Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Cast 45-70 Bullet Options and Slugging

I'm starting to reload for my 45-70, it's an 1895 with microgrooves. I saw the Acme FP coated bullets and they look good, but they only come in .458. Anyone know if the coating negates the need to slug the barrel? I've also thought about being lazy and ordering .459 calibers from Bear Tooth Bullet and seeing how well they work. Or I might slug it for the exact size.
What do you guys use for your 45s and do you slug your barrels?

I've not loaded for a micro-groove 45 cal barrel. The Marlins, both micro-groove and Ballard-rifled, tend to run oversized by at least a few thousandths. In a Marlin 30-30 with micro-groove rifling, .311-312" shoot the best. Anything smaller than .310" is absurdly inaccurate, and leads terribly. In a Ballard 45-70, .460-461" shoot really well. Nothing smaller does. In a Ballard 44 and 444, .433" shoots really well, and anything smaller does not. Those have been my experiences. I'd try whatever to see if it worked, if I were you, but not get too invested until you know whether it shoots. If ordering from Beartooth, I'd order at least a .460", and likely bigger if they would size it so.

For cast bullets, you don't normally size for the bore, you size for the chamber/throat. If the chamber/throat is smaller than the bore, you're likely not going to get good results.

I no longer have an 1895 Marlin, but bought a new one with Micro-Groove in the '80s. These guns actually shoot pretty well with the largest bullet that will chamber without difficulty. I think that was about .460", maybe a little larger. I had a SAECO bullet size die opened to .461" to do this. Never had a need to use a coated, plated or painted bullet so won't comment on those. I shot several bullets in my gun, one of which was the 420 grain flat nose plain base cast from Lyman mould #457193. For good accuracy and to keep down on the recoil, I loaded to a muzzle velocity of around 1250-1300 fps.

This may be relevant to the conversation, I'm planning to work these up decently hot. All my experience with the 45 are with 405s at about 1750 if I recall. I always just bought them from another reloader. Don't know what diameter bullet he used

I wouldn't order from Beartooth. I ordered .375 bullets from them last September. Still don't have them.

I have a microgroove marlin 1895 in 45-70. I cast my own and have done quite well with Lymans 457193. 36.5grs of IMR-4198 seems to be the load. Runs 1590fps. Bullets weigh around 415grs. I make my own lube from beeswax, hog lard and avocado oil