Leade reamer for 45-70

[Longwood]

My rifle has a leade that won't let me use PP bullets.
Do any of you own a reamer that you would sell?

[Don McDowell]

What is it in your rifles chamber that won't let you shoot patched bullets?

[Larry Gibson]

Longwood

I have one that was used once if you are interested.

Larry Gibson

[Longwood]

Longwood

I have one that was used once if you are interested.

Larry Gibson

Thanks
I am. What do you want for it? I would also rent if you want to keep it.
You can go private if you like.

[Larry Gibson]

Gone PM

Larry Gibson

[Longwood]

What is it in your rifles chamber that won't let you shoot patched bullets?

Hi, I am a new member but an old timer that has been shooting since 1954. I may be going down the wrong path so any advise is, Very!!! welcome.
I have been wanting a buffalo rifle since I read a book when I ws about 14 about buffalo hunting written by a guy that actually did it when he was a teenager. And now I finally got me one!
I always thought the casting of the bullets over the camp fire and paper patching part of the story was so cool.
I have owned and shot several BP rifles and pistols, and know how amazingly accurate they can be, and just bought my first cartridge gun a Uberti HiWall in 45-70.
When I try to chamber a PP bullet, the patch catches on the end of the chamber, or, what I suspect is a sharp edge of the rifling. No, I haven't cast the chamber yet.
I have been reading articles written by the "old timers" about PP bullets since the mid sixties, (could only afford the mags then), and seem to remember a long tapered leade.
I have been working at researching all of the archives here (they are pretty deep), and have seen mention of a long leade but am not absolutely sure that is my problem.
Right now, I am doing stuff like lapping my barrel, and working with lubed groove riders of a couple different designs and that is keeping me plenty busy. Pretty fair success so far but I am a sticker for accuracy and won't settle for fair, good, or even really good.

[Don McDowell]

Sounds like your trying to use to large of a diameter of bullet, or not wrapping your patches tight enough.
As generous of a cut as most of the italian rifles have, cutting a new lead won't do much good, having the barrel cut off and set back, then reamed with a proper chamber reamer would be the wisest thing to do, if you're deadsest on keeping the same rifle, and wanting to "change" the chamber.
If you're patching the lubed bullets you may as well spit into the wind and try to fill a bucket..
Get some .441 diameter bullets 500 gr or less and wrap them in some decent 9 lb onionskin paper and see if things don't work a little better.

[Longwood]

Sounds like your trying to use to large of a diameter of bullet, or not wrapping your patches tight enough.
As generous of a cut as most of the italian rifles have, cutting a new lead won't do much good, having the barrel cut off and set back, then reamed with a proper chamber reamer would be the wisest thing to do, if you're deadsest on keeping the same rifle, and wanting to "change" the chamber.
If you're patching the lubed bullets you may as well spit into the wind and try to fill a bucket..
Get some .441 diameter bullets 500 gr or less and wrap them in some decent 9 lb onionskin paper and see if things don't work a little better.

The bullets I am using may be the problem. I made the base pour mold with a rounded ogive that is 1.08 long. the ogive starts at .080. The nose is not much more pointed than round. The bullets are ww and cast at .450 and I wrapped the first one with note book paper and lubed with LL than ran them through a .457 Lee sizer. They mike at .4575 .458 and the patches are ironed onto the bullet very tight.

[Longwood]

Sounds like your trying to use to large of a diameter of bullet, or not wrapping your patches tight enough.
As generous of a cut as most of the italian rifles have, cutting a new lead won't do much good, having the barrel cut off and set back, then reamed with a proper chamber reamer would be the wisest thing to do, if you're deadsest on keeping the same rifle, and wanting to "change" the chamber.
If you're patching the lubed bullets you may as well spit into the wind and try to fill a bucket..
Get some .441 diameter bullets 500 gr or less and wrap them in some decent 9 lb onionskin paper and see if things don't work a little better.

Thanks a million for your suggestions. I may be barking up a empty tree here.
Is .441 a typo? I see .450 .451 a lot but,,,,,.
I read something last night about using smaller dia. pure lead bullets with black powder last night but it was really late and I was getting tired.
I have about three kinds of paper, including tracing paper, so far and found a source for some with 25% wood but they want me to buy 500 sheets. I have not looked that many places yet.
I may have to switch to pure lead bullets also. I cast about 20 lbs of them but it turned cold and windy and I have not had a chance to test them yet.

[Don McDowell]

No .441 is not a typo.
You'll likely never get that bullet you're using to shoot well no matter what you do to that chamber. And don't get to sunken into the soft lead thing either some bullets do quite well patched to bore diameter with alloy as hard a lyman #2
Wheelweights or 20-1 are good places to start with the alloys.

[giz189]

If you try to shoot a .450 bore dia. boolit before wrapping, and .457 or .458 after pp'ing you will have to keep your overall cartridge length to 2.50 or less in the H&R's. Found this out after many frustrating trys from Dave at Buffalo Arms Company. He is a very helpful fella.

[Longwood]

If you try to shoot a .450 bore dia. boolit before wrapping, and .457 or .458 after pp'ing you will have to keep your overall cartridge length to 2.50 or less in the H&R's. Found this out after many frustrating trys from Dave at Buffalo Arms Company. He is a very helpful fella.

On the PP throat thread, I learned a quick way to make a cast and now see that my first guess is correct. There is no throat, the leade begins right at the case mouth and has about 7 degrees of taper that looks good but has some machine marks that will have to go for sure. I sent Larry Gibson some money for a reamer, now I just need to decide which type bullets I am going to use before I decide what to do or not do next..

