Hi all,

I bought some Meister bullets with a Brinnell of 16-17, not realizing these are probably better for Cowboy action shooting which I've never done. *I'm interested in developing an elk load for the 1895G in 45/70. *My bullets are 405 grain, not gas checked. *I'm told I need a gas checked bullet with a BHN of 21 preferably 25 and a meplat of .320 or more. *

Is this the accurate picture? *

Given the 405grs BHN-16 *Meplat .250 of the bullets I've already purchased, what is the top velocity I can achieve without problematic leading? * I plan on using Remington brass, and RL7. *

I'll be using this gun/cartridge for elk, possibly black bear. *

hotrod53,

Where to start here?   First off your BHN 16+/- non-gas-checked bullet will probably live pretty happily at around 1300-1450 fps in most guns... but I really doubt that your Guide Gun will have an appetite for them.   The ported barrel on the Marlin Guide Gun has a definite distaste for plain base or bevel base cast bullets.  Also, cast bullets under .460" rarely if ever deliver the kind of accuracy these guns are capable of delivering.

Your best performance will be using bullets of BHN 20+ and a diameter of .4595"-.460" for optimum accuracy potential, and ONLY if gas-checked design.  Then, with all these criteria met, velocities of over 2,000 fps with MOA accuracy are not uncommon.   Some hunting gun!

About bullet design.  You're on the right track with meplat diameter being the key to performance on game.  Any bullet meeting the requirements already discussed, and having a meplat of .300" or greater will make an ecellent game harvesting tool.  Don't get too caught up in "bigger is better" when evaluating bullets for your .45-70 Guide Gun.  Just make sure that you have at least .300" diameter meplat for best performance, anything over that is just ground meat.  Also, with these bullet designs, you don't need expansion for terminal performance, consider that a bullet with a frontal meplat area of .300" is already more than most expanded .243, .270, or 7mm bullets AFTER expansion.

I hope this helps, and please don't judge the potential of your Guide Gun's cast bullet performance by the non-gas checked bullets you currently have on hand!

God Bless,

Marshall

Thanks Marshall,

My privilege to hear from you.  I have ordered the tech manual from your site.  I know it'll help me in my understanding of lead hard cast bullets.  I have never shot them before.  I never saw the need til' I bought the guide gun.  

As soon as I realized the mistake I'd made with the non gas checked bullets, I made the decision to go with your bullets for elk.  They appear to be just the recipe for steaks!  But I don't really regret getting the Meisters, I'll use them for fun shooting and maybe deer.  

Meanwhile, I'm still saving for my chronograph, and waithing for my ordered conversion kit to come in.  Adding a caliber is a little pricey for me, so it is little by little.  

I've been on other boards, I like the features you've put together here so I'm sure to return.  

Thanks again!

John