Questions about the Marlin 1895G

[thx997303]

I WAS looking for an H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-70

WAS until I saw the prices for a Marlin 1895. Now I'm looking for a Marlin lever gun.

My questions are, can you fit a gloved hand into the lever of the 1895 guide gun?

What is Ballard rifling?

Could I use a 500 gr FN round in this gun?

Thanks for the help.

[ReloaderFred]

A gloved hand will fit into the lever on an 1895, if the gloves aren't really thick ski type gloves. When I shot my moose in Northern Alberta with my 1895, I was wearing gloves and didn't have any problem at all.

Ballard rifling is 6 groove rifling, vs. the 12 groove of the Micro-groove rifling. It's supposed to be deeper cut, but doesn't look much deeper to the naked eye. Ballard does make it easier to shoot cast bullets, but I also shoot them in my Micro-grooved Marlins. I did find that my early 1895 wouldn't run cast much over about 1,600 fps without tumbling, but I haven't experimented much with it to see how much larger in diameter I would have to go to get them to shoot through it at higher velocities. My 1895 Cowboy has Ballard cut rifling and it's shot everything I've put through it accurately.

I believe you could shoot the 500 grain Flat Nose bullet, though the heaviest I've used is a bullet that falls from my RCBS 405 RNFP mold at 420 grains. You have to realize that the Marlin is a relatively light rifle, and if you shoot full power 500 grain loads, it's going to let you know real quick that you don't want to do that a lot.......

Hope this helps.

Fred

[thx997303]

Not really planning on shooting many 500 gr boolits, but would like to have the ability.

[Gunlaker]

Not really planning on shooting many 500 gr boolits, but would like to have the ability.

There are a few that you can use. I have an RCBS 500gr mould that I have yet to play with. There is load data in the LoadBooks for it in the 1895.

If you have big hands you might have trouble with gloves, but you can buy a bigger loop lever from Wild West Guns to solve that problem.

Chris.

[superior]

Garrett Hammerheads are available in 540 grain and work in the guide gun.

[corvette8n]

You could always put a large loop lever on it.

[MtGun44]

Max LOA is about 2.55, "normal" 500 grainers will not fit if crimped in normal location, so
you have to push them way in, eating up powder space. One serious issue is that deep
seating raises pressures, so any loading data intended for normal length seating of a
500 gr boolit will dramatically raise pressures if you seat them really deep to function thru
the Marlin. By the way - the 500 grainers KICK like heck, too. :-)

Also - loop size depends a lot on your hands. I have a friend with very large hands and
he is a bit tight without gloves in his Guide Gun.

Bill

[Gunlaker]

Max LOA is about 2.55, "normal" 500 grainers will not fit if crimped in normal location, so
you have to push them way in, eating up powder space. One serious issue is that deep
seating raises pressures, so any loading data intended for normal length seating of a
500 gr boolit will dramatically raise pressures if you seat them really deep to function thru
the Marlin. By the way - the 500 grainers KICK like heck, too. :-)

Bill

True enough. All of the 500gr+ bullets I've used in .45-70 have been in single shots with lengths of about 2.95". Generally I use bullets in the 400-430gr range for the Marlin.

RCBS did develop load data for it's 500gr FN bullet at an OAL of 2.55" though. One of these days I'll have to try that mould out. Probably not a very practical bullet, but it'll be fun to play with :-). The RCBS data takes it up to about 1500 fps in a 22" barrel with IMR-3031.

Chris.