Loading For Marlin .45 ACP Camp Carbine

[345 DeSoto]

Do any of you load for a Marlin 45 ACP Camp Carbine? I'd be interested to hear what you use...as far as bullet weights/type, powder, etc. I will be using Lake City once fired brass, and I'm wondering if I should use 185 grn JHP, 200grn FMJ, 230 grn FMJ, LRN, etc.

 

[Walkalong]

If I was loading strictly for the Carbine I would use powders which could take better advantage of the longer barrel.

AA #5, Blue Dot, or Enforcer come to mind. The first Ramshot load guide had some impressive velocities with Enforcer in the .45 ACP. I am sure some others would work as well.

 

[345 DeSoto]

Any idea what the twist rate is, for the 45 ACP barrel on the Marlin? Barrel length is 18 1/2". Knowing the twist would go a long way in determining optimum bullet grn weight...

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I'm interested to see data posted, I have one of those, better install a heavy recoil spring in it. and good buffer. good shooting carbine.
check 'practical carbine' site when U have time.

 

[345 DeSoto]

I'm looking at a Wolff 22lb spring, and a Black Jack Buffer. Yes?...

 

[joneb]

I reload for my Camp .45, 185-230gr jacketed bullets with Unique or AA#5 works very well. Do to the blow back action the longer barrel has little effect on velocity, expect 900fps for 230gr, 1,100 for 200gr and 1,250fps for a 185gr. The most gain in velocity is with lighter bullets, slower powders like HS-6or 7, AA#7 may cause cycling problems with light bullets. I have had good results with 230gr GD's w/ Blue Dot.
As far as the barrel twist I don't know, but my gun will shoot 185-230gr with excellent accuracy.

better install a heavy recoil spring in it. and good buffer

+ one, by not making these mods. the gun will fail, either the buffer will disintegrate, or the hammer strut bridge will break.
Sierra once had load data for the Marlin Camp Carbines.
I'm using a Wolff 16.5 lbs recoil spring, the factory spring is 11 lbs don't know about the 22 lbs ?

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

the Wollf Spring co. has 16 & 21 lb. springs available. I opted to get both so I use the 16 for lighter loadings. +P I use the 21, not big deal to change out once you get the tools at hand. the Blackjack buffer is much better then the factory. don't know the twist rate but would like to. I've loaded 200 gr. Hornady C/T's using Power Pistol with excellent accuracy off a rest. I don't have a chrono but I'm certain the loads are +P. I've also had great accuracy with 185 gr. Golden Sabres and the regular Rem. h-p's.
I'm open to any suggestions/opinions/data for loads for this fine carbine. wish I had more time to shoot it and compare different loads.

 

[jfh]

About twenty years ago, Dean Grinnel published an article on reloading for the Camp Carbine--dunno if it is on-line; I read it in one of the Gun Digest books--probably "Book of the .45", or something like that.

Jim H.

 

[Kosh75287]

Echoing the previous.

It sounds like JIBJAB said just about everything that I was going to. ONE thing that you may not expect.... If you don't get higher velocities with a relatively slow burning powder (HS-7, Blue Dot, for example), try going to one that is slightly faster burning. If the powder in question is one of the examples, I would be inclined to use Herco or Power Pistol. These are both about midway between Alliant Unique and Blue Dot in burning rate.
And it has been related to me from more than one source that Power Pistol seems to have a more gradual chamber pressure vs. charge weight curve, especially as chamber pressures approach and exceed about 20,000 psi. It would tend to explain why it seems to yield higher velocities than other slower burning powders in small and medium capacity pistol cartridges.

 

[Eljay]

I load for mine but with the "Micro Groove" barrel stay away from lead. Other than that I just feed it whatever works in my 1911s, but i only plink with it.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

you're right about lead in the micro-groove barrel Elijay, I shot about 100 I loaded and accuracy wasn't too good and fouling was evident, took some work to clean up.

 

[345 DeSoto]

I checked out the Alliant powder loading data, and it looks like Unique isn't much different, powder for powder/performance for performance, than Power Pistol. I'm use to (have on hand) loading Unique for .45 Competition. I called Marlin this afternoon to find out what the twist is in the .45 barrel. Just my luck, they closed at noon. Oh well...Monday is coming. I know my way around loading for my 1911, but I have NO idea what/how to load for the 18 1/2"/ ? twist Marlin barrel. I'd LIKE to load 185 JHP metal jacketed/Unique, but I need to know WHAT to load to for the longer barrel...accuracy being the operative term. Looks like most of us Marlin 45 shooters are in the same boat. Are there any Web Sites for Marlin 45 related topics?...

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I found 2 sites but they are 'read only'.
'practical carbine' is a free to join group. several Camp gun shooters there. it's a yahoo group site.

 

[joneb]

Desoto, for a stock Camp .45 with 185gr JHPs you should find 7.2gr Unique with standard large pistol primers a good place to start, if you are using WLP start at 7.0gr of Unq.
Insert a sized empty case into the barrel, this will help you find the best C.O.A.L I seat my bullets just deep enough as to allow the cartridge to head space on the case mouth, this length should be very close to recommended C.O.A.L. for that bullet.