(2) Questions. for Marlin 1895's

[swordfish]

I have (2) Marlin 1895's (CB and G) Love them both. I've been using them for hogs and always seem to get within 100Yds for the shot.

1. In your opinions, what is the best hunting cartridge I should be using. The 405gr round nose seems to go right through. It does the job fine but I would like to expend more energy in the animal. What are you guys using? What do you recommend?

2. I like to use iron sights, and do fine with the Marbles they come with, is there some thing better I should be looking into? I've been reading about the peep sights, what is the best available? What should I look into. Will I have to have a smith install or is it something I can do myself? Should I even bother?

Are there any other upgrades I should be thinking of? I (censored word) love these 45-70's and they have become my hunting rifle of choice.

Thanks in advance.

[Rangr44]

I've been using factory 300gr JSP's ever since they were first introduced, and have found them to be very effective on everything I've shot with them, and a lot less recoil than the heavier slugs, too.
I'll never shoot anything heavier in a .45-70 again.

All my Marlin 1895's have Williams receiver (peep) sights - and the front sight materials range from bright fiber-optic beads on my brush guns to 3/32" Ivory beads on the others.
I, personally, don't care for small/fine beads - as I don't do much target work - but YMMV, of course.

I've tried tang peep sights (Lyman & marbles) on various rifles, but have found them better suited (for me) to target/silhouette shooting than hunting, and so removed them from all my rifles.

I've always installed my own sights, as most applications are a 20-minute screwdriver job; with the front sights & the rear sight slot filler blank being a quick tap-tap.

.

[targshooter]

swordfish,
The two Marlin 1895s I've possessed (curently have the Guide Gun) both wore the same Lyman #66 aperture sight. When I hunt the rifle is sighted in for 100 yards due to the rainbow trajectory of the cartridge. Otherwise, I get decent enough accuracy that the rifle is sighted for offhand shooting at 200 yards. I am sure that Williams and other peep sight manufacturers offer suitable peeps as well. The biggest variable in the peeps seems to be the ease and gradation of adjustment.
I use the 405 grain Remington jacketed bullet and the Bull-X hard cast 405 grain lubricated lead bullet. I shoot both over 42 grains of IMR 3031 (same load I use for my .308 with 150 grain bullets), a modest load that does not cause lead stripping with the lead bullet. Both bullets have a meplat (flat nose), about .32 inch in diameter. I have shot several deer with both loads, and they all went down on the hit and never needed a second shot. The farthest  shot was about 100 yards, most were within 50.
I have found that the Marlin 336/1895 series are among the smoothest operating lever rifles on the market. They apparently wear scopes well also, something I have never done to any lever I've owned.

[BBF]

Do you reload? If so, give the 400gr Speers a chance. You don't need a lot of speed with them and they work well with fast powders ( 2400, IMR 4198) same as the 405 leaving a much cleaner bore then the factory loads..

[swordfish]

Thanks for the info guys. Please keep the input and opinions coming.
I didn't want to wait to long before thanking you guys.
 
This forum is a wealth if info from guys who really know what they are talking about. Exactly what I need.
Yes, I will be reloading the 45-70's soon, so any load suggestions are much appreciated.
By the way, how many times on average can one reload 45-70 brass before it gets fatigued beyond safe. I know that hot loads will fatigue it quicker, but what should I expect as a norm?
Thanks.

[BBF]

 I have not worn out any of my brass, some have been loaded at least 4 times. I don't find it necessary to full lenght resize anyway. If you go up into the die about as far as your bullet is long you should be fine. For crimping I use the LEE Factory Die. Rather then giving you specific loads, here are three that you can start with. The loads are for the 400 gr. Speer, I see no reason why they would not be applicable to ther 405gr. Rem They are in the very mild category.

 Rem Cases  Rem 9 1/2 Primer   The firearm used has 1-14" twist.

