After five years of trying I have finally found THE load for my Marlin 1895g. Does everything I want done and is still shootable. I started with new Remington brass, annealed the first ¾ inch using the melted lead method, belled with a Lee expander and primed with CCI 200. The powder charge is 52gr AA 2495. I started with 48 and worked up with no signs of pressure. This is a compressed load, even using a 16 inch drop tube. The magic bullet is cast in a Lyman 451114 mould. The alloy is 17 parts pure lead, 2 ½ parts linotype, and ½ part tin. The bullet drops from the mould .451 and is ready for patching. I make my patches from 16lb green bar computer paper, cut 2.750 long on a 60* angle 1.500 high. I dip in water and wrap twice around the bullet. They are left to dry overnight, then lubed with LLA. The next day the tails are clipped and the bullet is run through a .459 Lee sizing die. I seat them to an OCL of 2.580. These shoot clover leaf groups at 25 yards and into 1.75 at 100. This is with a Lyman 66 rear sight and factory front sight. Not bad for 55 year old eyes. Bullet performance on game is all one could ask for. I’ll not quit experimenting, but how does one improve on perfection?

Man, that sounds like a dedicated handloader to me! The 45-70 languished close to obsurity in the 60s but with the advent of new rifles chambered in this ancient round and BPCF it has enjoyed a justifiable revival. Its certainly one of my favorite cartridges and I enjoy sending lead downrange with either the Trapdoor or the No1. IMO the new popularity of the 45-70 is a pattern that can be observed in the case of other cartridges as well.

New powders and better bullets have rendered the hyper velocity magnums far less appealing. In fact, none of them show up in the top ten cartridge or loading die sales, a testament to the pragmatic nature of experienced hunters and varminters. Even such standards as the 7mm Rem Mag are seeing declining sales numbers annually whereas the 280 Rem, the 06, the 308, the 270 Win, the 243Win continue to set higher sales numbers than the previous year. And, that old obsolete 30-30 continues to be in the top 10 -- again.

Too, fixed power scopes are beginning to see some surge in sales. Less money, better optics, lighter weight, more durable (when compared with equal quality variables) -- all factors that have placed higher demand on fixed powers and have caused some minor shortages in supply.

These are good trends, IMO and some gunwriters, like John Barsness, are leading the charge and countering what has, for years, been tantamount to infomercials for the newest items to be pimped to the public. (Did you know that many of the centerfold firearms featured in various publications are the result of payment for placement?)

Gun prices are cheaper and firearm quality, in terms of tolerances and accuracy, are better than ever. The Marlin 45-70s are scarce much of the year and distributors have resorted to allocating the popular ones. The Guide Gun may be one of the most enjoyable big bores around and demonstrates time and time again its outstanding versatility in the field or at the range.

These are the "good old days".

Yes Handloader they sure are. Funny how all the "OLD" stuf just keeps comming back. My next favorite is the OLD 30-06 !

Sounds like a lot of work and I'm sure you enjoy it. I don't have that much time on my hands so I use 350gr FN or RN Hornady and/or 405 gr Remington Bullets with IMR 3031 and CCI 200's. Either load is excellent and hits hard at max load in my 1895ss with a 22" bbl.

SHOOTER458, nice to see someone that really enjoys reloading and goes to whatever lengths necessary. Good for you.

Thank you, I have been known to go shooting so Ill have something to reload ! My wife says I need mental help with that !!