[BobinNC]

I'm going to be getting 1895 JM 45-70 or 450 Marlin in the next month or so. I've decided that for the game I chase, and my location a good pair 350 grain bullets will do nicely. I thought I would need two different 350 gr bullets. One relatively inexpensive 350 gr cast gas check bullets for blammo and range ammo, and for critters that I want complete pass through. Beartooth makes a nice 350 grain PileDriver Lite WLN-GC bullet @ $25.00 per hundred that takes care of the inexpensive bullet nicely.

For my other 350 grain bullet I wanted a premium bonded core bullet, for those close encounters with critters that look at you like you owe them money. Only two candidates were really considered Swift's 350 Gr A-Frame Flat Nose Lever Action bullet or Woodleigh's 450 Black Powder Express (458 Diameter) 350 Grain Bonded Weldcore Round Nose Soft Point. But the 350 grain 450 BPE bullet is a of round nose design so I was a trifle concerned about primer detonation in the mag tube. Well using the contact information on the Woodleigh Web Site I sent an e-mail to Australia with my concerns, and a couple of days later I got a reply. Here's what they said:

"Hi Bob,
I am sure it would not cause a problem, but to be on the safe side, we recommend that you flatten the tip to at least the primer diameter. This can easily be done in the loading press after loading.
The distance from nose to front edge of cannelure before flattening is .475", for our 300 gr and 405 gr cannelured for 45/70, the distance is .430".

Regards,
Geoff McDonald
Woodleigh Bullets
PO Box 15, MURRABIT, VIC, 3579, AUSTRALIA
Ph. 61 3 5457 2226
Fax 61 3 5457 2339
Email [email protected]
www.woodleighbullets.com.au


That's some fine service from the nice folks of the land down under. So you an just flatten the tips a bit, either with your reloading press or just mashing the bullet tip gently in a bench vice and load away.

 

[Boris]

Gday Bob, my go to bullet is their 300gr. Handles anything we have down here. Cheers.

 

[Charlie-NY]

The 350gr A-Frame bullet loaded over a stiff load of RE7 is the most accurate bullet in my 1895SBL. I've shot several groups that hovered around a half inch at 100yds. Personally, I'm very happy with anything that will shoot into 1".

For game up to black bears I have found the Speer 400gr JSP bullet to be the best. Reliable expansion, good penetration and easy to load for. They also sold for a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, I think Speer just discontinued them.

The Barnes 300 TSX is another hard to beat bullet. Easily shoots into an inch at 100yds in my rifle. At 2,000 ft/sec the recoil isn't bad and the bullet expands to about 75cal. It would be rare to catch one in a game animal.

 

[john m]

I have used the Woodleigh on Red Deer at 1800fps, works just fine.

 

[Moki]

If you can find them go with the 350gr A-Frames.

I load mine with top load of H322 I carried these in my Marlin 1895GS 45-70 for years they are my go to premium bullet.

But what are you wanting them for I live in BC Canada so could encounter grizzlies.

 

[Mostly_Leverguns]

I've shot more than a dozen elk and a moose with the 300 grain Barnes Original (heavy pure copper jacket/pure lead core) recovered bullets have been one lump of copper/lead with little weight loss. Pass-thru's on broadsides, under the hide on quartering shots. I use the Sierra/Hornady/Remington jacketed 300's for practice, same point of impact, I suppose I might go with the 350 Swift in BIG Mean Bear Country (griz over 500lbs?) I just don't care for the recoil or trajectory of the heavier bullets. If the Barnes-X shoots accurately that would be my choice. I tried the older ones, my Marlin didn't like them. Haven't tried the new improved ones, no need since using the Barnes Original 300 gr.