Arthur Corbin Gould's descrition of how he developed 456122
Modern American Rifles, pages 113-114, Arthur Corbin Gould (A.K.A. “Ralph Greenwood”) printed by Bradlee Whidden, Boston, 1892.
[added the top of page 113. ed.]
Most of the regular cartridges; and the shell and rifle will shoot, I think, a greater range of bullets than any other. I experimented intermittently for several years with hunting rifles, the various factory cartridges, and charges made up by myself. I kept a large quantity of bullets, which had killed game from the size of a fox to a grizzly bear, from rifles of various calibres, and had an interesting memoranda in relation to them; the result of my investigations were such that I had no use for a rifle, shooting anything from a deer up to our largest game, of less calibre than .40 or over .45, or that shot less than 60 grains of powder, or over 90. It has been my practice to try and learn how light a rifle could be procured, and how heavy charges could be shot from it, without flinching from dread of recoil. I was most impressed with the .45-calibre, and wanted the government shell, but objected to the heavy bullet, and commenced experimenting. The 500-grain bullet would often shoot a series of shots into a four inch group at 200 yards; the 405-grain bullet nearly as well; the 350 into slightly larger groups, and the 300-grain bullet would shoot often into an eight inch group. The latter was accurate, but its lightness and the quick twist of the rifle caused it to drift excessively.
I wrote the Ideal Manufacturing Co., of New Haven, Conn., to make me several moulds for bullets weighing 350, 330, and 300 grains, all with hollow points, and in due time received them. I found the tools were very carefully made, and the bullets, when cast, were apparently perfect. All of these bullets were tested in Winchester rifles, chambered for the .45-70 government cartridge. I shot them in five different repeating rifles and one single shot rifle, the testing being done at 200 yards with target sights, and at rest ; when I had finished shooting one rifle I would wait several weeks, or perhaps a month or two, then repeat the experiments with another rifle. I would then invite some reliable shot to shoot, comparing his results with my own.
Various kinds of powder were tried, and charges from 55 to 77 grains, and from slow to ducking powder. I also tried the Lord Keene bullet [split point caused by sheet of paper between mold halves at tip of boolit. ed.], and found it would not hit the target at 200 yards, and would open at 50 yards. The most satisfactory results, considering accuracy, range, and penetration, were secured with the 330-grain Ideal bullet, hollow pointed, and 75 grains of Hazard's FG powder. The charge has been tried on game and found very killing. The charge may be reduced to 55 grains of powder with this bullet, and very accurate and pleasant target practice secured.
One can also shoot 75 grains of Hazard's ducking powder with this bullet, and have a cartridge equal in power to the 45-90 factory cartridge, with nearly equal trajectory and greater accuracy. Some of my friends have Lee rifles rechambered to take the .45 - 2 4/10 inch straight shell, shooting 90 grains of powder, and the 330-grain hollow pointed Ideal bullet.
This is also an accurate and very killing charge, and the cartridge can be used in a single shot rifle, or the Lee magazine rifle, but not in the Winchester .45-70 repeating rifle. The .40-calibre rifles are good; but the straight shells are not used in repeating rifles, and the taper shells for repeating rifles of this calibre are not so good for self-made ammunition. Besides, the .40-calibre straight shells are more difficult each year to procure.
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