One of my favorite cast bullet rifles !

[Ben]

I , like many of you, have several different rifles that I enjoy shooting cast bullets out of.

This one however may be one of my all time favorites !

The rifle is a stainless steel Ruger 7 X 57 mm.
It is a nail driver with the Lee, 132 gr. ( Soup Can ).
Sized .2863 ", gas checks are my own .014" Amerimax aluminum checks, loaded with 10.0 grs. of Alliant Unique. I envision using this rifle to train my grandson once he is able to migrate from .22 LR into a center fire rifle.

I think it is pretty foolish to take an inexperienced 12 yr. old boy to the range an sit him down to a 300 Win. Mag. shooting factory ammo. He will learn to despise shooting. Kids do what is fun and I don't even think shooting a 300 Win. Mag. is fun.

This rifle is another story entirely, with the 10 gr load, it is a real pleasure to shoot, low noise, low recoil, and fantastically accurate ! I can only wish that someone would have trained me at age 12 with a rifle and loads like this.

Around here many of our shots on white tail deer are from 40 - 75 yards.
If you have a steady rest, this rifle is so accurate that I wouldn't hesitate to shoot one in the side of the head ( as a matter of fact I've done it before with this rifle ).

A lot of people say there is something magical about 10.0 grs. of Unique. Maybe they are right ...... ? ? I keep a powder measure locked on the 10 gr. setting, I have that much high regard for this particular Alliant Unique load in this rifle.





You can start shooting this rifle at 9 a.m. and quit at dark, it doesn't let up, it continues to shoot groups like this all day long.



The rifle currently has a Leupold Vari X - II , 3 X 9 X 50 mm scope on it.



Soup can's below that are lubed with Ben's Red and then rolled in Ben's Liquid Lube .

I can fire 200 rounds of my load in an afternoon. Push a single dry cotton patch through the barrel, it is spotless and shines like a mirror.



Can you tell that I like this cast bullet ?

 

[Josh]

Boy that is nice, I would have to be hard pressed to find a favorite in my cabinet. Right now it is a fight between my 30 Badger, 30-06, and 8x57

 

[Brad]

If it shoots like that then It is easy to see why it is a favorite. Having a rifle that is easy to shoot well makes the rest so much more fun.
My favorites are pretty mch all lever actions with a receiver sight. The 32-20 Marlin is nice but I would probably go with my Marln CB in 45 Colt. I will see if I can whip up some photos.

 

[Ben]

Brad,

Be certain to include some nice photos ! !
I'd love to see your write - up.

 

[Brad]

That will require taking nice photos first. Not always a strong suit for me. Maybe JW could come over and help?

 

[Rick]

I would probably go with my Marln CB in 45 Colt.

Much like mine? Pity Marlin is using such horrible barrels. This is a beautiful rifle on the outside but the bore is a real nightmare. I bought it from Gunbroker nearly unfired, put the borescope down the bore and it was shocking. It hadn't been abused, it was made that way and it looked like they hacked out the bore with a hammer and chisel. It really was that bad. I ran a few cast through it and it leaded badly, just scraped the lead off the side of the bullet from one end to the other. I contacted Marlin and told them I bought it used and described the bore, they said to send it in and I did. They charged me for a new barrel but paid return shipping. When I got the rifle back the new barrel/bore was as bad or worse than the original. I haven't shot it since, it sits in the safe waiting for me to find someone that can put a quality octogon barrel on a Marlin lever gun. Very sad.

After that experience I was looking for a Marlin 45-70, went to 4 different stores looking at new ones and I took the borescope with me. Every brand new Marlin I looked at was exactly the same as the 45 Colt I sent back for a new barrel. Still don't have a 45-70, I wouldn't buy any of the ones I looked at.

EDIT: I cannot get a picture to upload, tried three times and it's not there.

 

[Josh]

The 8mm at the range with the rifles cast bullet love affair the 323471, thanks to Ben i got to play with them.

 

[Ben]

The 471' in the 8 mm is a marriage made in heaven, isn't it ?
You've got VERY GOOD eyes if you can shoot metallic sights like that ! !

Ben

 

[Josh]

The 471' in the 8 mm is a marriage made in heaven, isn't it ?
You've got VERY GOOD eyes if you can shoot metallic sights like that ! !

Ben

I love my new glasses, I have 20/10 vision with them, without it is very bad like 20/30. Not sure what i will do when i can't shoot irons anymore.

