Hey guys, just made a new venture into the lever action category. Bought a Marlin 1895SBL 45-70 Govt and have no experience reloading straight wall calibers. From my research it looks like IMR 3031 and 4198 appear to be the powder of choice. I would like to stick with 300 and maybe 350 grain bullets most likely JHP. Any suggestions as to what dies I need to pick up, I'm think of doing the crimp in a separate step with the Lee Factory Crimp die. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Get a set of Redding dies for the 45/70 - I use mine for both lead and jacketed bullets (405 grain) and find that a separate crimp die is unnecessary. Loading staight wall cases is easier than loading bottleneck, just like revolver rounds, except you still must lube the case. I use IMR3031 with complete satisfaction with 400/405 grain bullets but have never loaded a lighter bullet so I have no load advice for you.

I use a separate crimp die, but that is simply my choice, the dies themselves can crimp.

Odessa is correct in that you have to lube. Although the case appears to be straight-walled, it is tapered enough so that a carbide sizer is not possible.

If you go with the 300 grain bullet, I highly recommend the Speer UniCor, especially if you run it up past 1900 or so fps. I have tried the Hornady and it was getting somewhat destructive past that speed.

The powder I mainly use is H4198, but I have used others, IMR3031 being a good suggestion, and I have had fair results with IMR4895, but it seemed to leave a lot of residue. Shot good, but dirty.

Benchmark is tolerable too, as is RL-7.

I always used a seperate crimp die but when I went to the Lee factory crimp die, I found my chrono'd velocities to be more consistent, smaller spreads. You also don't need to be as fussy about small differences in case length. Also, try to find a set of dies in which the seating die has a sliding collet, like in the Hornady New Dimension set.

I shoot 405 Rem bullets with RL7 powder from my 1895G. I crimp in a seperate step with the Lee FC die, I am sure the seater would do great crimping I just prefer to use the FCD.

That is the very reason I went to the Lee FCD. I HATE to trim cases.

I am lazy


Dumb......


And I found out my wife is ugly.......

No, Vic. If she stuck with you, she's a prize worth keeping.

Get the Lee deluxe die set with the FCD .

I shoot exclusively home cast lead bullets , so I can be of no help there .

If you are planning to load HOT , 3031 and one of the Reloader series show to be top performers in my Lyman book .

Get a good recoil pad if you plan to max out the Marlin .

For mild loads , try 13.5 - 13.6 grains of Unique for 300 - 405 grain bullets .

God bless
Wyr

I use 300 grn bullets for practicing on paper and 350 grn bullets (Hornady 350 XTP) for ferel hogs or deer. I use 405 Remington too but on big game, such as bears, moose, elk etc. I load Beartooth (hardcast) Piledrivers.