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Thanks, shelton. The goal with this cartridge and rifle was not to equal .405 Winchester loads. Plainly, the rifle cannot do that. Instead, it was to find a better alternative to shooting .45-70 or .444 Marlin loads in these rifles.

The Marlin 1895 is a completely different rifle than the Winchester 1895. Each is great in its own way. The Winchester rifle is more powerful and handles loads with pointed bullets. The Marlin rifle is over two pounds lighter, a few inches shorter, better suited for scope use, and can be had in stainless steel. That said, If I could have successfully stuffed the .405 Winchester cartridge into the Marlin rifle I would have done so in an instant. However, that was not a realistic option.

The .405 Grenadier can equal .405 Winchester loads and ballistics in the Mosin Nagant. More powerful bolt action rifles abound but, again, the Grenadier is purposed as a better alternative in that particular rifle. The same can be said for chambering the Siamese Mauser in .405 Grenadier (soon) where a short, rimmed cartridge is required. Neither the Mosin Nagant nor the Siamese would function with the smaller rimmed .405 Winchester cartridge without refacing the bolt, replacing the extractor, etc. Further, there is no need. With long, heavy bullets the .405 Grenadier has more usable case volume than the .405 Winchester and can easily match or best .405 Winchester loads at any given pressure in bolt rifles loaded with projectiles like the 400gr Woodleigh. It might not be the cartridge of choice for the universe of rifles but for at least three rifles - Marlin lever, Mosin Nagant, and Siamese Mauser - it is a wonderful option.

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