400+gr <500gr Postell 45-70 anywhere for MicroGroove Marlin 1895?

[Walstr]

My MicroGroove 2007, Model 1895 "JM" Marlin slugs @ .461". I'd like to try some 600yd loads, but not with the usual players @ 535gr. I haven't found any commercially that I can even resize to my specs 'cause they're all too heavy.

I'm not too overly concerned with COAL as I'll feed'em manually. My current custom Mountain Mold 405gr has a nice .200" bore riding section with a .100" driving band right behind it, then the crimp groove. Overall exposed lead is .450".

I can easily accommodate a longer Postell style tapered nose.

Now that begs the question, is this a silly goal for an 18.5" lever gun? (Pls. Don't temp me buying a 26" 1895CB model) If so, I'd prefer to hear a candid answer/comment/opinion now, before I invest more brain power & excitement in this potential project. (I know a tang sight is necessary.) So why bother? - Because my 2 sons are building 600yd, 6.5mm Creedmoor AR style rifles for some "friendly sibling" competition, and I'd like to show up one day with my 105 year old (design) rifle/carbine & give'em a run. Thanks pards.

[indian joe]

My MicroGroove 2007, Model 1895 "JM" Marlin slugs @ .461". I'd like to try some 600yd loads, but not with the usual players @ 535gr. I haven't found any commercially that I can even resize to my specs 'cause they're all too heavy.

I'm not too overly concerned with COAL as I'll feed'em manually. My current custom Mountain Mold 405gr has a nice .200" bore riding section with a .100" driving band right behind it, then the crimp groove. Overall exposed lead is .450".

I can easily accommodate a longer Postell style tapered nose.

Now that begs the question, is this a silly goal for an 18.5" lever gun? (Pls. Don't temp me buying a 26" 1895CB model) If so, I'd prefer to hear a candid answer/comment/opinion now, before I invest more brain power & excitement in this potential project. (I know a tang sight is necessary.) So why bother? - Because my 2 sons are building 600yd, 6.5mm Creedmoor AR style rifles for some "friendly sibling" competition, and I'd like to show up one day with my 105 year old (design) rifle/carbine & give'em a run. Thanks pards.

Did this on your other thread - I am using a Cast Bullet Engineering 460-535PB which I got him to shorten by one lube groove and driving band so it casts 466grains - its got three grooves instead of four (the picture on their website is good for this boolit - not so good for some others) comes out of my mold at .462 - I am doing the same as you plan - single loading in a Uberti model 1876 - 45/75 cal - boolit loaded right out kissing the lands - it is shooting really well so far - still testing but they are stable at 600 yards - I reckon this one will suit you he makes nice brass molds and single cavity sells AU$115 - you proly land it for a hundred U$ or a tad less.

The main flaw in your plan for me would be the short sight radius (and the short barrel will suffer a bit with blackpowder) - but my eyes are scratchy and I always liked longer guns anyway - if you still see ok you'll be fine - have some fun with those two boys is a great idea .

[Harter66]

I didn't even attempt long range however , I did try a NOE version of the 457132 . The trouble with it is that you can't get it back out if you close the action on it .

There is an RCBS 45-500 BP which is also too nose long for the Marlin .

A couple years ago I tried to get a mould done that was basically a copy of a Barnes 325 TacX . Direct duplicate would be 385 gr but with a more conventional HP or pointed it should go 400-425 . I did it with a rebated BT large enough to take a gas check . It never made enough interest to get drawn beyond my graph paper work .

There are a couple different variations of the Money bullet , and another that's more pointed .

Considering some of the things I've gone chasing , I'm not the guy to say a guide gun shouldn't be shot way past normal brush gun ranges .

[Walstr]

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

[indian joe]

[QUOTE=Harter66;5015340]I didn't even attempt long range however , I did try a NOE version of the 457132 . The trouble with it is that you can't get it back out if you close the action on it .

Yeah once you close the action on one of those longuns you pretty much committed to pulling the trigger - I can get one back out of my 76 at a pinch but needs to jiggle / lift the extractor over the case rim with a small screwdriver - not keen on that and would be many times more difficult in a marlin

[indian joe]

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

Its a Pedersoli barrel - think it went 4595 - but its a few years ago -
Tried the CBE postell but didnt do much good with it (couple thou smaller)
Black powder only in my 76
I have an 1886 Chiappa that I shoot a duplex load in (6 or 7 grains 4227 plus 64 grains FFFg black under a 335 grain) that might likely work in your Marlin too .

[The_Eccentric]

Indian Joe:
Thanks for quick & detailed reply. This is a great forum, eh. I saw your boolit on their .AU website, very traditional sleek profile. You mentioned Blk Pwdr; are you shooting BP? if not, what pwdr y'all got there?
I know a Marlin CB has 6" more barrel, but I'm no wheres near spending that $$$ for an experiment, thus asking questions & pickin' brains! Your cast is .462", what does your bbl slug at? I slugged my bbl by loading 1gr (had to knock out from muzzle w/ dowel), 2gr (didn't go but 1/2 way) & 3gr loads, then fired at some "hand cleaned" dirt covered with my bandana, at the range's berm. Later pard, Wally

Another thought; If you really want to have some fun with those young'ns with their 6.5creed AR's, then how about picking up one of the various 1874 Sharps replicas? That'll get you a long barrel with a LONG sight radius, as well as sights that are made for long range BPCR shooting (either OEM on the rifle, or one of the excellent aftermarket offerings).

[The_Eccentric]

Same suggestion with one of the Remington Rolling Block or Winchester/Browning 1885 single shot reproductions.