That rifle LOVES your mold, you sized em to .325 and i need a mold that drops a .327 bullet. Once you start pushing that bullet the groups open WAY up

 

[Ben]

I've never tried to " push it ". Once I found a super accurate load , I simply " locked in " on it and had some fun.

Ben

 

[Ben]

Rick,

It sits in the safe waiting for me to find someone that can put a quality octogon barrel on a Marlin lever gun. Very sad.

That is a sad story and a sad commentary on the American gun industry ( or what is left of it ).

Ben

 

[Brad]

I have been fortunate with my Marlins I suppose. The 357 bore has some obvious flaws but it shoots well despite them. I don't see purpose in trying to get it replaced, it might come back worse!
My 45-70 and 45 Colt shoot so well I can't imagine the barrels being less than ideal.

Karma Rick, it is all about karma.

 

[Brad]

This is my Marlin 1894 CB in 45 Colt. It is the old style CB with the 24 inch barrel. I was interested in the rifle but wasn't sure if the extra money for the CB was worth it. After handling one at the NRA convention in KC years ago I was sold, the CB was the way to go. I paid a whole 500 dollars for it brand new. Bet it would fetch more than that today, if it was for sale. It isn't. Ever.



I currently own 4 moulds for the cartridge although the moulds for the 45 ACP could do double duty. The Lee 255 rnfp, Lyman 452424, a Ballisticast 265 WFNGC, the Lee 300, and the Lee GB for a 300 gr FN.

The Lee bullet mould was given away, it cast bullets too fat in the check shank area and getting checks on square was a pain. I decided it was best foisted upon some poor soul so I gave it away, I even paid the shipping!

I had to dig around to find these bullets other than the Lee 300 GB bullet. That bullet has become the only bullet I load in 45 Colt. I works very well in the rifle and my 4 5/8 in Blackhawk.



Here is a loaded round with the 300 Lee GB bullet. this one is coated in copper red Hi-tek coating. The coating works well in both the rifle and handgun. It did well enough during deer season last winter and it was cold. This is loaded over 10.5 gr of surplus 105 powder, pretty close to AA5. Shoots great at 1150 fps in the rifle and 900 fps in the handgun.

 

[358156hp]

Yup, that's one of Brads pics. Six different bullets pictured, with six different lubes .

 

[Ben]

That is great , thanks Brad ! !

Now for you other forum members, get your camera out and tell us about your favorite cast bullet shooting rifle !

Ben

 

[Ben]

All right Brad, now you've got it started with these lever actions !

_______________________________

I took my Marlin 1894, CBC, 38 Spec. to the range. Fired 7 rounds at 50 yards into roughly a 3/4 " group ( + or - ) with the Lee 125 gr. RF bullet, sized .3575 ", using Wolf small pistol primers and a mild crimp. Powder charge was 5.5 grs. of Russian Unique ( Salute ).

This bullet feeds through my Marlin like water running through screen wire.

If my information is correct, these were made in 1992, but none ( in 38 Spec. ) thereafter. My rifle has Ballard rifling.

Here they are sized .3575 ", lubed with Ben's Red and ready to load :

 

[Rick]

Here's one of my favorite cast bullet rifles. It's a 26 inch octagon barrel Winchester 94 Commemorative 30-30. I don't know how many owners it's had but I bought it from a guy that said it wouldn't shoot and be bought it from someone that couldn't make it shoot. I picked it up on the cheap.

The picture is through the borescope at 25X. This is the first thing the bullet saw leaving the case neck and this is how it left the factory in 1968. A little time with a throating reamer and it's a fine shooter. It has a very nice bore, smooth, sharp rifling & no tight or loose spots when pushing a bore slug through but that nice bore measures .310" from one end to the other. As long as it gets fed a minimum .311" the rifle and Rick are happy campers.

The bullet was tapped into the rifling before throating, you can imagine how much leading that caused.

 

[Ben]

Rick,

Is it just me or is it now obvious that companies that produce firearms , both pistol, revolver, and rifle often times take very little consideration with regards to the cast bullet shooting community ? ?

That photo has " I need a throating reamer " written all over it.

Ben

 

[Brad]

Yup, that's one of Brads pics. Six different bullets pictured, with six different lubes .

Can you tell me what they are? Only one is an obscure home brew.

 

[Ian]

I'll take a stab at it: Carnauba Red, Jake's purple Ceresin, TnT, Orange Magic, and some brand of Speed Green..