Marlin 45/70 Cowboy Expected Range?

[Doc McGee]

This has probably been addressed before, but what can a pard expect for accuracy at longer ranges with a Marlin 45/70 Cowboy? We shoot up to about 850 yards at one of the ranges I frequent.

This would be using at least a 390 grain boolit with the heathen smokyless powder.

Also which powder and load would give the best performance. I'm not talking hunting yet, just gong ringin or paper punchin.

Thanks for your responses.

Doc McGee

[Nueces]

I don't have loads fer ya, Doc, but welcome aboard! Someone'll chime in soon. Report back and let us know if you win any trinkets.

Mark

[Scrounger]

This has probably been addressed before, but what can a pard expect for accuracy at longer ranges with a Marlin 45/70 Cowboy? We shoot up to about 850 yards at one of the ranges I frequent.

This would be using at least a 390 grain boolit with the heathen smokyless powder.

Also which powder and load would give the best performance. I'm not talking hunting yet, just gong ringin or paper punchin.

Thanks for your responses.

Doc McGee

Minute of angle would be about a 7 inch group but I'd bet you won't be anywhere close to that, more like 3 minutes, which would be about 20 inches. Just guessing, of course.

[kennisondan]

intaersted in the sights you will use for adjustment for those ranges.
dk

[NickSS]

I have only used my Marlin Cowboy out to 200 yards with a 405 gr Lyman bullet. Accuracy was around 3to 4 inches with the load I used (28 gr of AA 5744). I have shot at long ranges with the 45-70 using black powder (out to 1200 yards (need a really high rear sight for that range)). A 400 gr bullet shoots right along with the heavier ones out to about 400 yards but then falls on its face accuracy wise when compared to using say a 500 gr Lyman or similar boolit. A boolit over 405 gr will not work in a marlins magazine but you can single load them. However, they kick a bit more. Even using a shooting jacket and firing prone and black powder loads I get a shoulder that is soar after 50 rounds. I have used a recoil reducing pad since I found that out and now I have no problems.

[lovedogs]

One of our club members used to use a Marlin .45-70 in our long-range buffalo silhouette shoot and he did quite well until he got a double charge of 2400 and blew it up. Until that time he was shooting a 400? or 405?gr. Lyman bullet. He was known to use Unique and 2400 powders. Don't know what kind of groups he was getting but he did real well out to the limit of our range, 876 yds. The biggest problem is finding a good sight for that long-range shooting with a lever gun. A good rifle is capable using heavy bullets.

[jerdog53]

I shot a few BPCR shoots with my 1895 LTD 4 with 24" barrel and BP 2F and a 405 Lyman boolet but my rear sight (Lyman #2) ran out of elevation out past 350 yards so I was Kentucky windageing it past that and had a lot of misses but under that I could ring the steel rather regular.

[Ndenway]

can't help you with on the loads,

I'm using a now discontinued surplus powder (data68) and 405LFN I got from a local caster, the load data for the data68 says 1550fps out of a 24" barrel, but I haven't chrono'd the load in my 1895CB yet, so I don't know what it'll do for an 20 shot avg.

just mounted a marble's tang sight (#123620 $99+S&H from midwayusa) last night and sighted it this morning to 300yards on paperplates, still have some adjustment left on the post,

didn't measure group size but all ten rounds I shot at the plate hit once I got the elevation/windage dialed in, that took me 12 rounds,

this is probably the hardest kicking rifle I own, I think it kicks harder than my 300wm with 200grSP at 2900fps,

I fired a total of 40 rounds today off the bench, and I can feel it now,

when I get more time to go to a longer range I'm going to see how it does out to 500yards, if it won't make it to 500 with the present post www.buffaloarms.com sells taller post for approx $7 each.

[lovedogs]

Ndenway... try a Limbsaver pad. They work wonders.

[Lloyd Smale]

only way your going to find out is to put a target out there and shoot at it. Theres just to many variables in loads guns and even weather conditions at really long ranges.

[ace1001]

Range? Don't you mean accuracy? A single shot with a heavy floating barrel will always be most accurate, all other things being equal. Ace

[6pt-sika]

I've got a CBA back issue that has an article about a gentleman rebarreling a Marlin 1895 to shoot the 40-65 and using it in the "Quigley Match" in Forsyth MT .

He came up with some kind of modified vernier sight to use on the back of the Marlin .

He gave me the idea of relining a 1895CB to 40-65 and I went so far as to purchase a second 1895CB for just this purpose . However I could never bring myself to do it . Then I acquired a original 1895 in 40-65 . SO I traded the 1895CB still unfired and NIB to a friend in Texas .

Anyway in my own persoanl opinion , I think if you can get a decent 450 grain FN GC mould and push it hard enough with XMP5744 to get say 1500 FPS you should be alright . You will however need to get some sort of vernier sight to get you on target .

[6pt-sika]

Check out ;

www.jeffsoutfitters.com

They have a repro sight on their they claim is an exact copy of the old vernier sight that was used by Marlin and Ballard .
It's not to bad dollar wise , about $65 . I would also get a lower front sight then what comes standerd from the factory .[smilie=1: