Marlin/Ballard Barrel 45-70 Owners

[Just Duke]

What do you size your 45-70 lead bullets to?
This question only applies to Ballard Rifled Barrels and not Micro Groove Barrels. ;)
TIA,
Duke

[thx997303]

Well, my bore slugs at .458" with no constrictions. So I size at .460" and call it good.

[Just Duke]

Well, my bore slugs at .458" with no constrictions. So I size at .460" and call it good.


Thanks THX
Which manufacture .460 lube die did you use? RCBS does not make one that size. Not sure Lyman does either.

[phaessler]

I have been using a Buffalo Arms Lyman-type sizer die for lube groove boolits, tumble lube I shoot em' as cast. Both at 0.460"

Pete

[thx997303]

Honestly, I don't size them. They drop from the mold at .460 and I dip em' in tumble lube.

[rayzer]

I was told that Buckshot makes lyman style, sizer dies in .460 or any other size you need. I never did ask him though.

[NickSS]

I size mine at .459 and they work fine in the two Model 95s I have with ballard rifling as well as in my older micro groove 95. For that mater I use the same size in all of my 45-70 except trapdoors.

[two dogs]

lube and shoot .460

[Just Duke]

I was told that Buckshot makes lyman style, sizer dies in .460 or any other size you need. I never did ask him though.

He does. I have one on they way.

[doubs43]

I size my bullets for my 1895 CB Marlin to .458" and it shoots them quite accurately. I use the 300 grain RCBS GC bullet.

[Just Duke]

I size my bullets for my 1895 CB Marlin to .458" and it shoots them quite accurately. I use the 300 grain RCBS GC bullet.

That's a tight barrel.

[Four Fingers of Death]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I always tumble lube and shoot as cast first and if that works (which it generally does) If it does work, I 'sleeve' it. That is sleeve it alone. :D

When I start shooting Black Powder in my 45/70 regularly, I will pan lube and shoot as cast first and see if that works.

Try the easy way first, it may just work. No sense looking for extras jobs.

[Lead Fred]

.457 sizer seems to work the best for my Handi

But I have no idea what kind of rifling it has. They shoot great, so Dont really care

[Maineboy]

My bore is a bit over .457. I also don't size any PB boolits, just tumble lube and load. I have Lee push through sizer that I honed out to .459 for my gas check boolits.

[dubber123]

I size at .461+" in my Marlin CB. I dunno what it slugs at, but I can tell you the fat chamber swallows a .461" boolit without a hitch. I consider centering a round in the chamber to be more important that how much over bore size it is. Mine is certainly not the first fat chambered Marlin I have heard of.

[Gee_Wizz01]

I size .460 in my Ballard rifled 1895G. I don't have any leading and I am getting .5" groups at 50yds with a 1.75X scope. I also got my sizer from Buckshot.

G

[Gee_Wizz01]

I size .460 in my Ballard rifled 1895G. I don't have any leading and I am getting .5" groups at 50yds with a 1.75X scope. I also got my sizer from Buckshot.

G

[rob45]

I size at .461+" in my Marlin CB. I dunno what it slugs at, but I can tell you the fat chamber swallows a .461" boolit without a hitch. I consider centering a round in the chamber to be more important that how much over bore size it is. Mine is certainly not the first fat chambered Marlin I have heard of.

An excellent observation.
The Marlin chambers are well-known for being "oversize".
This is why I prefer a fat bullet irregardless of bore/groove dimensions, unless the load tells me otherwise.

[wilddog45]

I size my Ranch Dogs .460 for my CB

[stubshaft]

I size to .460" in both my 1895S Ballard and 1895G Microgroove.