Microgroove vs. deep cut Ballard rifling on Marlins for cast bullets.

[saturno_v]

I'm in the process of learning about the Marlin 1895 45-70 rifles before buying one.

I heard that the deep cut Ballard rifling command a premium on used 45-70 Marlins because they can use cast bullets.

So the Microgroove cannot use them at all or the accuracy would be very poor?? What are the practical differences??

Thank You!

Regards

 

[Ridgerunner665]

MicroGroove is generally less accurate and more prone to barrel leading than Ballard rifling. (thats my experience, YMMV as other have)

Some MicroGroove barrels will shoot lead fine...some will not, especially with the warmer loads. Bullet hardness comes into play also.


All newer Marlin 1895's have Ballard rifling...Marlin gave up on MicroGroove a few years back.

I have one of each...the Ballard rifled 1895 shoots cast MUCH better than the MicroGroove one does.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

You can find more info on this than you'll know what to do with over on MarlinOwners forum.

There's good, solid info there...I'm a mod there, we keep the BS out (as best we can with 17,000+ members) because of the safety concerns with hot rodded 45-70's in lever actions. I won't tolerate BS when it comes to the 45-70...

I'm not saying there is BS here (not by any means)

Nothing against THR...but if its Marlin levers, the info is there. (pages and pages and pages of it)

 

[saturno_v]

RidgeRunner

Thank you for the info.

So how come the Microgroove rifling remain for the Model 336?

Cast Bullets are not that common in 30-30?? Is not an issue??

Regards

 

[Abel]

The case capacity doesn't allow but for so much powder in a 30-30 or 35. The micro-goove works fine in the 336 as long as your cast bullets are hard enough & are properly gas-checked. But, you are right; there is much less demand for 30-30 & 35 cast stuff. Plenty do it successfully though.

 

[Lorenzo Rojo]

I shoot cast bullets in my 336 but I limit the velocity of my loads to a max of 1400 fps. I use these loads for lever action silohouette shooting. I use jacketed soft points for loads above 1400 fps. I use 165 grain cast lead and 170 grain jsp. For my reduced silohouette loads I use Unique. For the heavier loads I use IMR 3031 and 4064.

 

[ArmedBear]

The 336 is a hunting rifle. Hunting bullets in >2000 fps velocities are almost all jacketed, and have been since before we were born.

Microgroove rifling works well and minimizes fouling, with the right bullets and velocities. I love it on my .22s.

 

[saturno_v]

What what is the bottom line?? Should I avoid a used Marlin 45-70 with Microgroove because it would give me less flexibility???

 

[Abel]

Ask here:

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/board,56.0.html

 

[saturno_v]

Ask here:

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/i...oard,56.0.html

Already did, thank you!!

 

[ThomasT]

Any gun that is to be used with cast bullets should have its bore slugged and bullets used should be slightly over the bore size. Marlin 22s with MG do just fine because the bores are sized so the bullets fit properly.

I think the problem with 44 mag marlins and MG barrels not shooting lead well came from the cowboy action games. When those games started the MG barrel was all that was available from marlin.

When marlin developed the 44 mag rifle the SAAMI limit on 44 mag ammo was 42,000 psi IIRC. The marlin is a strong gun but like all guns has a strength limit. To reduce the strain on the guns I beleive they made the barrels slightly oversized. Thats OK with a jacketed bullet but when shooters tried lead bullets that were sized for common revolvers the bullets would strip the rifling and gave poor accuracy with full power loads. Use an oversized lead bullet, or one that matches the bore and they will shoot just fine. The same thing applies to the MG 357 rifles. Now that SAAMI pressures for the 44 and 357 have been lowered the bores can be made tighter.

I have read that the 45-70 with the MG barrel does better with lead bullets than the 44 and 357. I had a 45-70 with the Ballard rfiling and didn't think it looked all that deep. It did shoot well even with lead.

You might also check out wwwleverguns.com and read some of the Glen Fryell (sp?) articles on the marlins with MG barrels and lead bullets. There is lots of good info there like the above mentioned marlinowners site.