Was wondering if anyone has tried shooting cast bullets from a Micro groove barrel. I cast hard bullets and some with Gas checks. I am thinking of purchasing this rifle and was wondering if anyone has tried shooting cast bullets with warm to hot loads. Will it lead bad? How is accuracy.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
nav
I've had one for approximately 12 years and have run nothing but cast bullets through it. The rifle likes large diameter (.431) heat-treated bullets of not more than 240 grains with a relatively long bearing surface and a short nose. The best design (most accurate)I have used is Lyman's #429215 GC. The rifle hates soft bullets and also won't stabilize heavy projectiles. I believe the latter is due to that silly 1 in 38" twist Marlin handicaps their 44s with. Unfortunately my favorite 44 designs- Lyman's 429421 and RCBS'250-KT won't group worth a flip although the action will feed them. The heat-treated 429215GCs with a heavy dose of 2400 will do 1 1/2" ten shot group @ 50yds if the loose nut on the trigger is up to it. My 44 has taken a couple of deer with that load and it is death on jackrabbits at the lease.
There has been some good stuff published on cast bullets in the Marlin 44 in years past. Paul Matthews wrote a good article in the Gun Digest some years back and also discussed the rifle and loads in a book, and if I remember correctly there have been some good articles in the Cast Bullet Assn (?)'s little newsletter/magazine.
That's the first time I've heard of success with casts in a microgroove. I believe even Marlin suggests against it. The microgroove was desiged for jackets. That's why the Ballard barrels came back for the Cowboy's. To shoot cast and minimize a leading nightmare, keep em hard, crank up the Antimoney. They might work. Course you do that and your mushrooming capabilities go out the door. You may wanna check the Marlin board.
Check out Matthews' book-it's titled "Sixty Years of Rifles" or something similar. Wolfe published it and it may still be in print. There's a whole chapter on the author's experience with a Marlin 44 and it will save one a lot of time re-inventing the wheel. BTW, wheelweight material is great to heat-treat.
Micro-groove barrels will shoot lead bullets, but they're a lot more finicky about what they'll eat.
It is a myth that microgroove barrels will not shoot cast bullets well. Marlin may advise against it only because they don't want to hold the hand of those who try. Cast bullets must be sized .001" to .002" over groove diameter and it helps to rid the bore of any residual copper. Hence, properly sized cast bullets with gas checks should shoot just fine from a Marlin 1894 microgroove barrel.
I think your on the right track with using hardcast and gaschecked bullets. I have shot a few boxes of factory 240 gr lead bullets (read soft) and they couldnt hold on a 5 gal pail at40 yards. ouch.
luke
p.s. if you get a chance to try those bullets let us know how they work out
I have shot thousands of cast bullets through my gun.Accuracy has been great.Just make sure to not use a soft bullet.