I'm looking for a good powder and 2 loads to use in my marlin 18.5 in barrel with these 460g Cast Performance bullets I just purchased.
I'ld like one load around 1000 fps and another between 1500fps & 1650fps. I will probably use these loads durring the winter here in Minnesota so a powder that resists temperature would be better I guess. I know IMR 3031 is a good powder and so is reloader7, but I have no idea how they work with this heavy of a bullet and I don't have any load data with this bullet and power combination. I've even thought about Trail Boss for the light load.

Have a look at IMR 4064 and IMR 4895.
Jim

I contacted Cast Performance when I purchased some of their 420gr WNFP/gc bullets and they sent me a bunch of data.

I don't have access to it right now, you might try calling them and see if they'll do the same for you.

Bullet Type, Bullet Weight, Bullet Diameter, COL, Net Water Capacity, Powder Type, Charge, Primer Type, Muzzle Velocity, Muzzle Energy, Group Size
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 Re 10 40.0 CCI 200 1539 2420 0.9
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 Re 10 43.6 CCI 200 1674 2863 0.6
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 Benchmark 42.0 CCI 200 1611 2654 0.8
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 Benchmark 46.0 CCI 200 1719 3019 0.8
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 BL-C2 49.0 CCI 200 1470 2208 1.2
Cast Performance WLNGC 460 .461 2.525" 50.2 Bl-C2 52.0 CCI 200 1606 2635 1.0

Cast Performance 460 grain 2.55" COL
Powder, Start, Velocity, Maximum, Velocity, Pressure
AA5744 27.5 1321 5744 30.5 1444 27200
AA2015 38.3 1482 2015 42.6 1636 27100
AA2230 34.4 1404 2230 38.2 1511 27300

Vihtavouri N-140. N-135 works very well too, but is at its best with 300-350 gr. bullets. The slightly slower N-140 is the better of the two for 405-460 gr. slugs in my experience.

Either AR2207 or AR2208 if you can get it over there.
Aussie made powders that the makers (ADI) claim to be temperature insensitive.

Go here http://www.adi-limited.com/2-02-120-000-000.html
Some of the Hodgdon line of propellants are actually re-branded ADI products.

I use AR2207 in my 18.5" Marlin exclusively and find it excellent in every regard including price.

AR2207 is H4198
AR2208 is VARGET

H4198 sounds good, can anyone recommend a slow load & fast load? I work 6am-8pm and by the time I get home, I don't have much time to call up Cast Performance, and they didn't offer much for loads over the phone.
I should just purchase the complete 45-70 reloading guide

For a warm load I use a 405gr Rem SP over 50grn of AR2207 (that's your H4198) with CCI primer and Rem brass for about 1900fps at the muzzle out of the Guide Gun.
Recoil is stout but not unmanageable by any means. Accuracy from my rifle is good also.

For light plinking loads just throw 10grns of W231 in the can under a cast lead boolit of 300grn or thereabouts.
Should give you about 1000fps, very mild to shoot, not much recoil, as accurate as anything and hits *surprisingly* hard and you can shoot your big bore all day for pennies

When I had a 45-70 rem rolling block ,navy arms octagon barrel,unertyl target scope I used lee mold 405 cast bullets made of linotype along with some 500gr cast bullets that I breach loaded and SR 4759.

well, I went with 47g of benchmark. pretty stout, but nothing I couldn't handle. the accuracy seemed pretty good too. I might up it 1/2 grains at a time till I get the most accurate load. If 47g is it, then I'll go back to that. This is what I'm going deer hunting with this year. I also like how these bullets cut nice big clean holes in paper.

The Marlin I know in 45/70 is the 1895. My experience, which is limited, is that it won't feed a long bullet. Even the Speer 400 gr. bullet is too long for the Marlin.

And so if you're going for a 460 gr. cast bullet, you're going to have to seat it deep in the case.

That said, powders like Hodgdon 4895 and 4198 are too bulky, and require a compressed powder load.

I suppose the other thing I'd think about is working pressures with a 460 gr. bullet. Some of these larger bullet loadings are intended for a single shot rifle like the Ruger Number 1.

The lever action Marlins have some inherent design limitations for shooting higher pressure loads.

-- But I'm just tossing this out. I don't have any first-hand experience with the heavier loads in a Marlin, except to note that my buddy's Marlin draws the line about 350 gr. on feed length.

Beartooth makes LBTs much like those from Cast Performance (I've used bullets from both but in pistols) and they host http://www.loadswap.com/index.htm which may be a useful online resource. I've been playing with IMR3031, IMR4198, RL7, and 2400 with 300 & 400 gr lead and 350 gr jacketed in my Guide Gun. IMR data here: http://www.imrpowder.com/data/index.php Haven't settled on anything yet though. Were I you I'd save the spendy LBTs for full power hunting loads and use the generic commercially cast 300, 350, or 400 gr bullets for the plinking loads. You'll be able to tell the plinkers from the hunters by appearance in case there's ever a mixup in the range bag. The Trail Boss loads look pretty interesting and would let a fella skip the filler when using light charges.

The Speer 400 grain FN works just fine in the Marlin 1895 45-70 seated to 2.54" COL. The 405 grain Remington JSP does not have the cannelures in the right place for seating to around 2.55" COL but can be crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp die at that length and will work. Actually, you will notice a slight step on the bullet above the top cannelure which actually makes the 405 Rem a double diameter bullet. You can crimp over the step to get about 2.55" COAL. Most of the heavy hard cast bullets available have the crimp groove in the right place for an appropriate cartridge overall length in the Marlin 1895 45-70. There is just a little more than a lot of experience out there that indicates the Marlin 1895 45-70 will work just fine with heavy bullets, even up to the 550 grain Jae Bok Crater hard cast. Its not the bullet weight that is necessarily the limitation on cartridge feeding for the Marlin 1895 45-70, its the cartridge overall length and sometimes the nose profile of the bullet that creates any limitation. H4198 is a relatively fast powder in the 45-70 and I doubt compressed loads are warranted. H4895 on the other hand is a relatively slow powder in the Marlin 1895 45-70 and some compressed loads with certain loads might be expected.

47.5gr of AA2230 gives me 1700fps (chronoed) out of my ported GG with the 460gr Cast Performance boolets, no feeding issues. Very consistent shoots 1" 3 shot groups at 50 yards with peep sights off the bench. This load is listed in the new AA manual its listed un Ruger No. 1 but the pressures are less than 40K psi and I've shot a bunch of this load through my gun with no issues.