462 420 pb group buy for 45/70

[crabo]

I posted this in lever guns but I did not get any bites. I got my BIL 45/70 guide gun and am going to work up some cast loads for it.

I have never loaded 45/70 before and would like some suggestions on powder and loads. I have this group buy mold.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30322

I also need some dies........ any better than others for the lever gun?

One last question.. what size sizing die should I get for the Marlin?

Thanks,

[XWrench3]

i am not going to be much help, i bought a lee .460 - 350 fn gc mold. which actually casts .461" i have just started shooting a few of these. i am shooting 25 grains of imr sr-4759 with out the gas chex right now. it is a pretty mild load. i am not even sizing them as of yet. i have probably only shot 20 or so of them out of my 45/70 guide gun. i was waiting for gas chex, which i got tonight. so i will be working up this over the next few weeks. sorry i couldn't help more.

[peter nap]

I'm using the same mold as Xwrench. I will have to size to seat the Gas Checks so I got a .460 push through from Buckshot. You just can't beat the price or quality.
The Guide Gun seems to shoot better with .460 and up.

I'm still playing with mine and want to go to heavier bullets and I haven't used Gas Checks yet.

[WHITETAIL]

Get your self a RCBS-45-405-FN.
Then you need to get some gc.
From what I was told that RCBS
made this boolet for the Marlins.

[pdawg_shooter]

From a 2007 post;

1895g Load for everything
After five years of trying I have finally found THE load for my Marlin 1895g. 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. 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 55 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?

[Nazgul]

Crabo- You have what I consider the ideal bullet for the 45/70 guide gun. I had a GG, but have 4 other 45/70's right now. Use any good quality die set, I like Hornady. Size the bullet to .460" and you should be fine. Seating depth can be adjusted to any length using the Lee factory crimp die.

I use mostly IMR4895, it can be loaded up or down as you prefer.

I feel the 420 gr weight gives the best compromise, heavier than the 405gr and lighter then 500 gr which are the general extremes for the 45/70. I also like the Lyman 540gr FNGC from another group buy, at 1500 fps it is a thumper. For general use the 420 gr is great. When using the plain base I use a cardboard wad as long as the case is full to the base.

Don

[Gee_Wizz01]

Crabo

Ranch Dog designed this bullet for the Marlin 45-70 so you have a great bullet. The recommended sizing diameter is .460. I have the mould also and I am just starting to reload for it using H4895 and haven't fired the loads yet. I used the data I got off of Ranch Dogs site. I have been shooting the Ranch Dog 460-350 and it has proven very accurate. The H4895 loads are fairly hot and if you are looking for lighter loads Accurate 5744 should do the trick.

G