45/70 mold

[geslayton]

Looking for a mold to start casting for my TC Encore with a Bergara barrel. I will be powder coating the bullets so I don't really care what lube groves they have. I would ideally like to find at least a 2 cavity mold. I'm on a budget and have no complaint with the .40 Lee mold I currently own, problem is that it seems Lee only makes a 457 mold and sizer for some reason. It seems like most 45/70s need at least a 458 and most a 459 bullet for cast. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced mold in that size range?

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[Kraschenbirn]

1) I have (2) Lee molds suitable for the .45-70: the 405 gr. hollow-base designed for the Trapdoor Springfield and the 500 gr. Postell. Both drop slightly over .460 from my 30-1 alloy without any beagling. The 405HB, however, is only available as a single cavity.

2) If you're going to powder coat, you should be able use any of the Lee .45 molds as PC is going to add, at least, .001-.002 to the 'as-cast' diameter. You didn't state the twist rate of your Begara barrel, so I hesitate to recommend which might be best for you gun.

Bill

[geslayton]

Thanks for the info! The barrel is a 1:20 twist. It shoots 350 grain jacketed bullets extremely well! Just looking to cast for it to save some $$$. May end up buying a Lee mold and coating them and see how they come out for me.

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[Kraschenbirn]

Both my .45-70 BPCRs - a Pedersoli RB and a Taylor & Co Highwall - have 1-18 twist and both shoot heavier boolits so well that I've never bothered 'going light' but with the 1-20 barrel (and success with 350 gr. JBs) Lee has a 350 gr. mold that you might want to consider.

Bill

[country gent]

The 1-20 barrel may do the shorter 500 grns well also. For the 1-20 twist I would look for bullets in the 45-450 grn range. Depending on load and velocity the Lyman 457125 500 grn rdn govt bullet may perform well since its a shorter bullet

[44Blam]

I have this one:
NOE 460-396-RF-AE2 RG2 cavity GC Brass

It is awesome. Makes hollowpoint 45 cal boolits that are around 375 or so grains!

[44Blam]

Here they are:
241776

[RKJ]

I got the Lee 340 and PC it. It shoots as accurate as I can through a Marlin 1895GG using 4895 and Marlin load data. I'm not in my reloading shed and don't recall the size after PC'ing but I run them through a 459 sizing die. I'm not trying to spend your money but they are less than $20.00 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lee+340+457+mold&ref=nb_sb_noss

[Al_Bundy]

I use the 405 Lee mold and opened up the sizer to 458-459. Shoots great and only cost me $20

[bigboredad]

I used the lee 405 and powder coated it up to .459 and opened up the lee sixer to .459. It was a great combo. Using powder coat you should have no problems getting to the diameter you want

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[geslayton]

Thanks for all the info guys! I'm going to order a couple of the Lee molds and coat the bullets and see how they work as cast and determine if I need to get a sizer or not

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[Al_Bundy]

The larger diameter helps a ton so if you're not going to PC you might have to mod your mold to drop them larger

[lightman]

You might look at the RCBS 2 cavity molds. I've never had one that wasn't easy to cast with. I've shot both the 405 grain bullet and the 500 grain bullet I'm my Ruger #1. I recently bought my first Accurate mold, a 405 grain that drops out at .460.