[Longwood]

Sounds like your trying to use to large of a diameter of bullet, or not wrapping your patches tight enough.
As generous of a cut as most of the italian rifles have, cutting a new lead won't do much good, having the barrel cut off and set back, then reamed with a proper chamber reamer would be the wisest thing to do, if you're deadsest on keeping the same rifle, and wanting to "change" the chamber.
If you're patching the lubed bullets you may as well spit into the wind and try to fill a bucket..
Get some .441 diameter bullets 500 gr or less and wrap them in some decent 9 lb onionskin paper and see if things don't work a little better.

Thanks Don
I will try that right away.
I bored a money bullet mold and it is casting beauties @ .439 right now but I only polished out the tool marks so far. I may go back out and finish honing it after supper but will prolly put it off till tomorrow.
I have a feeling a softer alloy will work best because I am going to be working with some slow powders for mild loads.
I only have 100 brass now and they are all waiting for the weekend to be emptied for the next test. That'll help keep me from hurrying and having to make the mold at least twice.

[giz189]

When you get the reamer and start to use it, go really slow it will remove a lot of metal with just a couple of turns. I found this out personally.

[Longwood]

When you get the reamer and start to use it, go really slow it will remove a lot of metal with just a couple of turns. I found this out personally.

Thanks, I sure will if I decide to use it. I would like to use both PP and lubed and may burn a bunch of black powder in it so that will have to all be considered but my "wants" may be long way away from my "cans". Decisions, decisions, decisions.,,,,,,,,,
I got the reamer today and it looks real nice but I am still learning and testing so still a ways down the road before I start machining. I got PP'ed rounds to chamber OK by not letting the PP extend farther than about 1/8" beyond the case mouth and I have to push a .451, long straight sided bullet, into the rifling a little because the leade is quite steep. I am going to start a new thread to see what suggestions. I have an straight adjustable reamer and I am going to bore and ream a piece of easy to machine stock to bore and chamber size, ream it with the new reamer and see for sure exactly what it will do.
I have done enough smithing to know not to screw up the rifle and even if I did, it would give me a good reason to put a custom barrel on it. I want it to shoot really well and will get it to do it whatever it takes. I've lapped the barrel a little and polished some of the internal action parts last night and this morning. There were not that many places that needed much work but the Arkansas stones paid for themselves once again. I saw them at Brownell's, I think it was, a couple of nights a go and they are nearly $50 now, YIKES!
I like really "Slick" actions and double set and/or "Hair" triggers and the set trigger needed very little work and I can tell I am going to be very happy with it. Most of the time was spent grinding polishing with my Dremel on the hammer and polishing some of the hinge pins because I didn't have any drills the right size to replace them with. Cocking the hammer before was incredibly rough, now it is as smooth as ice.
I installed a 32" Leatheman, Wm Malcolm scope on it and I don't even know how I will like it yet. They were fantastic way back when but compared to what is available now there is no comparison. I like the looks of it!

[Longwood]

Sounds like your trying to use to large of a diameter of bullet, or not wrapping your patches tight enough.

Get some .441 diameter bullets 500 gr or less and wrap them in some decent 9 lb onionskin paper and see if things don't work a little better.

I took your advise Don, I made a mold that casts a .441 at the base and .439 at 3/4" from the base. I copied the money bullet as close as I could by looking at a blown up picture. After patching they came out at .447-.448 and they chamber as slick as a whistle.. I have no empty brass but should be able to test them next week or maybe I will weld together a quick stand for my hitch and mount my Rockchucker to it. I've made a couple of the hitch stands and put a outrigger type base under it that not only helps steady the press, but it also helps steady the truck so I can use it for a shooting rest.
I bought some tracing paper that measures .0019 and it starts to curl as soon as I wet it and almost wraps itself. It goes on very easily dry also, I think it may be because it is not as slick as some of the copy and notebook paper I first tried learning with. I only paid $3.99 for 40 sheets of the paper, it is made by Pacon Corp but I am still trying to find out what it is made from. It says 40 g with the squared symbol but I don't know what that means exactly.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Loren

[montana_charlie]

It says 40 g with the squared symbol but I don't know what that means exactly.

That may be their Artist's Tracing Pad paper, as that is the only kind I can find of that weight. The weight designation means it weighs 40 grams per square meter.

If it works well for you, it really doesn't matter what it's made of ... as long as it isn't 'sandpaper'.

CM

[Longwood]

Yep!
That is exactly what it is.

[Tatume]

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=169

[Naphtali]

My rifle has a leade that won't let me use PP bullets.
Do any of you own a reamer that you would sell?

I am uncertain what is your problem, so I cannot be sure my reamer will solve it.

I have a N.I.B. finishing [chamber] reamer that alters 45-70 to be able to use a cartridge 2.68-.70 OAL. I bought it to allow my 45-70s to shoot more powerful handloads. After shooting my friend's 45-70 handloads in his rifle (mine was still being made at Grizzly Custom Guns in Columbia Falls, MT), I knew I would be unable to handle what the reamer would allow the rifle to shoot. So the reamer just sits in its storage tube.
***
A very specialized item for hard core 1895/1886ers. New in its plastic protective case a Custom reamer from Pacific Tool & Gauge. This is intended to ream your 45-70 barrel's chamber to 45-80 - that is, to render your barrel for 2.68-2.70 inch overall cartridge length. This is to allow using longer 45-90 brass trimmed .010-inch or standard 45-70 brass with longer bullet seating. This is not a dining room table project. Pacific Tool & Gauge makes most built-to-order reamers (according to Lew Bonitz, chief bonecrusher at Grizzly Custom Guns).

Hope this will help.