Lee 45 cal Mini in the 43 Spanish?

[brstevns]

If you suspect problems with the skirt turn some off the plug and make the walls thicker to make a little stiffer. .010-.015 should make a visible diffrence.

I have been thinking along that line.

[fouronesix]

In an original 43 Span Rem RB, somewhere between .439-.442 diameter bullet is about all you can do with an original chamber neck diameter of about .461 and with brass of a normal case neck wall thickness of about .009-.010. I can get a .442 or slightly larger bullet to chamber in my rifle, but have noticed no increase in accuracy over a bullet sized to about .441- .4415. Plus, when I tried the .442+ diameter, I occasionally had a round that was sticky to chamber. A full BP charge will obturate soft alloy to help fill the grooves- if no harder than about 10 BHN. A hollow base in one form or another may or may not help much- but won't hurt to give it a try.

If your rifle has an original chamber and throat design there is no way to "fill the throat". A bullet diameter of .441 is about the largest that will both chamber easily and allow for "clean" bullet release given the most common brass neck wall thickness of between .009 and .010. And the same holds true of many if not most of the old BP era throats and chambers. Those old throats are usually just a simple taper beginning at the OD of the case mouth that extends on into the bore. Therefore with the 43 Span, to fill the throat, would require a bullet diameter of about .461…. which obviously won't chamber. This info and data based on experience with and measurements of my 43 Span Rem RB…. which I imagine is within the normal range of those.

BTW and something to watch for if you try paper patch-- that big, simple tapered throat can also cause the "paper ring" nuisance when shooting paper patched bullets.

[brstevns]

In an original 43 Span Rem RB, somewhere between .439-.442 diameter bullet is about all you can do with an original chamber neck diameter of about .461 and with brass of a normal case neck wall thickness of about .009-.010. I can get a .442 or slightly larger bullet to chamber in my rifle, but have noticed no increase in accuracy over a bullet sized to about .441- .4415. Plus, when I tried the .442+ diameter, I occasionally had a round that was sticky to chamber. A full BP charge will obturate soft alloy to help fill the grooves- if no harder than about 10 BHN. A hollow base in one form or another may or may not help much- but won't hurt to give it a try.

If your rifle has an original chamber and throat design there is no way to "fill the throat". A bullet diameter of .441 is about the largest that will both chamber easily and allow for "clean" bullet release given the most common brass neck wall thickness of between .009 and .010. And the same holds true of many if not most of the old BP era throats and chambers. Those old throats are usually just a simple taper beginning at the OD of the case mouth that extends on into the bore. Therefore with the 43 Span, to fill the throat, would require a bullet diameter of about .461…. which obviously won't chamber. This info and data based on experience with and measurements of my 43 Span Rem RB…. which I imagine is within the normal range of those.

BTW and something to watch for if you try paper patch-- that big, simple tapered throat can also cause the "paper ring" nuisance when shooting paper patched bullets.

Yes, I will be sizing it down to .440 the largest that will chamber in my rifle .

[brstevns]

Finally got to try some of the Lee 45 minies sized down to .440 and loaded over 12 gr Unique. Fired 20 rounds are so at 50 yards. They grouped better then the Lyman 43 Spanish bullet. Now need to try them at 100 yards and maybe with AA5477.

[missionary5155]

Good morning brstevns
Nothing wrong with what you are doing. Have three of these beasts and they are all fat throated so those farmer / troops of the South of the border Armies could keep on loading, shooting and maybe survive the day.
I would challenge you to get yourself a pound of BP (2F) and load that same bullet over the intended powder the rifle was designed to shoot.
I have that Lyman 439186 mold and lapped it out to drop .442 40-1 bullets. They will bump up and do make for far better shooting. Just load 5 and see what they will do. An over powder wad with a grease cookie will help. Shoot them at 50 yards and take your time.
Then if they shot better load another 5 rounds in the same cases with no sizing the case. Shoot those at 100 yards. Take your time as you are wanting to see the real accuracy capability of that rifle.
Now try to beat that BP group with any smokeless load. This test is what I use with all BP cartridge rifles and revolvers to find out what they can really do. Loads are more refined after a few loadings and I may shift to 3F depending on the rifle but have not yet found a smokeless load that can beat BP in a BP firearm. 50-95 right down to 32-20.
Mike in Peru

[Nobade]

Just to chime in on this, I have recently been having very good results with my Argentine roller shooting 385gr. boolits sized to .430" and paper patched up to .442". That way I use a standard off the shelf Lee sizer, patch, and don't have to size again afterward. Fits the cases perfectly and shoots very well loaded over a thin grease cookie and a very lightly duplexed load of FFg. By duplexing, you get the convenience of smokeless and the accuracy and boolit bumping effect of black. Shoot all day and don't have to wipe. With the odd (by modern standards) dimensions of these rifles, this seems to make the most sense. Great performance, tracks to the sights, and no worries about overpressuring from straight smokeless loads.

-Nobade

[brstevns]

Just to chime in on this, I have recently been having very good results with my Argentine roller shooting 385gr. boolits sized to .430" and paper patched up to .442". That way I use a standard off the shelf Lee sizer, patch, and don't have to size again afterward. Fits the cases perfectly and shoots very well loaded over a thin grease cookie and a very lightly duplexed load of FFg. By duplexing, you get the convenience of smokeless and the accuracy and boolit bumping effect of black. Shoot all day and don't have to wipe. With the odd (by modern standards) dimensions of these rifles, this seems to make the most sense. Great performance, tracks to the sights, and no worries about overpressuring from straight smokeless loads.

-Nobade

Been using 12 gr Unique and I not going to go over that charge for Unique. I have also tired 24 gr of AA5477

[brstevns]

Been using 12 gr Unique and I not going to go over that charge for Unique. I have also tired 24 gr of AA5477

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