Dog has a good reputation and you should be able to find a safe load that meets your requirements. You may have to work a bit to get the kind if accuracy you want. I did with my Marlin made 1895.

[monge]

I had seen some rough ones at the local gun shop but that was a couple of years ago 2010 maybe Marlin had a tough time keeping up with demand. they have caught up now and qaulity is much better!

[Boondocker]

I bought a remarlin GBL at Christmas, when I was looking for a CB that my wife paid for and they had a hard time finding a CB. I said I would settle for a GBL as my 2 nd choice. They day I went to get it a guy traded one in NIB and I got it for 444.00. Action is smooth and finish is good except the wood is a little proud to the receiver on the left side , I will fix that in the future. I shot 15 rounds of 325 HP Winny factory freehand at 25 yds with decent grouping for my eyes, gonna scope it tho. and 15 Lee 405 over 10grains unique for function, good grouping tho. I will break out the chronny one of these days and report in. Over all I think I got a decent one.

[btroj]

How much velocity you will lose is hard to say. You may lose 100 fps or so. It will it ever matter? 400 gr of lead at 1600 or 1700? Does it matter?

I have the standard rifle because I prefer the looks of the longer barrel. That is purely my opinion.

As for the Remington/Marlin thing. Seems to be a rifle to rifle thing. Some have stories of good guns, some stories of bad ones. I will rpsay there is much rumor and innuendo on the web aout this situation. Lots of a friend of a friend of a friend of mine........

[Dale53]

I have an early MODERN 1895 with Ballard Rifling. It will shoot 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards with cast bullets and smokeless powder (I like RL-7).

The Lyman #3 Reloading Manual is your friend. Ken Waters "Pet Loads" book has lots of good, reliable, loading information on the three strength levels of various 45/70's and can be very helpful.

This has got to be one of the finest rifles for heavy game at woods ranges ever produced.

FWIW
Dale53

[stubshaft]

My criteria for hunting guns is to find what shoots the most accurately in my guns. Basing a load on velocity doesn't work for me.

The old rule of thumb is 125 fps lost for each inch. That being said, the hogs that I've shot couldn't tell the difference between my 1895SS's or my Guide guns with the same load.

[Ed Barrett]

Might take a at this sight.

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/index.html

[pdawg_shooter]

From an old post of mine: The next rifle is my “fun gun” It is a Marlin 1895G. This short, handy, thumper is just fun to shoot. It is stock except for a Lyman 66 rear sight. After five years of trying I have finally found THE load for it. Does everything I want done and is still shootable. I started with new Remington brass, annealed the first ¾ inch using the melted lead method, belled with a Lee expander and primed with CCI 200. The powder charge is 52gr AA 2495. I started with 48 and worked up with no signs of pressure. This is a compressed load, even using a 16 inch drop tube. The magic bullet is cast in a Lyman 451114 mould. The alloy is 17 parts pure lead, 2 ½ parts linotype, and ½ part tin. The bullet drops from the mould .451 and is ready for patching. I make my patches from 16lb green bar computer paper, cut 2.750 long on a 60* angle 1.500 high. I dip in water and wrap twice around the bullet. They are left to dry overnight, then lubed with BAC from White Label Lube. The next day the tails are clipped and the bullet is run through a .459 Lee sizing die. I seat them to an OCL of 2.580. These shoot clover leaf groups at 25 yards and into 1.75 at 100. This is with a Lyman 66 rear sight and factory front sight. Not bad for 60 year old eyes. Bullet performance on game is all one could ask for. I’ll not quit experimenting, but how does one improve on perfection? I have taken two deer, and half a dozen or so coyotes with this gun. Maybe someday I will have a chance to go hog hunting.

[monge]

For some reason I dont see much difference in barrel lenght and point of inpact on my xlr and guide gun!

[colt1960]

Dale53 I do have the Lyman cast bullet manual #3 and #4. and 4 or 5 other load manuals. Thanks for the help guys.