A question

[docone31]

I have a 45/70 Marlin 1895. It is a Ballard rifling barrel. Now, with the castings, are they pure lead, or a WW mix?
I have lots of both, so I can blend my pot.
Also, anyone have any experience with 45/45/10 lube mixes. It does sound like the Grail to me. I have lots of Alox, and can get JPW. If it is good, I will make a batch for sure.

[knifemaker]

For my Marlin 1895 I use clip on wheel weight with about 2% tin added for fill out in the mold. No leading problems, my mold is a ranch dog 350 gr. with gas check. I size to .460 and get consistant 1 to 1-1/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards using IMR-4198 powder. My lube is White label 2500

[44Blam]

I just got my 1895 a little while back and I've shot mostly PC boolits... But I have lubed up about 50 in Bens Red. Those rounds were ladders of various sorts that were 25 PB and 25 GC. My alloy was as close as I can get to Lyman #2. I shot up to 54 grn Varget with a GC boolit with no leading (but some bruising). My PB loads were much lower around 40-44 grn varget.

Funny thing was: From 40 grn varget to 50 grain varget was from reasonable to bang (we will call this 1 recoil unit). Then from 50 to 51 was 1 more recoil unit and 51 to 52 was 2 recoil units... I didn't shoot the 54 until I had a recoil pad. I'm not really averse to recoil but good lord that was some push.

Anyway, I had a clean barrel with Ben's Red even at Rockum-Sockum loads.

With PC, I've only shot 4198 and I shot about 30 GC rounds with 46 grn of 4198. It's a stout load. I found it pretty accurate and have had no leading.

[35 shooter]

If you have any Johnson's liquid lube, you could make up some BLL for tumble lube...dries hard and fast. 3 coats for rifles = no leading with proper boolit fit. It IS the graile for tumble lubeing for me.

If not, try the JPW and 45/45/10, or better yet, use the JPW and make Ben's Red.
I've run both BLL and Ben's Red to 26- 2700 fps. in 35 and 30 cal. rifles without a spec of lead in the bore.

[upnorthwis]

I use 3 parts Pb to one part COWW. The 535 gr. Lyman is the only bullet I could get accuracy from. Has to be single loaded and they better fire because they won't extract with bullet intact.

[oscarflytyer]

Lee 405 HB. 45/45/10 then switched to BLL. COWW + 2 % tin. No problems. But I am only pushing ~1300-1400 fps

[quilbilly]

Over the last few decades of casting fishing jigs for my business, I have found the alloy of COWW to be quite variable. I would use at least 30% pure in your alloy plus some extra tin just in case.