I loaded up some .45-70's last night, using these 300 grain lead bullets and 50.0 grains of Reloader 7. I can't want to try them out, they should have no problem feeding in my Marlin 1895 rifle.

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as long as the oal is less than 2.550 you will be fine. I already had a Ruger #1S in 45-70 when I bought a guide gun and never gave oal a thought until I got to the range and tried my ammo I used in my #1. I had loaded the 405 grain Remington and they were too long for the guide gun. I had to learn to take a guide gun apart before even firing a shot through it. luckily I also had some 300 grain ammo along after putting it back together.

Been shooting my 1895 Marlin since 1977, when I bought it new.
Yep, no longer than 2.550 for overall cartridge length.
The late gun writer Elmer Keith often quoted 53.0 grains of IMR3031 under the 405 gr. jacketed bullet in late-manufacture 1886 Winchester rifles, and later the 1895.
In my own rifle, I found this giving excessive pressure signs. In my own rifle I set the max at 50.0 grains.
The moral?
Each rifle is an individual. Don't believe all the internet boasting about heavy loads in the 1895. Sure, your gun may take it, but you may be courting a demon.
Besides, such loads accelerate your rifle's wear.
Be extremely wary of any and all loads posted on the internet. I'd use only loads posted by powder or bullet manufacturers with long-standing reputations.
I've been accused of using "Trapdoor" loads in my Marlin, because I am perfectly content to drive a 420 gr. cast bullet at 1,600 or 1,650 fps.
But let's face facts: The old .45-70 black powder loads killed bison, grizzly, moose, elk and other large animals for decades, and none of those shooters felt undergunned.
Typically, this was a 405 gr. bullet at 1,250 fps and a 500 gr. bullet at 1,100 fps.
I don't see much sense in loading the .45-70 to maximum for taking game. Back off a little. The game won't notice the velocity difference and your rifle will last much longer.
My Marlin 1895 is 32 years old and looks like new, with the occasional scratch on the stock or bluing. It's just as tight as when it left the factory.
I've often wondered what the damage rate on 1895 Marlins is. Judging from some of the outrageous loads posted on the net by other shooters, it must be high.
Bullet placement is the singlemost important factor in hunting.
The Inuit kill walruses and polar bears with the .22 Hornet, by placing the bullet in just the right spot.
The 1895 is a great rifle and amply powerful. If you need more than a moderate load, buy a .458 Winchester Magnum.

when I bought my Ruger #1S in 45-70 I loaded up 60 rounds of Elmer's memorial loads. a few people think it is fun to shoot ONE but after that there won't be any help to shoot the rest. it was a miserable day to shoot the rest of them up. as said the 45-70 got is reputation by heavy bullets in the 1,200 fps range. not a lot more is needed.

I have a No. 1 in 45-70 and have fired 300 grain bullets at 2100fps+ - measured with my Oehler. As they say here in the South - ya'll are right. They ain't any fun to shoot. IMR 4198 is my go to powder in the 45-70.

I have found my .45-70 shoots just fine for me at closer to 1400 fps than it is to 2100 fps.

I think mine is mated to a H&R shotgun action, so I try to keep it below 1800 fps with a 400 gr bullet.

I use a lot of Green Dot, Universal and Blue Dot in my loads and they shoot pretty good at 100 yards. This is 20.0 gr of Blue Dot with a 300 gr Remington JHP at about 1450 fps.

+1 with gatofeo. I load mine in the 1400FPS area with the trapdoor loads and that is even a little higher than the old blackpowder load. I have a book by Phillip Sharpe that gives the BP load and velocities and I try to keep my 1895 Marlin 45-70 loads in that neighborhood. If it will take Buff and Bear in those days, it's good enuf for hogs and deer today.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

I have used loads as short as a single round ball in my 1895GS and never had any problems. Other light loads include the 255 gr. SWC sized both .454 and .452, with both producing good accuracy at close range. I even tried the 200 gr. SWC also sized .452 and even that worked. Everything shoots well out of this rifle. I use 231 for the light stuff and IMR 4198 for the heavy loads.

Dave Sinko

I have two .45-70 rifles. One is a trapdoor that was made 1878 and the other is a Browning Model 1886 that was made in 1986. For the trapdoor, I use 65 grains of FFG black powder, a cardboard wad, and a 405 grain cast lead hollow base bullet lubricated with SPG. I have never chronographed it, but I believe the velocity is sufficient.

For the Browning, I use 3031 powder and a 300 grain Hornady hollow point bullet. I don't have the specs in front of me, so I can't say how much powder I use or the velocity. I used the Lyman book for the loads suitable for a Winchester 1886 rifle. The recoil with the crescent buttplate is memorable. I'm thinking of having the rifle restocked with a modern flat recoil pad.

I do more shooting with the trap door. I keep the black powder brass separate from the smokeless powder brass, and it is easy to tell the difference between the black powder loads with the lead bullets and the smokeless powder loads with the copper jacketed hollow point bullets.

In my Ruger No. 1 and the 300 grain Sierra - 36.5 grains of IMR 4198 gives 1520 fps. 50.0 grains of IMR 4198 is good for 2100 fps - which is max. for my 69 year old shoulder. Perceived recoil is more than my .338 Win. Mag with a near max load.

David, are you shooting a Guide Gun or full-size 1895?

Shooting a full size 1895

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