Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Marlin 1895GBL 45-70

Once I made the mental leap to leave "traditional" behind, it was all downhill.....grin

I'm really liking it.

But what will it do with RL17? (grin)

That is the best looking lever gun I've seen in a long while....

B-b-b-b-b-bad to the b-b-b-b-b-bone!

I worked up a load with my guide gun, hard cast and 12 gr unique that shot point of aim with my full power load and no recoil. I may have to use it as a youth load for the kids. I just need that big loop lever (for me).

Took the GBL out today for some range play at 100 and 350 yards.

Load was:
Rimrock 405gr cast
16 gr Unique
CCI 200
R-P brass

Load clocked right at 1300 fps (1280-1300 fps at 15').

At 100 yards I put six rounds downrange from prone with a front rest. Five went into a 4.5" group, and one keyholed about 3" further out at 7-oclock.

I figured stability must be marginal with the keyhole, but went out to 350 yards anyway, on the 15x25" steel. Cranked 30 moa on the scope, and the first round was a (lucky) hit. I fired five more and they were all over the place, off steel. Literally had a 'beaten zone' probably six feet in diameter. They must have all been tumbling.

Had another 38 rounds to expend and did so just fooling around plinking at rocks and stuff.

So, looks like I need to speed up these 405s some to get stability. Barrel twist is 1/20". Anybody have insights regarding minimum velocity to get good stabilization with 405 cast out of a 1/20 bbl? Or does this seem like an issue with the bullet?

Shane, do you have a pic of the bullet itself??? 1:20 should stabilize that slug pretty well. The old buffler guns had a 1:18 and they did fine with 550 grain slugs. Alloy?? Sizing?? I've shot half a trainload of cast slugs from 405/420 up to 545 grains and with smokeless powder sizing is more to be looked at.

The Bullet is a .458" Rimrock. Pretty hard. I'm not too familiar with them but they were on hand locally so figured I'd give them a whirl.
http://www.rimrockbullets.net/catal...duct_info&cPath=2&products_id=72


I've also got some Oregon Trail Laser Cast 405gr, .459" that I haven't tried yet.

I've never had any stability issues with 420 to 430 grain bullets in my Marlin, but I have been running them 1650 to 1800 fps.

Hmmm, sometimes if a cast bullet is too hard it will skid on the rifling and completely lose their accuracy. I have NO experience with a slug that is of that configuration. Very nearly smooth sided with one grease groove. Darn near a paper patch slug. Just about all of the bullets I cast for velocities in that range are about 20:1 lead/tin. Paper patch 30:1. Shane, PM Hawk1. He is very experienced with cast slugs and what works well and why.

I'm getting some good info over at Marlin Owners too. The sentiment over there is it's not a twist issue, but obturation, or inadequate lube.

I was kind of skeptical of the single lube groove myself. And I did get a lot of leading near the chamber. Scrubbing that stuff out now.

nice looking rig. Let us know about the Laser cast loads when you try them. I have a couple boxes of Missouri Bullet Co "Buffalo" 405's that are listed at .458 that shoot pretty well out of the last 1895 I stupidly sold a while back.

I have been using H4198 for my 45-70 loads for a little while but haven't tried Unique yet mostly because of waiting on building a shed to set up the reloading kit again.

Any chance of getting a weight check on your rifle setup???

Be safe
Patty

Shane, is your rifle new enough to have a deep cut rifled barrel or is it a microgroove?? Sizing is the critical key if micro groove. The Ballard style rifling is a lot more forgiving of sizing as it was the original lead bullet,blackpowder rifling. It sounds like the slug WAS "skidding".

Rifle weighs about 8.5 lbs with scope and mounts.

It's a Ballard rifled barrel. Yes it's brand new, just picked it up about a month ago.

what mold for marlin 1895 45/70? [Re: hornsurgeon]
Otter
Campfire Regular

Registered: 10/14/06
Posts: 857
Loc: born and reared in NEBRASKA -c... I have had good luck, like sharpsman, with the Lyman 457193. It is "advertized" as a 405 gr FNRP bullet and will vary in weight depending upon what alloy you use. I have cast them with wheel weight lead and both 30:1 and 40:1 lead:tin mix. My 30:1 bullets weigh in at 414 gr +/-. The 1895 CB (well, mine anyhow) really likes this bullet and is accurate with both smokeless and BP. The Ballard-type rifling in the 1895 does well with the lead alloy bullets. Plus, this bullet will shoot well out of


Thread further down on this forum. Jim

Thanks for all the info and pics on here - I have been eyeballin' a Marlin 1895 in some configuration for a long time now. All my brothers shoot some variation of the Guide Gun, so I kinda felt let out, and that to get one like I wanted I would have to put some extra $ in for a stock, pad, loop and extended mag. But, then Marlin goes and builds the 1895GBL - found one on gunsamerica for $565 shipped and it was all over...

It arrives in less than a week!!!
Very excited-

Nice looking rifle. Kinda looks small when your holding it.

dang I thought I was taking a breather buying rifles.


perhaps I should sell one of my .45/70 GG's?????


Naaaah, I've two boys, someone would end up with hurt feelers.


my biggest fear is it would be me

Walked into the local gun shop on friday afternoon looking for a box of bullets. Did'nt find the bullets I was looking for but I did find a brand new 1895GBL. This is the first one that I have seen and I was impressed. I was so impressed,that I was back 15 min. later to trade my 1895GG for the GBL. I always liked the guide gun but it needed some upgrade to make it the ultimate BOAR BUSTER. Finally Marlin to the hint and made the GG that they should have made the first time around. I had taken my XS sights off of the GG before I traded it and installed them on the GBL. Of to the range yesterday with the ammo that was loaded for the GG. I did'nt even have to adjust the XS sights. It shoots exactly where the GG did. It just does'nt get any easier than that. I was shooting a healthy load of IMR-4198, pushing a 350gr. cast round nose bullet. The biggest change that I did notice was now it is enjoyable to sit at the bench and shoot 40 rds. in a afternoon of shooting. It was love at first sight and now after shooting it, this one has found a home.

Just picked my new GBL up from the FFL today - I am loving it.
It has a great fit and finish of all the parts - way more comfortable feeling to me than my brothers 1895G. The biggest surprise was the trigger - breaks very cleanly at 4.8lbs on my scale. Should get some shootin' in this coming week - very excited!

A little update on the GBL,

In a flash of good judgement, I decided to drop the scope from the GBL, and put on a set of XS iron sights. Me being me, the natural instinct was to try to make it into a LR precision rig, which it was never intended to be.

Anyhoo, this gets it back to being an easy carrying gun that will hit hard within 150 yards or so, without a lot of fanfare....which is what I wanted in the first place....