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Old July 9, 2009, 08:33 AM   #1
Magnum Wheel Man
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Suggestions for bullet / loads for 45-70 Guide Gun

I have several 45-70 guns ranging from a 14" Contender to a Safari Martini single shot, to the latest aquisition a new stainless ported Marlin carbine guide gun...

in the past, I mostly shot factory ammo, collecting brass ( most of which is now Remington once fired ) I have the dies & a couple bullets, but have not "dove into the cartridge" like I have been giving attention to the last year or so on my reloads... I'm trying to give alot of attention to 6-8 cartridges a year, & the 45-70's time has finally arrived

the single shot offer me more versitility, limited only by twist rate... the stainless Guide gun carbine replaced an older blued Marlin 45-70 rifle, which I used mostly as a thick woods deer rifle, before I started hunting almost exclusively with a handgun... I'd like to work up a good deer load, as well as a good dangerous game / bear load that should go through the Marlin reliably... to load up next winter ( just starting to do the research now )

any suggestions for bullets for those two purposes, as well as powders to use in the carbine length ported barrel Marlin ??? ( I'd guess powders good for my 14" Contender would be suitable for the carbine )
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Old July 9, 2009, 06:57 PM   #2
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I can give you two loads. The first is what I use as a gerneral purpose load.

Hornady 350 grain Round Nose bullets over H4895 powder with CCI 200 primers. I use just below max because it is a little more accurate than a compressed load. If you want to step it down a bit Varget doesn't have quite the ummph as H4895. A lot of folks like IMR 3031, I didn't get the accuracy with it like I did with the Hodgdon powders. This is typical of my ported Guide Gun.



If you are interested in buying some of the 350 grain RN bullets let me know. I have some surplus I can sell. You might also find the link below handy.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech...h_notes.htm/49

Another load I have with cast bullets uses a 500 grain bullet over 40 grains of Reloader #7. It's not a pleasant load to shoot on a regular basis in the Guide Gun but I think it will penetrate a locomotive ... lengthwise. Both bullets are shown in the link.
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Old July 9, 2009, 08:25 PM   #3
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CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I'll toss in on top of Mike's suggestion that you also take a look at some faster powder's. I've been playing with Reloader 10X in the 45-70 both with 350 grain and 435 grain cast bullets from a couple of NEI molds I have. In both cases the powder is filling the case about 100% in the Marlin and performing up to 3031 with about 10% less charge weight. I haven't measured the pressure. QuickLOAD estimates it is around 36,000 psi, so it isn't a cream puff load. Approach with caution. YMMV.
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Old July 10, 2009, 07:37 AM   #4
Magnum Wheel Man
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Thanks for the suggestions guys... & to anyone else, keep them coming... as mentioned, I'm just starting to research what I'm going to want to load / expiriement with this next winter...

FLASH... thats a very nice group coming from a carbine... is yours scoped ??? mine currently has the stock sights... mine came with a green fiber optic front sight, & a buck horn rear... I'm looking at doing one of the ghost ring rear sights... I really like the Williams Fire Sight Ghost ring I'm testing on my 45 Colt 10" Contender, which I'm setting up to deer hunt with... I may add one to the Guide Gun as well... it would change out the front sight to red, & lengthen the distance between the sights, it offers both the ghost ring for faster shots, & as well it is flanked by green fiber optic dots, which allows traditional dotted sight alienment
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Old July 10, 2009, 08:16 AM   #5
dodge
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In my guide gun I use 44 grs IMR 4198, Hornady's 350 FN, CCI 200 primers and what ever brass that I have on hand mostly Remington and Starline for a velocity of 1800 fps over my chronograph. When I had a scope on the rifle I was getting anywhere's of 1/2" - 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards.
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Old July 11, 2009, 01:23 PM   #6
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45-70

I have several 45-70's and it really is one of my favorite cartridges.

Personally I like RL7 for a powder. It gives good case fill. It burns fairly clean. And it is an afforable powder. I have found a load of 40 grains of RL7 gives about 1600 fps velocity from my rifles. I use a 405 grain cast bullet, and at this velocity I do not need to GC the bullet. So I can load and shoot 700 or 800 rounds for about $100.

This load has performed well in all the differnt 45-70's that I have shot. And this load is not a real shoulder thumper. But you know you have shot the rifle. Tom.
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