I was checking out a Ruger #1 Sporter in 45-70 at a gun shot near my home and thought to myself, "boy, this baby would make a great platform for a 475 GNR" You know, a straight walled 45-70 case necked up to 475. However, I decided that I might just as well kick it up a notch. How about a 45-90 case necked up to 475? OR, and this is the neat one, the 348 necked up to 475, a 475 Alaskan! Put one of these in a Ruger #1 sporter and blast anything that walks. Any comments?
Whoa, boys! I'm not looking for a monster! Ballistically, I was looking for a round that would propell the 400 grn Hornady XTP at around 2000 - 2200 fps at mild pressures. Once in a blue moon it might get loaded up with 480 or 500 grn bullets at 1800-1900 fps. MAYBE. This is a 7-1/2 lb sporter, and would probably never see use in Africa. It would probably see most of its use as a deer/bear gun. The heavy bullets may pick a fight some day with a big bull moose or maybe even an Australian water buffalo.
Joe, The Nitro Express are designed to work at low pressures! You can use whatever bullet weights you want, since there's no regulation to worry about as with a double rifle.
Check the ballistics of the .450NE again. You'll see that this gives you what you're looking for.
George
------------------ Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!
Posts: 14623 | Location: San Antonio, TX | Registered: 22 May 2001
Joe: I am doing just as George suggests, having a Ruger No. 1 Tropical in .458 reamed to .450 NE. I plan to shoot both black and smokeless in it, with velocities from 1200 on up to where I don't want any more. A 350-grain Hornady at 2200 will be a stroll in the park for this one, and as George points out, the .450 NE set the standard of 480-grain bullet at 2100 in 1898, and at probably half the pressure of the .458 Mag. I will report on range experiences once the gunsmithing is done in early January.
Posts: 16745 | Location: Las Cruces, NM | Registered: 03 June 2000
If you want to go past 475 GNR, then go all the way to 470 NE. I have a nice 460 gr .475" mold, and it's just begging for a rifle, but I can't decide between a 475 lever gun, or a 470 #1.
To me, the 475 on the 348 is a better choice for the lever gun, the 470 NE is the natural choice for the single shot.
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
I've heard about that, and considered it, but would really like to push the 460 gr 1800 fps. I'm launching it 1050 from the 7 1/2" revolver, I would be suprised if a 20" rifle barrel would do 1400 fps with the bullet.
I also have a "problem" with the bullet. It is so long that crimped into the canalure, it bulges the case near the head, as the gas check goes down to where the case thickens. On the SRH it isn't a problem, as the cylinder is long enough to allow the bullet to be crimped into the first lube groove. I don't think a bullet that long would function in a 480 lever gun.
On the other hand, a 480 lever gun would push a 400 gr cast bullet 1500 fps or better, and that would be a good combo!
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
Adirondack Joe, I think you're on the right track, but you might consider using the .50-90 case instead of necking up a .348 Win all the way to .475 caliber. Its obviously been done but thats a lot of work and I think you can get the others pretty cheap. They're also slightly longer and that might be nice too. I've toyed around with thoughts of this sort. I want something similar in power to a .50 Alaskan, not a .500 Nitro or a .500 Jeffery. The No. 1 Tropical Rifles are clubs. Too bad they don't make the .45-70 in a 26 inch barrel length! That would be perfect. I have one of the 50th Anniversary rifles though and its a gem.
Marlin actually made a few prototype rifles in .348 Win back on the old Model 36 actions. I know of someone who owns one.
I also had thoughts of building a 475 Alaskan a few years back and even had my gunsmith make a step in the case mouth expander for this . I have a friend that owns the 475 GNR on an 1895 Marlin rifle and he loves it. This is of course on the .45-70 case but the rim diam is the same as the larger capacity 348 Win (larger body diam) case. Probably easier to go down in neck size with Starline .50 Alaskan brass and ream neck insides, now that this brass is available. The Legacy of Lever Actions has a section with quite a few .348 wildcats pictured but not a 470 / 475 variation.
I have a set of RCBS .470 NE dies awaiting a home and have thoughts of hosting this on a Ruger #1 Tropical. This is a nice big low pressure round as well, as GeorgeS has pointed out. I'm going to restock as well for my long LOP and will increase the weight a bit at the same time. Any idears on what the ideal weight should be for a .470 NE on a Ruger#1??? Jeff P
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Harald Hi Harald, Marlin does make a 26 in barrelled 45-70. I think it's called the 1895 CB and has an octagon barrel along with a magazine capacity of eight. 470 Mbogo
I have handled a prototype Marlin 475 GNR and have extensively shot the prototype 475 GNR in Ruger #1 (both by Gary Reeder). The #1 was contoured to handle like the Marlin. Easy cartridge to load for and not too bad in the recoil dept.
However, after all that...my Marlin is going to Dave Clay this week to convert to 50 Alaskan. Might as well get a noticeable increase in power over the 45-70. The 475 GNR is too close to the 45-70 to go through all the trouble/expense of converting.
Posts: 4168 | Location: Texas | Registered: 18 June 2001
Thanks 470MBogo! I saw one of those here a couple of months back. Some kid bought it and took it to the range. It was very sexy! I have also been lusting after the 1886 high grade lightweight rifle. My little .45-70 No. 1 has largely gotten me over the urge for a .50-90/.50 Alaskan, but I still think about either a .50-140 or a .475 formed on the same case (a sort of .475 American). I just don't like the weight of barrel on the factory Rugers (1H model) so a rebore isn't acceptable. That's why I wish they had made the .45-70 like the other medium sporters to have a 26 inch barrel. Although they call it a medium sporter it is actually a light sporter, having the same barrel length and overall weight as the other light sporter calibers (I guess somebody thought you just couldn't call a .45-70 "light").
