45-70 sizing question.. ??

[superior]

I'm picking up a new Marlin Guide Gun before the end of this month and I'm concerned about how to size the boolits. I currenltly use a Lee push-through for my 303Brits (.314). The only size Lee seems to put out for the 45cal is .457.....Shouldn't I be sizing larger than that, like 459? Are they thinking the boolit will obturate? I hope I don't have to buy a $180 lubrisizer!! It's too late to back out now..I've already made the commitment to buy the rifle. I'm just hoping I'll be able to siz'em cheaply. All replies appreaciated....I'm buying the 45-70 regardless as I've been wanting one for at least 4 years now.:coffeecom

[waco]

go to the swap n sell page
there is a lyman 450 lube sizer there RIGHT NOW for $80.00
besides.....you will need for than LLA for your new 45-70 IMHO
i think a lube sizer is the only way to go as far as a rifle is concerned
waco

[softpoint]

You can get a Lee .457 sizer and hone it out. You can either pan lube or tumble lube. Just be sure your mold drops large enough. I have a Lee 340 gr. 45/70 mold that only drops at .457! :D

[superior]

go to the swap n sell page
there is a lyman 450 lube sizer there RIGHT NOW for $80.00
besides.....you will need for than LLA for your new 45-70 IMHO
i think a lube sizer is the only way to go as far as a rifle is concerned
waco

I already pan lube with my 314299's and c3121851r's. I push them to over 2000 fps with no leading and great accuracy. I'm more worried about the correct sizing but it's good to know that there's a lubrisizer going for a good price.:) I'll be getting one of the RCBS gas-checked boolit moulds. After getting an undersized 314299 from Lyman and having to send it back, I'm nervous about ordering new moulds now.

[JRW]

might also want to wait until you get the rifle, and see what it likes, I have three 45-70's and a 40-65, and don't size for any. just drop from the mold, pan lube and load. JMHO.

[mpmarty]

Superior don't sweat it. I've got a Marlin 1895 with their "modified micro-groove" rifling that isn't supposed to be any good for cast. I cast plain WW out of a single cavity mold and just tumble lube with LLA and load em up with 25gr of 2400 and they shoot fine and leave the barrel clean too. They drop out of the mold at around 4585 to 459.

[GabbyM]

Typically a Lee mould would not drop a bullet to big for a guid gun. May even wan't to lap the cavity out to get a strong .458" to .459". Then just pan lube. If you want to clean the bullet lube off more make a lube cutter from a case.

[stubshaft]

If you want a larger sizing die PM Buckshot and he can make you one. He does fantastic work. You can get Xlox from Lars at the bottom of the page. It work great in the 45/70 with tumble lube boolits AND regular boolits with large lube grooves. Just dip and dry.

[rhead]

The hollow base Lee 405 grain mold is listed at .459. Mine cast a .460. I size using a lee sizer that has been honed out using valve grinding compound, lube, and cull bullets. I have bumped the up using Lee sizing pedistal and a .45 ACP bullet seating die set up for a semi wad cutter. It lets you experiment with larger diameters of the same bullet design.

Unless you just plain like the noise and recoil develop the load for accuracy instead of velocity. You will not be able to make it shoot flat.

[44man]

A Lee die is so easy to lap with a slotted rod, emery and a drill that a few minutes is all it takes. I bought a bunch of .430 ones and in a half hour I had 4 of them lapped so I have from .431" to .434" now.
I use them as a push through cake cutter to remove excess lube.

[superior]

Ok! Thanks, guys..It sounds like I may not even have to size at all and if I do, I've learned some good ideas once again, right here on THE SOURCE for cast boolit info. Again, I'll be using an RCBS gas check mould. I just haven't decided how heavy to go.

[pdawg_shooter]

I lapped out a .285 to .301 in about 30 min.

[bigboredad]

I just picked up a guide gun and already had a lee 340gr mold it only drops .457 but it shot great out of my guide gun and no lead left behind

[fredj338]

You can get a Lee .457 sizer and hone it out. You can either pan lube or tumble lube. Just be sure your mold drops large enough. I have a Lee 340 gr. 45/70 mold that only drops at .457! :D

I have the Lee 340gr & it drops ww bullets @ 0.459" & I run them thru my Star @ 0.459". Mostly it just fills the lube grooves. As stated, pretty easy to lap 0.001".

[rond]

I use the Lee 405 gr. HP as cast, works great in my Marlin and Sharps.

[TAMU74]

Ranch Dog sells a Lee push through setup for.460

[Jailer]

Ranch Dog sells a Lee push through setup for.460

Ya beat me to it. :mrgreen:

I use the .460 sizer for my 405gr accurate mold boolits and they shoot great in my Remington barreled SBL.

[mdevlin53]

Lee will als make you a custom push through sizer. It is 32 bucks and may take a while to get to you but it is an option.

[EDK]

Ranch Dog sells a Lee push through setup for.460

AND some damn good boolit moulds designed for MARLINS.

I had the 300 grain? RCBS gas check mould for years and got a 350 grain plain base mould here. I'm using a light load of 5744 with it in a MARLIN 45/70 Cowboy Rifle.

AFTER you get a mould, check out the as cast diameter and try LLA or 45/45/10, etc. MARLINS have some quirks, but the remedies have been written up here and over at marlinowners...over-size, hard alloy, push them hard.

I shoot mostly pistols and Cowboy Rifles in 357 and 44. BUT when I dig out the 45/70 Cowboy Rifles, I wonder why I don't use them more. Cast boolit friendly, ability to use a myriad of loads on anything you'll encounter in the lower 48.; what's not to love?

:redneck::cbpour::guntootsmiley: