.459 -500-3r

[brad925]

Hasanyone used this bullet and how did it work for you.

[Vann]

If your talking about the Lee single cavity mold, I use it for some of my black powder loads.
I haven't put it out past 200yrds, but I average 2-3 inch groups out of my rolling block at 100. My mold drops a good looking bullet that weights 494 grains with a 1/30 mix.

The biggest thing is you can't cast to fast because the bullet takes a while to harden due to its size. It does carry a good bit of lube so I haven't had a problem keeping the bore wet.

For the 20 dollars I paid for it I can't complain.

[tallwalker]

I cast some of those this week using a mold I purchased from a member here. Made nice crisp bullets. Water quenched. Loaded them up today. Drop tubed 68gr (wt) Goex FFg into Remington cases, compressed, WLR primers, coffee filter UPW, brown heavy wrapping paper OPW, pan lubed 50/50 Beeswax and Crisco w/ tsp coconut oil, seated to 2.45" and anxious to see how they do. They dropped at .457 which should be just right for my Taylor Sharps. So far haven't shot anything heavier than 350gr through this rifle. I will let you know how they work out.

[brad925]

I have the double cavity mold and they dropped at about 495 - 496 at .459 with ww's. I will try them with both smokeless and black and see what they do. I am shooting them out of a uberti 1885 hiwall with a 1-20 twist. The 535 lyman postell shoots one inch or less at 100yds out of this rifle so i am hoping these will shoot well. Was just borrowing the lyman mold.

[country gent]

Lees bullets are normally of an acceptable desighn and work well but to find out you have to shoot them to see what works in your rifle. I have good results with my lyman postell ( I reworked it to nose pour now bullets drop at 528 grns and a base corner that could shave) . Clean mould and lightly lube per instructions. pre heat carefully ( may want to heat cycle 3 times or so heat to 300*-400* on hot plate and cool 3 times) then cast a run of bullets pouring a small puddle on spure plate off to side of hole ( this helps sprue plate maintain temp and gets hot lead flowing thru spout) then to fill cavity and pour a large sprue ( keeps base hot and molten longer for better off gassing and fill out)/ Pour 50 or so and shoot working up load as you go. See what it does in your rifle

[WALLNUTT]

I've shot them in Ruger #3 with smokeless. They shoot as well as any of the other bullets I've used and I've used a few.

[Vann]

I didn't remember until you said it, mine is a two cavity mold. I haven't pulled it out since last year, and had it in my head that it was single cavity. I load mine up in front of 65gr of goex 3fg dropped out of my Lyman 55 b/p measure with 1 .020 fiber wad, and use a WLR primer, in a R.P.case,sized .459 lubed with 50/50 beeswax and crisco. My overall length is at 2.842. What I really like about this load is that my 300 grain cast plinking load using 12.5gr red dot has about the same point of aim. Either way I can't do much better than 2-3" with open sights. Of course that's about as good as I can do with any rifle using open sights @ 100 yards.