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| Back in the late 70's, when Marlin first came out with their first new 45-70, I bought one and proceeded to shoot lots of factory rounds to familiarize myself with it. Then, after shooting it for a while, my shooting buddy got me into the gorilla loads both 400 and 500 grain bullets. The 400's chrono'd @ ~1900 f/s and the 500's @ ~1600 f/s. Damn did they kick. I put it away for a while and decided to convert it to 475 JDJ. The guys over at JD's place then asked what I was shooting in it. It seems that the locking mortises and the bolt were badly peened and had to be rebuilt before rebarrelling. I shot some 3000 handloads all at full steam and now I know what happens with a steady diet of max loads. Sorry for being so long winded. |
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| quote: Originally posted by 475Guy: Back in the late 70's, when Marlin first came out with their first new 45-70, I bought one and proceeded to shoot lots of factory rounds to familiarize myself with it. Then, after shooting it for a while, my shooting buddy got me into the gorilla loads both 400 and 500 grain bullets. The 400's chrono'd @ ~1900 f/s and the 500's @ ~1600 f/s. Damn did they kick. I put it away for a while and decided to convert it to 475 JDJ. The guys over at JD's place then asked what I was shooting in it. It seems that the locking mortises and the bolt were badly peened and had to be rebuilt before rebarrelling. I shot some 3000 handloads all at full steam and now I know what happens with a steady diet of max loads. Sorry for being so long winded.
You must be ahead of time shooting a 45-70 with a 400-grain projectile at 1900 fps back in the 70s. I would assume that the magnum capability of the 45-70 was not wildly realized back then, especially with a Marlin lever gun. Please take this as a compliment. Thanks. |
| Posts: 1002 | Location: Midwest USA | Registered: 01 September 2001 |
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| 475Guy: Thanks, your post was interesting.
I know that there are others of you who have been shooting loads in this velocity range for a long time. Have any of you pulled the bolt out of your rifles and looked closely to see whether the mortises or lugs are peened or set back as a result of long term use of these loads? |
| Posts: 189 | Location: San Jose, CA | Registered: 02 January 2003 |
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| BigBrass...
I asked this same question (pretty much) on the Marlin Board. Jackfish replied with the fact that he's been doing it for many a year with no adverse affects. He's known for his firearms savy so I would tend towards his feelings on the matter! |
| Posts: 45 | Location: Ft. Myers | Registered: 09 April 2003 |
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| 475...
Where are the mortises? |
| Posts: 45 | Location: Ft. Myers | Registered: 09 April 2003 |
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