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For all the folks shooting a 24in barrel Marlin in .45 colt, I would like to know what has been the most accurate bullet out of your gun.
I wanna try to build a tack driver load for mine, and I like jacketed and TMJ bullets, but I would like to stay open minded about weights and shapes and power levels, etc.
I don't plan on this being my high-volume plinking round, so I don't mind a couple dollars cost on a box of 50, or 20, or what.
It's a wide field of possibilities, and I'd like to narrow it a bit by asking first...
Thanks in advance
I have no helpful load data but I do have a suggestion. Before you start working up your loads, slug the barrel.
I had one of the 24" Cowboys back in 1996, probably one of the first runs, and it was horribly inaccurate. I tried all my good loads, loads that shot into 2" at 100 yds from my 16" Win 94AE Trapper, and it was useless. Key holes at 25 yds, complete misses at 50 and literally no hits within feet of the targets at 100 yds.
I had to sell it before I could diagnose it's troubles, but my theory is an over sized bore. That pretty much had to be it, because it wouldn't even group with .454" bullets.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
Though not exactly worked up to "tack driver" status, my 24 inch Marlins will both hit a 12 inch plate reliably at THREE HUNDRED yards using generic 250 gr RNFP .452 lead bullets at about 1375 fps (10.5 grains Unique). That was a load chosen strictly to give me the proper velocity to get enough sight travel with the Marbles Tang peep sight to be able to see the target. I'm sure refining it would do better yet. If ya swat em hard enough to get anything over say 1100 fps, almost any bullet with a relatively long profile can be a good one. The old 260 speer is a good one, as would be any TC or rnfp of at least 250 grains.
20 grains of 2400? Jeepers! I went up to 17.8 grains of that powder, and thought I was near to breaking the thing. Maybe I'm a recoil wimp...
So 250gr is the min?
Anyone ever try 230gr round nose .45 auto bullets? Pretty sure I can get a good crimp with my Lee factory crimp on the smooth surface, and I can feed 'em in one at a time if the noses aren't flat enough.
How about 300gr?
I get single large hole 5 shot groups at 25 yards with my 200gr Rainiers, but haven't had a chance at longer yet.
The 250s and heavier work best because they are longer, hence a better ballistic coefficient. 230s would be OK at 50 yards, and might be ok at 100, but if not, try something longer.
For a real treat, a 250 XTP and 21.5 of H110 will kill about anything short of a big grizz yer likely to encounter.
What Joe said! I slugged my bore & got .4505". I decided to try the Speer & it paid off. BTW, they also offer a .451, 300gr jacketed bullet as well. Don't know if it's a hollow or soft point, but I do know it's more pricey than the other. You can get good deals on these bullets from PowderValleyInc.com, but you might have to wait a few weeks for delivery. jd45
I made up a load for my buddy that gives between 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 at 100 yards. He does have a rather gross 4 to 12 power scope on it that does give a visual edge.
The load isn't a screamer but is faster than stock.
Here's my recipe:
Starline case; Fed 155 (magnum) primer; 29grs of H4198 for about 1450fps with the 260gr Speer. I've run hotter loads, with H110 for example, but didn't get groups as tight as with this load.......3-shot cloverleafs with a Williams FP peep & white-bead front @ 75yds. jd45
Mine shoots the smallest groups with hot rod loads with the 300 grain Hornady XTP. H110 or W296 powder - 20-22 grains (check your reloading manual for "Ruger" data). Just have to see where your rifle likes em.
And that's a powerhouse too - about 1400-1500 fps.
Okay, so longer is usually better than shorter, I'm hearing.
How 'bout the Barnes copper pistol bullets? They show a 250gr and a 275gr in .451. If my bore ain't too wide for 'em, shouldn't they do well?
Any one tried 'em?
My best LA load is my cast RCBS 45-255 (SWC) @ 268 gr with a bunch of Bluedot in RP brass and CCI LP primers. Start around 12 gr and work up to your gun's preference.
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