45/70 cast boolit question

[gunshot98]

what is the lightest weight cast boolit to load in a 45/70. Its in a single shot rifle. He is wanting to shoot a 250 to 285 gr boolit and i thought that was to light. Need some opinions.

[osteodoc08]

Technically the lightest weight would be the collar button molds.

They're approx 150gr

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?170101-Mihec-45-70-Collar-Button

What's he wanting to do with it purpose wise?

[Larry Gibson]

I shoot thousands of Rapine 460250s (actual weight 270 gr out of range lead alloy). I load them over 8 gr of Bullseye for excellent accuracy to 500 yards out of my H&R TDs and Siamese Mauser. They run right at 1050 fps. And excellent load and no filler or wad is used or needed.

I also use the Rapine 460210HB over 6.5 gr Bullseye in my original TD.

Larry Gibson

[M-Tecs]

Larry you are wearing me down. I guess I will have to start looking for a Rapine 460250. Is Rapine still making molds? I can find an address but no active web site. If not Tom at Accurate Molds should be able to make me one.

[osteodoc08]

Larry, Can you post a phot of said boolit. I'd be curious as to what it looks like. Sounds like a fine plinker load for the 1886 and 1895.

[M-Tecs]

Not Larry but http://www.castpics.net/subsite/CurMolds/Rapine.pdf

[Larry Gibson]

Rapine went out of business (retired) a couple years back. Was hoping someone would take over the business as they offered a lot of unique moulds....wish I had gotten more.

The left bullet is the 460210HB. 2nd from left is the 460250. The 2nd from the right is my Rapine 460500, an excellent bullet in my original TD to replicate the M1882 loads with.

Larry Gibson

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[1Shirt]

IMO, for just short range practice, either a collar button, or a round ball. Good IMO to 50 yds. Beyond that would go on up with what Larry recommends.
1Shirt!

[BruceB]

Somewhere along the line, no idea where, when, or WHY,.... I latched onto a Rapine mould for their 461485 bullet.

It has a truncated-cone style nose and plain base. MANY lube grooves.

I have yet to cast a bullet with it, even though it's been taking up space for quite a few years.

Just looking at its design number, I'm wondering if it will cast just a skosh fatter than the "normal" .45-70 bullets on that nice list of Rapines.

Just yesterday, I commenced loading for the handsome M1884 Trapdoor acquired a couple months back. A mould that drops bullets at or above that .461-plus figure could be very desirable indeed.

Anybody know anything about this design?

SEE? SEE? This is why we should buy ANY mould that comes along, unless we already own one of the same design as the newcomer. We may not need it today, but.... next year? TEN years from now? Who knows? (No wonder I have moulds coming out of the woodwork....)

[osteodoc08]

No 41 mag love on that chart :-(

interesting info everyone. Thanks for the pictures Larry.

I love that I can continue to learn the craft of boolit making and shooting.

[Wayne Smith]

Technically your lightest will be the round ball, unless someone has HP'ed a roundball!