[quote=Riflecrank]
I have 50/110 and a 45/90 conversions built on 1886 and 71 (Miroku) actions respectively. I try to keep OAL down to 2.80” in the 50/110 and 2.85” in the 45/90. That gives me a small margin of safety if I need crank out shells quickly. There’s no point having a levergun that has feeding issues.
JFE,
That was good info on the meplat size and the COL being important in feeding those lever actions.
I tried my Brownining/Miroku 1886 .45-70 and 2.800" is the longest I can work through the loading gate and lever up to start chambering.
Yes, the narrower meplat of the 400-gr Swift A-Frame loads easier than the broader meplat of the 400-gr Barnes Buster, both at 2.800" COL
even though both are too long to fit in the no-throat .45-70 chamber with .457"-grooved barrel.
Amazingly the Hornady 480-grain DGX-Bonded at 2.780" COL will feed through loading gate and chamber without resistance in the SAAMI .45-70 Govt. chamber.
It is only .455" diameter above the cannelure, tapering to FN meplat of about 0.250" diameter. Might be safe ?
