I'll check my notes for exact figures, but this is what is burned into memory:

Marlin 1895 SS with 22" barrel:

52.0 grains of RL-7
WW brass, WLR primer
Speer 400-grain FNSP
+2000 fps
Shook every screw loose in the gun.
Had to tighten screws after each shot, or the Marlin would "disassemble."

53.0 grains of IMR3031
Speer 400-grainer
WW brass, WLR primer
+1800 fps
Boringly accurate and gentle to shoot, "Elmer's Load," Keith, not Fudd,
whether 400 or 405 grain hardcast or jacketed.

Elmer's Load is wonderful in the 18"-barreled Marlin too. +1700 fps there.
Still beats the heck out of a 454 Casull revolver.

The reason why the 45/90, 45/110, and 45/120 Sharps reproductions are unnecessary to me:

I am not hung up on blackpowder only.
I use smokeless.

I like a Pedersoli-made 1874 Sharps 28"-barreled "Business Rifle" with "Quigley" sights.
I make my own 490-grain RN-GC bullets from 10:1 alloy.
Bullets come out of the mould about .4595".
I lubri-size them to .459" with Lyman "Ideal" (black) lube in the grease grooves.

A full case of Varget (45.0 grains) with WLR primer, WW brass, and COL 2.680", gives 1544 fps at 50F,
and accuracy limited only by my ability with iron sights.

I think that Sharps load is only around 28,000 psi.
I was surprised to see it left unburnt powder lying in the barrel after each shot.
But it is nicely uniform. Varget.

More sacrilege of smokeless powder at 28,000 PSI/CUP:
Anybody got a good Sharps load that will do +1500 fps
with 490-500-grain hardcast GC bullets in a 28" barrel?
Make mine 45/70 smokeless,
and it will equal the old blackpowder loads for 45/90/100/110/120, eh?
A fine deer rifle.

DRG says: "Kiss my liberal grits!"

I got a partial tube of Loc-Tite Blue I'll sell you.

Rich

RIP--Try 41 grains of H4895 under a 520 grain Lyman 457125. IIRC, it gave 1497 when I tried it in a Sharps several years ago. Accurate, too.

RIP - do you own a #1 or Encore in 45-70 yet ...??

quote:

Originally posted by sharpsguy:
RIP--Try 41 grains of H4895 under a 520 grain Lyman 457125. IIRC, it gave 1497 when I tried it in a Sharps several years ago. Accurate, too.

Father Sharpsguy,
Is this absolution for the smokeless powder sin?
I like that H4895.
Will try. Thanks.

Jay,
Nope.
Ruger No.1 in 450 NE 3.25" thinrim does the duty with jacketed bullets.
Pedersoli is perfect for the hardcast as fast as I need to go.

Rich,
Thanks, but I have several half-full tubes of blue LocTite already.
How do you think I have kept my Marlins together for the last 30 years?

DRG says: "Kiss my liberal grits!"

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
53.0 grains of IMR3031
Speer 400-grainer
WW brass, WLR primer
+1800 fps
Boringly accurate and gentle to shoot,"Elmer's Load," Keith, not Fudd, whether 400 or 405 grain hardcast or jacketed.

Elmer's Load is wonderful in the 18"-barreled Marlin too. +1700 fps there.

Do you use a gas-checked lead bullet for these velocities? Is the 18 inch Marlin you refer to a ported Guide Gun? Have you any impression that the ported guns prefer jacketed slugs? Inquiring minds, you know...

46 grs. IMR-4320 with a 460 gr. hardcast gas check in the "new" Marlin 1895CB, you'll really need the blue LocTite.

Nordrseta,
Correct that to 18.5" barrel of a Marlin 1895SBL.
No porting.
I hate porting.
Sumbuddywhoknow will have to address porting and cast bullets.
I do know for sure that a gas check is best in my barrel
at Elmer Load velocity.
Velocity of Elmer's Load was 1763 fps MV.
Surprised me.
2.540" COL with Speer 400-grain.
I would try the Swift A-Frame for tough game getter, 400-grain.

RIP

I used to play 45/70 a lot, always loved it, mostly guide guns, and some 1885s. Some of the loads I used to use listed below--and oh for sure SMOKELESS only for me!

I always liked RL 7 and IMR 4198 in 45/70

300 Barnes X--Never used it in the field, but not for a lack of trying. Gives excellent test results and I am sure can be pushed faster than I was at the time. 52/RL 7 for 1985 fps in the Guide Guns.

350 Hornady 49.5/RL 7 1950 fps in 18" Guides and 2125 fps in the 1885s with longer barrels, 26 I think. Excellent load, excellent results, great bullet at those velocities. Shot a moose with one of these and a wolf.

405 Remington--excellent bullet as long as velocities are kept to 1600 fps or less--40/IMR 4198 gave 1641 fps in 18". Shot a few critters with this same bullet at over 1800 fps and there were issues with it, keep velocities 1600 or lower.

405 Woodleigh---very excellent bullet, won't break up, lot's of expansion, nearly the perfect 45/70 400 gr bullet. Never used it on game, but it would be at the top of the list for some of todays hunts. 49/RL 7 for 1830 fps in the Guide Gun 2015 fps in the 1885s.

420 Cast Performance---Good bullet, but meplat a little large and shears off when coming into heavy resistance, both in test work and the field. 48/RL 7 would give from 1785-1865 fps in various guide guns and 1950 fps in 1885s.

430 TrueShot--I thought was a better bullet than the Cast Performance and the meplat not quite as large and would not shear off. Same load 48/RL 7 would push it to 1835 in the Guide guns.

420 North Star--little custom guy I used to get some really good Expanding cast bullet from. Very consistent, large expansion, but not too much at or around 1800 fps in various guide guns---again 48/RL 7.

460 Cast Performance---Great bullet, smaller meplat than 420 version, good penetration, no expansion or breaking, shearing. Used this on a giraffe one time with good results, but not impressive energy transfer to target, pretty much poke .458 caliber holes. 45/RL 7 for 1750 fps in the guide guns.

500 gr True Shot---not stable in the Guide Guns tried only 40/IMR 3031 for 1425 fps.

Thanks RIP

Michael

I love the smell of blackpowder in the morning.

Rip,

Killed my first two moose with a 45-70 marlin back in the early 80's with a load of 52gr RL7 and a 400gr speer flat nose. A little to fast for that bullet as it shed its jacket. Still killed the moose though. Sold the gun due to poor bullet selection in those days. Sure wish I had'nt but who knew how things would change.

Yentna,
Another spectacular bullet failure where the animal died anyway?
Yassirree, you put a bomb into that moose.
Get another 45/70 and slow it down next time?
Lobbing lead from a 45/70 Govt using open sights allows satisfying trigger time.

DRG says: "Kiss my liberal grits!"

a 400 grainer at 2000 ! Ouch,
How about your dental fillings ? I think they might come loose too !
I shoot 350 grain Hornady flat nose bullets over IMR 4198 at about 1950.
Never killed anything with it (well I think I got a starling once but how would you know ?)
But for elk hunting it should a great load.
It kicks some but not to much, it's exilerating.
...tj3006