Posted on 11/13/2008 10:07:22 AM PST by Labyrinthos
Marlin is the best lever action, if you get a .30-30 you can use the new Hornady leverrevolution ammo which gives you good performance with a tube mag.
I found a used 45-70 Cowboy a couple of years ago and picked it up to hunt elk when I lived in WA state. Never got the chance to hunt with it but I still use it occasionally for the long range cowboy action side matches.
Kicks the crap out of ya with full power hunting loads but tames down nicely with loads intended for a sharps or trapdoor springfield.
If I was to to use the 45-70 routinely for hunting I’d probably go with a guide model and make sure it’s compensated. Looking for one to use when I move back to WA.
Can ya’ll tell I love my marlins?
You are more than welcome. I love this stuff and am happy to help when I can.
As a matter of course I recommend that you take any advice you recieve and use it as a basis for your own research to confirm what you have learned.
When I was much younger, MUCH younger I had a purple passion to own the Marlin 444 because of a certain series of novels by Don Pendleton, however I hear its not so good for hunting and the cartridge design makes for a stronger lever force to run the action, my 1894 with 38 specials loads pretty good,fairly fast even with the wadcutters.While all the stores are running out of 9mm and 45acp the forgotten 38 special in a rifle and reloaded properly is no slouch and much cheaper than the 357 magnum. I have even mixed loaded and had no problems.
Actually a .357 out of a rifle barrel is not much worse than a 3030.
Doc,
I disagree with you on the “The second issue is the caliber, you they do not come chambered for good modern calibers which means you will have a rifle with less punch and more expensive ammo.”
The 45-70 in a lever gun has plenty of punch is used on the largest and most dangerous game animals on earth. Modern calibers are available in the new .308 Marlin and rimmed pistol cartridges. While the 30-30 is over a hundred years old, it has plenty of punch for game up to 200 lbs and is inexpensive.
JMO
I like the lever guns too. It just wouldn’t be my first pick as my only serious long gun.
A good bolt action is going to be less expensive, allow for a greater selection of bullet types and can be found in any calliber desired.
You got me curious. I went down to the basement and dug up a few old reloading books. Most did not mention the 5.56, the Sierra and Hornady books both did, they both state that the 223 Remington began as a military cartridge in 1957.
Sierra says nothing else about it other than a note on the bottom of the page to reduce charges by 1 grain when using military brass. Hornady lists no change in charge. Neither manual shows a difference is case length ect.
The difference in not in the case, rather in the chamber of the firearm itself. The 5.56 has a longer leade that allows for a longer ?ogive? on the bullet, which is loaded by many countries in their military ammo. Using this type of bullet, or longer OAL on the cartridge by having more bullet above the case mouth, can jam the bullet into the rifling which can result in pressure increases of as much as 20,000 PSI. This is a proof load for the .223 and too much of it can be a problem. The biggest issue is that if you ignore the early warnings (flattened primers, gas leaks, difficult extraction, etc.) you may experience a catastrophic failure when you finally overstress the firearm.
Don’t disagree, just a different viewpoint and priorities.
Ammo sales are not recorded in Virginia. I can’t speak for any other state.
So you are saying that at some point, after Remington brought out the 223, the 5.56 changed specs? Or that Remington changed the spec when they brought out the 223?
Granted all of my reloading references are from the late 80’s but they do not differentiate between the two.
Nevermind, I found a reference online, it was the military that has changed their specs after Remington introduced the 223. They do not say when though.
SAAMI specs have not changed for either. The problem seems to stem from the fact that not all manufacturers comply with SAAMI specs. I believe that there is a slightly different NATO spec (would have to do further research to confirm) that is just different enough to cause the “No 5.56 in a .223 chamber” issue. American made 5.56 that also conforms to the .223 SAAMI spec is certainly safe to shoot in a .223 chamber.
The specific problem is not with the ammo per se, but in the fact that the specifications for the chambers are different.
If you have hunting rifles you reload for you may have encountered this yourself when you were working up loads. A cartridge for .308 #1 with a sierra gameking seated .005 from the lands shoots .25 in groups at 200 yards. In .308 rifle #2, using that same round will jam the bullet into the lands, resulting in increased pressure, difficulty in chambering, and other problems. Why? chamber in .308 #1 was reamed with a brand new reamer and more metal was removed. Chamber is rifle #2 was chambered with a reamer that had been resharpened 3 times and removes less metal, resulting in a shorter freebore or leade.
The same concept appears to apply with the .223 and 5.56 chambers. The 5.56 leade is longer and more tolerent of bullet shape and OAL.
Thanks.
I’ve avoided rifle reloading because of the issues you bring up.
Yep, but the 94s are harder to find since they no longer make em.
The people who are buying them up are keeping them.
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