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keyholing

snowtigger
I loaded some 500 grain Magna-Cast bullets ahead of 40 grains of 4198. Shooting them through my Marlin 1895 45/70 I managed to make four keyholes through a piece of plywood at 100 yards. I have no idea where the other 16 went.
Needless to say, I am kind of dissapointed. It has always been very accurate.
What happened?


It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • v35
    Sounds like the load was too heavy for lead bullets and they stripped the rifling on. The rifle grooves should be pretty leaded up.
    Make sure to use cast bullet loads for lead bullets.
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  • snowtigger
    According to data, they should only be moving about 1500 fps. Haven't had time to clean rifle yet...

    It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.
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  • mtnboomer
    The rifling twist may not be correct for the 500-gr bullet and will not stablize it. Also, is the alloy used by Magna-Cast hard or soft. Too soft and it will strip in the rifling. You might try a lighter bullet with a similar design to see if they stablize. If they do, 500-gr is too heavy.

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  • snowtigger
    Just finished cleaning. Bore was very clean. No lead. Magna-cast bullets seem to be very hard. I think the 1 in 18 rifling in the Marlin is too slow to stabilize this bullet, as it shoots everything else very well. I guess these bullets will find their way down my .458 Mag barrel....

    It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    THE 1/18" TWIST SHOULD STABILIZE A 500 GN. BULLET BUT THE MARLIN MICRO-GROVE RIFLEING IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME. IT TAKE A VERY HARD BULLET AND SLOOOW POWDERS TO MAKE CAST BULLETS WORK IN A MICRO-GROVE BARREL.
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  • snowtigger
    The Model 1895 rifle has deep cut Ballard rifling. (six grooves).

    It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    THAT'S GOOD NEWS, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF .45/70'S (MARTINI, & 1886 WIN.) MY MARTINI WILL SHOOT ONE HOLERS AT 100 YRDS WITH 500 GN. CAST BULLETS (ANYTHING EVEN APPROCHING 1" GROUPS WITH A .45 IS ONE HOLE). TRY TO RECOVER A BULLET IF YOU CAN, THIS WILL TELL YOU AT LEAST IF THE BULLET IS STIRPING, ALSO TRY SOME SLOWER POWDERS, A FRIEND OF MINE LIKES 4831 FOR THE .45/70 (YOU CANN'T PUT TOO MUCH IN BUT YOU ONLY BURN ABOUT 1/2 OF IT).
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