A question about Marlin Lever guns

[skeet]

I have a Marlin 1895 rifle that has Microgroove rifling. I like shooting it but can't get any accuracy with Cast Lead bullets.. Tried a lot of loads and none shoot very well with lead..fine..in fact exc groups with jacketed.. And I don't push the loads..just mid range in the loading manuals..I've tried faster and slower ...Jacketed are always fine. Lead sucks. 5 inch has been good groups

The dilemma... I have a chance to get one of the 1895 Cowboy rifles with the old style Ballard rifling. D'y'all think it would shoot lead better than the Microgroove gun?? I'm thinkin it would but don't want to commit to the buy without bein pretty sure. He wants 500 for the rifle(it is like new) and guess I can get 400 or so for mine. I have at least 1500 lead bullets(350 and 405 gr) for the 45-70 and lotsa good powder for it..and want to shoot for fun.. What say you??? I have more than 500 yds in the range out front..fun shooting..cheaper with lead. I missed a coyote a few days ago with it with 350 Jacketed bullets..about 400 yds. But I was close..scared the crap outta him...Well...I like to think I did anyway!!:D:p:rolleyes: Lotta drop out that there far

[dovehunter]

I don't know if this is relevant or not, however my .357 Handi-Rifle barrel will not shoot the 158 gr. Keith-style SWC bullets worth a hoot. I would get groups such as you described. It shoots good groups with every jacketed bullet I have tried. In desperation, I tried some of the cowboy action style 158 gr. LRN bullets and, low and behold, they shot as well as the jacketeds. Who can figure? I've always been given to believe that the hard-cast SWCs are usually the most accurate. They sure have been in my .45 Colt Blackhawk.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Marlin rifles with "microgroove" rifling won't shoot cast bullets worth a tinker's damn.....or so the story goes. That's generally the accepted standard, but if that's the case then why do their .22 rimfire rifles with microgroove rifling shoot most manner of .22s (which are all lead bullets, or plated) without much of a hitch?
Just out of curiosity, have you tried any cast bullets with a gas check in your Marlin? That might make a difference, even though they probably aren't needed to prevent leading.
I have been kicking around the idea of playing with cast bullets in my Marlin 336 chambered in .35 Remington, but the idea of investing $$$ in molds, powders, new dies, ect, & time have left me sitting on the fence, esp. with what I've heard about Marlins and cast bullets.

As for the Ballard rifling....I've never heard of it. I would assume that if it shoots accurately with cast bullets, that you ought to be able to get some accurate cast bullet loads with it, but as each gun is an individual, all I can say is there is only one way to find out for sure.....buy it and try it!;)

[Larryjk]

I have two Model 94 Winchesters, one in 30-30 and the other is 32 Special. I have tried cast bullets in both rifles. the 32 Spec does not shoot them well whereas the 30-30 does a fine job. I have read that the 30-30 has much deeper rifling--hence the better accuracy with the cast bullets. Maybe that is the answer because the 32 Spec is more accurate than the 30-30 with jacketed bullets. I got the 30-30 specifically for shooting cast bullets, just for fun.

[Adam Helmer]

skeet,

Did you cast those bullets yourself? What formula did you use and did you Quench the bullets?

I have a Marlin 444S .444 that shoots my Lyman #429421, 250 grain plain base SWC cast bullet better than 240 or 265 grain jacketed bullets. All I do is move the scope up 10 clicks from the jacketed setting, and then lay in great groups all day long. My bullets are cast out of OLD wheelweights, add a dash of Tin and drop the bullets out of the double cavity mould into a bucket of water. I lube with Aalox and size the bullets .431."

Your bullet metal may be the problem, your bullet hardness may need fixing and the sized diameter may not suit your rifle. It sounds like a fun project for a Summer day, or two at the backyard bench.

Adam`

[GoodOlBoy]

One of the things I have found with Marlin micro groove rifling and lead is that for the best accuracy you have to actually bump the bullet size up slightly. My 336 loves lead so long as it is .311 diameter, not .308-.310. Found that out quite by accident when trying various brands of lead cast bullets.
One cast sight I had visited (cant remember the name) had mentioned that issue with Marlin micro groove rifling. I tried their larger cast bullets (.311) and bingo bango accuracy improved. They cast up to .312 lead for the 30-30 but I didn't try that large on mine.


GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

Some of the bullets are boughten..some I cast. Tried harder and softer..softer 459s shoot the best but still not great. My Marlin 30-30 shoots 309s pretty good..larger not so well as the chamber must be tight necked. I think I am going to buy the 1895 Cowboy gun..Longer bbl and heavier gun..Just don't like safeties on my Lever guns. I have lead for casting in ingots already checked for hardness and I do heat treat some but not all bullets. My 444 shoots lead fairly well too and I also use the 429421 bullet but out of a 4 hole mould. That thing sucks the lead out of my ol SAECO pot

[skeet]

Well I went and bought the Marlin 1895 Cowboy gun.. I thought that thing would be heavier than it is...the bbl is 26 inches and a full mag tube. Got to get it out and shoot it..It really is a nice rifle. One thing that is wrong..it is not drilled and tapped for a receiver sight..darn it..but I guess I could get that done. I like peeps. And on another note..I bought a Dillon 550B from a fellow and he drug out a few guns to sell. One is the 1894C Marlin in 357 and the other was a Ruger New Model Blackhawk 357 in stainless(gag) the third was a Colt 22 Mag Buntline revolver.. last but not least was a 1897 Winchester in 16 ga..Have no use for one of them...especially in 16. Like to have had the Colt but didn't have nuff cash to get 'em all..so I boughten the Marlin and Ruger.. The Ruger came with a really nice Cowboy holster rig.. Haven't even looked to see who made it but it ain't a cheap one!! I also bought 9 boxes of 357 factory ammo for 90 bucks or so..those will be sold at the next gun show The Colt was a nice gun but boy it had a LOOOONNNNGGG bbl. Not messing with the Colts all that much I don't know the value..he wanted 250 for it...same as the 2 I bought. I got to stop buyin all these things I really do like..but don't need.

[dovehunter]

I would bet that .22 Colt Buntline would have been a steal at $250, particularly if it was one of the old Frontier Scout series. My son has been offered $500 for the nickle-plated Frontier Scout (with 2 cylinders and the original factory box) he inherited from my dad.