Just how fast can a soft lead RCBS 45-405GC be driven in a 45-70 Marlin?

[AllanD]

Hi All,

While I've had this rifle since 1984 and this particular mold since around 1990
until recently I was not able to get good bullets out of it until recently (Very recently)
When after a four hour run a couple weeks ago I managed to get >125 good ones out
of it before the local mosquito population drove me back inside.

I did cast them from soft lead and crimped some vintage Hornady gas checks onto
them with my RCBS LAM-II and I'm wondering just how hard I should push them...


If anyone has played with this bullet in this rifle share your experiences please...
I live literally closer to the shooting bench than the 200yd targets, so I can gather the
data myself, but it would be nice to save time powder and primers with some shared knowledge

I'm also wondering how much FFFg I can actually compress into the case under them?
(I do have a powder compression die)


Meanwhile I will sit here laughing at the original price tag on the box of 45cal copper diapers...

$11.95... For pity's sake lyman wants $79.95 a box for them! they're copper not sterling silver!

AD

[dlbarr]

Allan, I just loaded some of those for my 1895 tonight.


My load of 2fg was 66-67gr and probably could've gotten a touch more in there (but why?)

[AllanD]

I'd load 2f, but since I've got 11lbs of 3f...

I'm mostly concerned about beating up my brass...

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[muskeg13]

What do you mean by "soft" lead? Pure lead or some fairly soft alloy? How hard is the alloy you want to use? I load air cooled wheel weights with about 2% tin added with the RCBS 405 GC in a M1886 (Miroku) Winchester with a 22" barrel, not the same as you rifle, but close. This alloy comes in between 1-20 and Lyman #2 in hardness. These are sized to .459 and can be driven to 1900+ without leading using several powders, but due to recoil and accuracy I choose loads that run 1800-1850 or so.

[Lead Fred]

Been awhile, I thought stuffed 68gr 3f in mine.
But there are bullet factors to consider.
Using a Lyman 405gr RNPB mould
Ive only ever used water dropped WW for the lever gun.

[AllanD]

What I meant by "soft lead" is Pure lead with a trace of additional tin from
the small amount of solder joints I didn't trim away when melting to make
ingots...

Lead that can be easily marked with a fingernail.

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[AllanD]

I'm not sure what kind of animal I'd have to shoot at to stop one of these because a Barnes "Original" @ 1900
(pure copper tube with Pure lead core) out of this rifle has passed through just shy of 30" of deer and a similar
amount of standing hardwood before coming to rest...

I'm thinking I'd get a pass-through on anything native to North America including Bison on any aspect,
so faster than 1900-ish would be just more shoulder pain... without any real potential for gains in
terminal effects...

AD