Originally Posted by
bronko22000
Cal, unless you're getting something special, factory loads are pretty mild because of the liability factor of not blowing up trapdoor rifles. The loads I made up for my Marlins (both the Cowboy and the Guide Gun) are pretty stout because I use them for bear hunting. I've taken 3 with the Guide Gun and 300 gr bullets. Now I want to carry the Cowboy with the 405s cast bullets and see how they perform. I know penetration won't be an issue but I'm concerned a bit about expansion.
BYW - about the LOP - I did punch myself in the nose with my thumb a time or two with it.. lol
The 405 grn was a cowboy load so it was pretty mild. the 300 was a Federal load for hunting so it was a little hotter. The 430 gran load was made by HSM in Montana and they advertised it as being stout bear medicine. It was definitely hotter.
I shot the ammo with the Limbsaver slip-on pad on the rifle and without. You definitely feel less recoil with the pad on but I would describe the recoil as more of a push or shove than a sharp recoil like my 270 for instance (hard plastic buttplate). I'm not very recoil sensitive (just lucky). My buddy shot the rifle with and without the Limbsaver also (gotta share with your buds) and he had the same opinion about the recoil feeling like a push or shove.
As for the LOP, I was kind of surprised when I first held the rifle in the gun store and asked about a slip on pad to extend it (wasn't even thinking about recoil at the time). The clerk got a Limbsaver slip-on pad and put it on the gun for me to try. It fit like a glove then and I bought both the rifle and pad.
Bronko, I realize you want to reload for this gun and that is part of the fun. If you're ever looking for some really good factory bear loads, check out HSM.