Cast bullit for 45/70 Marlin Lever gun.

[docone31]

I am going to use Lee molds for my 45/70. I use 4895 for powder. Any advice on the mold to use for this rifle>
I am leaning to the 345gn mold, but the 405 also has my attention.
Any ideas?

[FergusonTO35]

How old is your 1895? Does it have micro groove?

[Keyston44]

I have a Lee 405-457-F that shoot very well out of my Guide Gun. It drops out of the mold at .459, I shoot it as cast with Lee Liquid Alox.

Key

[Texas by God]

I used the Lee 340 in a Marlin Cowboy and it worked great. It of course has Ballard rifling. Unique and LLA, the first load was a good one.

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[knifemaker]

You need to slug your rifle before buying the Lee mold. I checked that mold you listed, 345gr., and the catalog shows it as a .457 dia. Most Marlins, not all, prefer a .460 dia. cast lead boolit for best accuracy. I use a Ranchdog 350.gr. RNFP boolit for my Marlin 1895 and size it at .460 and get 1 inch to 1-1/4 inch groups at 100 yards for 3 shots. Several friends have the Marlin guide rifle and they also size at .460 for best accuracy. After slugging for the groove dia. of your rifle, you may be better off getting a mold that will drop a larger dia. boolit so you can size it one or two thousands over your groove dia. Use a mike to check your sizing slug and not calipers as calipers can be off 1 or 2 thousands. The groove dia. on my Marlin was .458 and I size 2 thousand over that groove dia.

[17nut]

I shoot the Lee 459-405-HB a lot in my Marlin 1895.
It will bump up and size down to fit the barrel as long af the cartridge will chamber.

[oscarflytyer]

I am shooting the Lee 459-405-HB also. Pushing it with IMR 3031 @ 1325 fps. Woods accurate (no reason to test it much past 100 yds for my deer woods!) and a real deer thumper out to 100 yds.

[454PB]

I use both the Lee 340 and 405 HB in my Marlin Guide gun with great results. Ballard rifling and I size .459".

[surfanarchist]

Saeco #017 45 Caliber (458-459 Diameter) 350 Grain Flat Nose Gas Check. This one loads well in both my Marlin 1895 Limited (NOT microgroove) as well as my Browning Miroku 1886, drops at .459, shoots straight. I've gone through several molds looking for something that works in that **** 1886 and this seems to be it.