 2400           Start  22.0 gr    Max 27.0 gr
 IMR 4227       "      25.0 gr      "   30.0 gr
 IMR 4198       "      28.0 gr      "   33.0 gr


My rifle likes the 405 gr Lee bullet loaded with 25.0 gr Blue Dot
 

[Blowtorch53]

Swordfish,

I agree with what Ranger told you.  The Williams sights are hard to beat for price, quality, and ease of installation.  I have them on my Pumas and 94's.  Try www.midwayusa.com. You are not going to get a whole lot of expansion out of any bullet you use in the .45-70.  It will "shoot thru" almost any animal with a hard slug and you can't drive any bullet, that I know of, fast enough to get good expansion without knocking your shoulder out of joint or blowing yourself up.  "Shoot thru" is not all bad!  I have heard of some of the lighter bullet factory loads, 350 gr. hollow points I believe, blowing up and wounding Nalgai here in Texas.  These are some big, tough critters.  This is going to the opposite extreme.  A good, hard cast lead bullet at a reasonable velocity that doesn't hurt on the buttstock end is great hog medicine where I come from.  IMHO, of course!

BT53

[Redhawk1]

I use 405 gr. hard cast gas checked wide flat nose bullets.

As far a peep sights, your better off with the iron sights. Low light you will not be able to see through the peep sight.
Myself I like low magnification scopes. My Marlin 1895 45-70 has a Leupold 2x7X33 scope, my Marlin 1894 44 Mag has a Leupold M8 4X scope and my Marlin 444P is getting a Leupold 2.5X20 scope.

The reason I went to scopes was, low light conditions on my black bear hunts. My very first hunt I had for black bear, I used my 45-70 Marlin, the bear came in about 10 minits before shooting time was up, I could not see my sights when I pointed the rifle at him. So I did not take the shot. The next day I went into town and bought a mount, rings and a Leupold scope, and sighted the gun in at 100 yards, that night hunting, the bear came back into the bait and I took him.

The scope makes a big difference in low light conditions.

Now I do like open sights on my lever guns, but I now perfer a scope for the reason stated above.

[cwlongshot]

I have (2) Marlin 1895's (CB and G) Love them both. I've been using them for hogs and always seem to get within 100Yds for the shot.

1. In your opinions, what is the best hunting cartridge I should be using. The 405gr round nose seems to go right through. It does the job fine but I would like to expend more energy in the animal. What are you guys using? What do you recommend?

2. I like to use iron sights, and do fine with the Marbles they come with, is there some thing better I should be looking into? I've been reading about the peep sights, what is the best available? What should I look into. Will I have to have a smith install or is it something I can do myself? Should I even bother?

Are there any other upgrades I should be thinking of? I (censored word) love these 45-70's and they have become my hunting rifle of choice.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the late responce...somehow I didn't see this post till now? 

1) My preference will be the same Speer 400, BBF already suggested. Put it in-front of a load or RL7 or 4198 and you have built a great long standing favorite 45-70 load @ about 1900 fps. (As long as you reload.) If not, I haven't tried them myself, but a couple here really like the new Leverevolution cartridge.

2) The Williams are a pretty good site, and readily available. I prefer the steel of the earlier LYMAN peeps. This would be my first choice. In lo-lite just unscrew the aperture for a "ghost" ring type rear. The tang sites are also good, but more fragile and expensive. OK for the open plains, not so great in the woods, I'm afraid. These are definitely things you can do yourself,  simple hand tools and a bit of common sense. (Keep GBO up and ready to fire off that last min question!!  )

I hope this helps,
 CW

[bilmac]

I like the Williams Guide Receiver Sight. It is just a couple of wedges that slide against each other to adjust elevation. Fits on the rear scope mount holes. A little less obtrusive than the side mounted L shaped sights.

 One thing I insist on though is the front sight is a post. No beads for me, they are too indefinite. Do you aim with the top or the center? Where then exactly is the top in poor viewing conditions. If you use the center, it blocks too much of the target. Give me a post with a nice clear aiming point. You don't see no beads on military rifles. Kind of hard to find post fronts these days, but I have made most of mine by filing and filling a bead.