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Hornady Ballistic Tips in Marlin 45-70

6391 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  xwrench3
Does anyone else have problems with Hornady blastic tips jamming in your lever action??
I've had a Marlin 45-70 for 6 years now and the first blastic tip I put in the gun it jams and I had to take it to a gun smith to be removed. Anyone have any answers or explanations??
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Does anyone else have problems with Hornady blastic tips jamming in your lever action??
I've had a Marlin 45-70 for 6 years now and the first blastic tip I put in the gun it jams and I had to take it to a gun smith to be removed. Anyone have any answers or explanations??
No good answers for ya BC but I quit using them..I suppose I could do some polishing and all but the RN and regular HP's never give me any trouble. I had one of the Hornady's just barely stuck in the chamber going into the barrel and it was the lip where the polymer tip on the bullet is . I have had a lot of feed troubles so like I said I just quit using them. I went to Ultramax since I don't reload yet.
I've used Hornady LEVERevolution ammo (.30WCF / 160 grain FTX) in my Winchester 1894 with no problems...

http://www.hornady.com/store/30-30-Win-160-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/
I've used Hornady LEVERevolution ammo (.30WCF / 160 grain FTX) in my Winchester 1894 with no problems...

http://www.hornady.com/store/30-30-Win-160-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/
I use it in 30-06 and .223 and .22mag...Hornady that is. I have no issues and it is very accurate just my 45-70 doesn't like it.
If the round is jamming when being fed into the chamber with bullet nose hitting the top of the chamber its because the rim of the cartridge is is not sliding under the extractor claw. You can take a screwdriver and gently bend the extractor away from the bolt and the cartridge rim should slide up more freely underneath it. This is a problem with the 338ME chambered rifles as well. Now if its jamming coming out of the magazine tube onto the lifter, that's another problem. Also there is a newer dimpled magazine follower for use with the pointed leverevolution rounds that will center the round in the mag tube. There have been jams associated with the pointy tip being lodged in between the follower and the magazine wall. Hope this helps.
Moved to the correct subforum: AMMO & RELOADING
Bonecollector23

Danger Danger !

Hasn't anyone spoke to you ablut the inheritant danger of using pointed projectiles in a tube Magazine ?

That is why Hornady inverted the LeverRevolution (rubber tipped) Projectiles
I certainly hope Bonecollecter is talking about Lerverelovolution Rounds, (that word) and enough said about that.


Apparently you have to shorten the cases by a certain amount, then everything works well.
The Hornady book specifies a trim length of 2.040 when using the FTX bullets, which is .055" shorter than the normal trim length.

That is why I stayed away from them, and went to Woodleigh Projectiles for my .444

Cheers
Bucky
Never had a problem with the LeverEvlovolution rounds. I killed a NICE 7 point buck in 2008 with it!
i use the Hornady LeverEvoloution ammo in both my 30-30 and 45-70 Marlins. it functions fine thru both of them. the 45-70 has a LOT of power, probably way more than is necessary, at least for deer. the only reason i can think of it not functioning correctly in your 45-70, is if, by some chance, you got some a little on the long side. my reloads (i use both factory and reloads) function fine @ 2.600", but without digging into the safe, i am not sure what the factory loaded ones measure. i would think, since that is the spec Hornady suppies to re-loaders, it would be what the factory loaded ones measure. one thing you could try, is taking a razor blade, and shortening the tip up some, and see if that fixes the feed issue. i think there is .050" worth of plastic tip there to cut off, if not more. if they function at 2.550" oal, then you probably have found your problem.
Also, Marlin put a dimpled follower in the newer model rifles so the pointy tip will stay centered in the tube magazine. Without the dimple, the pointy nose can get jammed between the follower and magazine tube. I don't know if this is the case with yours. I have heard of it happening in 35 Rem Marlins.
Yep put a flat nose in first...
I sure do hope no one is foolish enough to use non flex tip bullets. I do use them I also use 405 grain hard cast if I go deep into the northern woods. Use hornady flex tips or hard cast lead. Any thing else can send you to see your maker!
Thread moved to the correct subforum: Ammo & Reloading
Hornady LeverEvoloution ammo cycles thru my Marlin guide gun fine. so i guess i really can not help you fix yours. i also hand load the FTX bullets, and they feed flawlessly as well. i am certain any decent gunsmith could fix the problem. if it is still under warranty, find the nearest warranty center { http://www.marlinfirearms.com/customersupport/repairs.asp }, take it (or ship it) to them, and get it fixed for free, minus transportation charges.
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