16" barrel 45-70

[silcott]

What is your powder of choice for a 16" 45-70 Marlin?

Bullets I'm using are Hornaday 300gr interlock and a cast powder coated 405gr FP


Thanks
Justin

[bradshaw]

Dec 25, 2023 20:45:24 GMT -5 silcott said:

What is your powder of choice for a 16" 45-70 Marlin?

Bullets I'm using are Hornaday 300gr interlock and a cast powder coated 405gr FP


Thanks
Justin

*****
Powders on the slow end of fast and the fast end of slow produced accuracy fromn my T/C Contender with factory 16-1/4” barre. IMR 4198 wants a degree of compression to reign in Extreme Spread, especially with a light-for-bore 300 JHP. HOLDBACK----inertia----challenges consistent ignition with lighter .458 bullets. Low, erratic ignition produces wide velocity variation, with fast ignition 12 o'clock, slow ignition printing 6 0’clock.

Check the manuals for good dope.
David Bradshaw

[singleaction]

I’ve used H4198 with the RCBS 405GC in 26” and 22” barreled Miroku 1886’s. You can go nitro-for-black with light charges under pillow stuffing, or up to 458 wannabee loads (not my cup of tea, and unless Ruger has gone to square threads on their 45-70 Marlins, I’d stay under 28k psi and leave the 35k+psi stuff to the modern 1886’s. There are too many examples of Shredded Marlin 1895’s to convince me otherwise.) My favorite load in a 22” gun is 52gr of H4895 for about 1700fps, and pressure in low 20k cup, according to Hodgdon. Very accurate in my gun.

[silcott]

Thanks for the replies.

Should of noted that the barrel used to be 22". I shortened it to 16.2". I have used 4198, 4895, 3031, and Rel-7 before I shortened it.

I didn't know if there was a preferred powder with the 16" barrel over the longer barrel 45-70's.

Thanks
Justin

[bigbrowndog]

I like R7 for all my 4570 loads, my gun has a 17” barrel but I’m running 350’s for the most part.

Trapr

[foxtrapper]

I use Benchmark in my 45/70 and 50 AK . Both 18” barrels

[axman]

I use 5744 in a 17” lightweight Handi I put together.

[bigmuddy]

Dec 26, 2023 10:02:59 GMT -5 axman said:

I use 5744 in a 17” lightweight Handi I put together.

I’ve probably tried every powder mentioned in my 45-70’s. Now I use only one. 5744 is it for me no matter the bullet or gun.

Dan

[silcott]

I'll have to get some 5744 to try

[pleadthe2nd]

I've been using IMR 4895 for 350-405 gr bullets, it is on the slower burning side for 45-70, and my rifle has the 19" barrel, accuracy has been excellent

[x101airborne]

Another vote for H-4895. You can WAY reduce powder charge according to Hodgdon for light loads or ramp it up for stronger loads. You will run out of shoulder before making a dangerous pressure load if you follow the manual. I am shooting 405 grain cast gas checked bullets just over trapdoor pressures.

[bradshaw]

Dec 26, 2023 11:08:16 GMT -5 bigmuddy said:

Dec 26, 2023 10:02:59 GMT -5 axman said:

I use 5744 in a 17” lightweight Handi I put together.

I’ve probably tried every powder mentioned in my 45-70’s. Now I use only one. 5744 is it for me no matter the bullet or gun.

Dan

*****

As with Dan's choice----when you can find it----Accurate 5744 is an excellent powder for the very fast expansion ratio in the .45-70 case, especially in the sort barrel and with lighter weight bullet. It's as thought slow powders don't keep up with the bullet starting to move. Without the holdback (inertia) of a heavy bullet to uniform (using "uniform" as a verb) ignition, a faster powder will work better.

When Ruger released the No. 3 falling block carbine with 18" barrel, I loaded Hornady 300 JHP's with Winchester 680, and even the faster H110 (made by Winchester as 296), but I outshot its 100 yard offhand groups with my M-29 8-3/8" offhand. Win 680 tightened it up. I don't remember ever shooting the pencil-weight Ruger carbine off the bench. As a cautionary note, that little experiment was for the Ruger No. 3 or its parent No. 1 single shot only. Or, many years later, Lee Martin's Siamese Mauser; wouldn't dare try my H110 loads in a crack barrel rifle or T/C Contender, nor in a lever action.

Trapr's recommendation of Alliant Reloder 7 falls into the sweet zone, also. IMR/H4227 maintains pressure rise characteristics more suited to some cases than 296/H110.

The deal at the loading bench is to work up, not down.
David Bradshaw

[silcott]

Thanks for all the useful information.

3031 gave me the best results when it had a 22" barrel. Rel-7 was a very close second.

I'll probably start with those two powders in this short barrel.

Thanks Bradshaw, I was curious about Win680 and AA1680.


Justin

[bigbrowndog]

AA1680 works well in my 16.5” Marlin 444, with 225xpb and 250 Fury, but it gives quite a “boom”.

Trapr

[silcott]

Dec 27, 2023 13:48:04 GMT -5 bigbrowndog said:

AA1680 works well in my 16.5” Marlin 444, with 225xpb and 250 Fury, but it gives quite a “boom”.

Trapr

Sounds about right.

I'll probably reserve my 680 and 1680 for my 357 maximum rifle and a few other cartridges I use it in.