LOOKING FOR A HUNTING LOAD IN MY 1894-S MARLIN

[chief38]

I've been reloading 45 Colt for 40 years now and have been using 7.5 grains of Aliant Unique under a 250 grain LRNFP bullet. I use this load in both my Colt SAA Revolvers and in my Marlin 1894-S and they both work quite well for a soft target shooting or SASS Match loading.

I am now working up a Hunting Load STRICTLY for the Marlin 1894-S which has an 18.5" bbl. There is little data available for the 45 Colt cartridge out of a Marlin Carbine. I was thinking about using 9.5 grains of the Unique with the 250 grain LRNFP bullet and believe that should give me about 1250 fps. I want to use the Unique because that's what I have. Again - strictly for the Carbine - won't shoot in SAA's.

I was wondering if anyone here has loaded the 45 Colt with Unique and 250 grain cast bullets and how that worked out with around 9.5 grains in a Carbine. I believe my cast bullets are 16 BH. Velocities? Too hot or OK for the Marlin?

 

[rockquarry]

I bought a new 16" Winchester '94 AE Trapper in .45 Colt about thirty years ago. About 95% of the loads I've fired in it have used the 255 grain Lyman #454424. I don't recall trying 9.5 grs. Unique but have used 9 grs. Muzzle velocity is 1125 fps.

With your 18.5" barrel and 9.5 Unique, I'd guess you would get somewhere between 1175 and 1225 fps, not too far off your estimate. For the Marlin, I don't believe 9.5 grs. is too much.

For reference, in Ken Waters PET LOADS book, he used 11 grs. Unique behind a 255 gr. "Carroll" commercial cast SWC; muzzle velocity was 1290 fps. His gun was a Winchester Trapper like mine. That's a stouter load than I would ever use, but apparently it was safe in his gun.

A 16 BHN bullet may be just fine; if not you try something a little softer. I'd prefer a .454" bullet, but a .452" might work okay. Shoot groups at 50 yards - that will tell you a lot more than shooting closer.

 

[growr]

MY question is WHAT are you hunting? Would be a terrible load for Montana elk or even large mule deer.

Randy

 

[chief38]

I bought a new 16" Winchester '94 AE Trapper in .45 Colt about thirty years ago. About 95% of the loads I've fired in it have used the 255 grain Lyman #454424. I don't recall trying 9.5 grs. Unique but have used 9 grs. Muzzle velocity is 1125 fps.

With your 18.5" barrel and 9.5 Unique, I'd guess you would get somewhere between 1175 and 1225 fps, not too far off your estimate. For the Marlin, I don't believe 9.5 grs. is too much.

For reference, in Ken Waters PET LOADS book, he used 11 grs. Unique behind a 255 gr. "Carroll" commercial cast SWC; muzzle velocity was 1290 fps. His gun was a Winchester Trapper like mine. That's a stouter load than I would ever use, but apparently it was safe in his gun.

A 16 BHN bullet may be just fine; if not you try something a little softer. I'd prefer a .454" bullet, but a .452" might work okay. Shoot groups at 50 yards - that will tell you a lot more than shooting closer.

Thanks - I think I will load up some 9.0, 9.2, 9.5 and chronograph them. Because the of the lack of published data in a Carbine I don't know what the pressure would be nor what the max. pressure the Marlin can handle.

 

[chief38]

MY question is WHAT are you hunting? Would be a terrible load for Montana elk or even large mule deer.

Randy

Deer Hunting - nothing bigger. I'm not usually hunting for Deer - my passion is Pheasant, Quail and Grouse but I might try Deer Hunting this season and don't wan't to use my 45-70 which is a bit over-kill IMO.

A 250 grain slug going 1250 fps should be just fine for this.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The Marlin action can handle the Ruger only loads. Figure what animal and distance, then choose bullet design and velocity. Factory 255's will do White Tails at 100+, pigs need more umph up close. For pigs I would go with hard cast 250 SWC or RN I would also look at JSP 250's (no hollow point); over a bunch of 4227 and a WLP primer.

Ivan

 

[reccpd101]

I have an 1894S in 44 and have fired some hot loads thru it with no problems. No more hunting loads than you would use, why are you handloading them. Can you not find commercial 45 Colt hunting loads at present?

 

[Nevada Ed]

My Lyman data for a 7.5 Black Hawk revolver goes up to 9.0 grs at 875 fps.
True Blue will reach 930 at 13,900 CUP.

If going hotter, please mark the loads for "Rifle Only".

That Colt should work on deer, since my little 357, 160gr bullet will put them down.
Good shooting.

 

[cowboy4evr]

When I have wanted a hotter load in my Ruger OLd Model Vaquero or my Rossi 92 , both in 45 Colt I have found that 13.0 grs of HS-6 using a magnum primer was plenty stout with a 255 gr swc or the LEE RNFP . Regards Paul

 

[chief38]

When even I load a "handgun" cartridge hotter than normal specifically for a rifle, I always use red colored MTM cartridge boxes and do mark them for the specific gun I reloaded them for noting the specific spec's and velocities. Been doing that for many years. i would NEVER fire the 45 Colt loads discussed here in my Colt SAA's!

 

[Drm50]

I had a Marlin 94/ 45Colt nib. I got it from a guy who “won” it at a NRA banquet. I was going to load up some carbine loads with H-110 and Jsps.
Traded rifle before I got to it. I think the loads were in Guns & Ammo in
1990s. I think using 454 brass. My self I have never loaded hot 45Colt. I have taken deer with 250gr RNFP cast and one with 242gr WC at 700fps.All taken 30-50yds. I have taken 4 hogs. 3 with 3006 and one with Ruger SBH shooting 240gr Kieth cast/ 19.0 gr H-2400. Again under 50 yds. I’ve not had any trouble killing with cast in 44 & 45. Never took anything with 41 but I’m sure it would work. They are all more effective out of a carbine and will work fine on deer. The only limiting factor is range.

 

[gwpercle]

Lyman 4th Edition shows that bullet , 250 gr. RNFP, tested in a model 94 Winchester , 16" barrel , with Unique :

Start : 6.3 grs @ 913 fps / Max. 8.2 grs @ 1101 fps

Just to see what the infamous Speer #8 had ... 5 1/2" Colt SA
This is handgun load (none shown in rifle section)
Start 8.0 grs @ 853 fps / 9.0 grs @ 949 fps

I believe the 1894 Marlin to be plenty strong and the max. powder charges shown are to keep the lead bullet from "leading" the bore ... 1000 fps seems to be the sweet spot . It also could be to not exceed a pressure threshold . This round goes back to black powder days .
Use good Starline Brass and work loads up slowly from 8.0 to 9.5 and looking for any excess pressure signs or leading in the barrel .
Gary

 

[Hasbeen1945]

Data for the 45 colt has to be concerned with the weakest firearm it maybe used in. In this case handguns made before 1900. Reloading is something that should not be done by anyone that does not have a little common sense.