45-70 cast loads

P

Panfisher

New member
I have a buddy who has a Marlin 45-70 Cowboy and would like me to load something different for him. I have loaded 350 HP and 405 soft points for him but he is thinking maybe some cast bullets. Does the Marlin Cowboy have cut rifling? Any good loads, he isn't planning on hunting rhino or anything just something different, with a thump.
 
The Cast LFP Trap Door loads on Hodgdon's site should do nicely. Just because it's a lever action doesn't mean it'll be no good with TD loads. That 485 grain load will give him any thump he needs. snicker.
 
If you are familiar with Trail Boss powder, use what is described as a max load and any weight cast bullet. I have been using moly coated from Bear Creek. Any load with TB will be light with minimal recoil. Great way to shoot .45-70s and .458s.
 
Be sure to slug the barrel and use the correct diameter projectiles. .001-.002" over groove diameter is recommended for accuracy and to prevent leading. Size is king! GW

Should have said FIT is king!
 
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4198 is also a great choice for 45-70 cast. I'm running 28 gr of 4198 with a 405 gr rnfp cast and i'm at about 1240 fps from my Springfield 1884 TD.
 
I would suggest the Lyman 457122 Gould (which has always been an accurate bullet in ANY 45-70 I've tried it in)
or the 325U bullet from RCBS.

Either of those bullets with 5744 - Lyman's 49th edition- really perform in my Marlin 95 (cut rifled).

5744 is a powder that is well worth the higher per pound cost.
Not position sensitive and has a very wide range of application.

JT
 
I have a 22" 1895 that I only shoot as a range toy, no hunting. I am reloading powder puff loads using 300 gr. RNFP MBC bullets over either 15.0 gr. of HS-6 pistol powder or 14.0 gr. of Trailboss for 1100 fps to 1200fps velocities. I can shoot these all day long, and groups are hovering around an inch at 50 yds. I'm going to try some varied powder levels with Trailboss this weekend to hone in on a more accurate load (using Hodgdons Trailboss data) at 50 yds. and go out and try 100 and 200 yds also.

For easy shooting loads with 350 or 405 bullets, check out the gmdr.com website. They have all manner of 45-70 loads using pistol powders. That's where I got the HS-6 load.

Enjoy, it's a super fun rifle to shoot with its rainbow trajectory! Makes a satisfying clang on steel as compared to a ding with smaller calibers, even at low velocities.
 
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