Namerifrats
03-16-2009, 03:49 AM
Ok, so I have a problem. I bought a Marlin 1895 45/70 Gov (1970's model) rifle from a guy a while back. Never fired it, and don't really know anything about leverguns. So I also bought a Lee 450gr NGC Mould to cast up some bullets for it. Well, I use the Lee load manual 2nd edition. No data for a 450 grain NGC bullet, goes from 405-475gr lead bullets. My bullets are around 455grs lubed. So I'm working off of the higher weight, 475gr data. Using A-2015 powder, I decide to load up 10 test rounds 41 and 42 grains of powder, 5 of each.
So here comes my problem. I look at the load manual's MINIMUM OAL. It says 2.725 MIN OAL for A-2015 and a 475gr lead bullet. I wasn't near the max load, and the bullet is a good bit lighter. So when I seated my bullets, I measured them and they were all 2.686 in length after being crimped. So I get done, and decide to test one round to see how that bullet would chamber. Feed one round into the load slot, open the lever, and jam. I look into the action and sure enough, the bullet isn't clearing the magazine completely. So I work at it with a small screwdriver a few minutes trying to work the round out. Not knowing anything about leverguns, and not having a book, I decide to stop messing with it before I ending up setting the round off by accident with the screw driver. I go online and find a owners manual for the Marlin leverguns. Read how to remove the bolt, so I done that and got my cartridge out and the rifle reassembled. Then I noticed in the manual, that the MAX OAL for the 45/70 is 2.55". Now whats going on there? How can I load the rounds by the load manual then the Min OAL won't chamber in the gun? Guess I'll be pulling those 10 bullets tomorrow. Isn't it unsafe pressure wise to seat the bullets deeper than the load manual states?
EDIT: So I searched and pulled up an older topic about this from 2006. I may just leave these loaded and fire them as singles through the gate. Still wonder about the pressure issues of seating deeper. Any advice on that would be appreciated.
So here comes my problem. I look at the load manual's MINIMUM OAL. It says 2.725 MIN OAL for A-2015 and a 475gr lead bullet. I wasn't near the max load, and the bullet is a good bit lighter. So when I seated my bullets, I measured them and they were all 2.686 in length after being crimped. So I get done, and decide to test one round to see how that bullet would chamber. Feed one round into the load slot, open the lever, and jam. I look into the action and sure enough, the bullet isn't clearing the magazine completely. So I work at it with a small screwdriver a few minutes trying to work the round out. Not knowing anything about leverguns, and not having a book, I decide to stop messing with it before I ending up setting the round off by accident with the screw driver. I go online and find a owners manual for the Marlin leverguns. Read how to remove the bolt, so I done that and got my cartridge out and the rifle reassembled. Then I noticed in the manual, that the MAX OAL for the 45/70 is 2.55". Now whats going on there? How can I load the rounds by the load manual then the Min OAL won't chamber in the gun? Guess I'll be pulling those 10 bullets tomorrow. Isn't it unsafe pressure wise to seat the bullets deeper than the load manual states?
EDIT: So I searched and pulled up an older topic about this from 2006. I may just leave these loaded and fire them as singles through the gate. Still wonder about the pressure issues of seating deeper. Any advice on that would be appreciated.