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Thread: 45/70 bore measuring 459

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    45/70 grooves measuring 459

    Am I reading this right? Used Cerosafe to make a bore cast to measure my groove diameter. The caliper showed 459. Put the micrometer on it, shows the same if I'm reading it right. Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Namerifrats; 11-09-2018 at 09:33 PM.

  2. #2
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    What kind of gun?
    I give loading advice based on my actual results in factory rifles with standard chambers, twist rates and basic accurizing.
    My goals for using cast boolits are lots of good, cheap, and reasonably accurate shooting, while avoiding overly tedious loading processes.
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    New Marlin Guide gun

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    Boolit Master 1bluehorse's Avatar
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    .458 would be the norm. .459 is just fine, size .460......your mike could be "off" that far in just it's adjustment. Do you have a standard to check it with?

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    On my 45 cal rifles bore dia ( actual hole thru barrel) is .450-.452 depending on barrel ( green mountain, badger, BRC, pedersoli) Groove dia ( size of bullet to fill the rifling cuts) is .4585 - .459. Rifle is different from pistol rounds size wise 45 acp runs around .451-.452, 45 colt was .454-.455 and 45 caliber rifle is .458. Older guns may vary some trapdoors may go .463 groove size. do to manufacturing back in the day.

  6. #6
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    I wondered in the caliper was off too. Actually have 3. Two digital Harbor Freight and a Frankfort Arsenal. All 3 read 459 to 459.5. Micrometer is a Lyman, looks like 459 on it too. Guess I'll try to find a 460 mold. Already have a RCBS sizing die for 457, lol. Guess I'll try to find a larger one since it's not needed at the moment.

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    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Be thankful it isn't bigger.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Namerifrats View Post
    I wondered in the caliper was off too. Actually have 3. Two digital Harbor Freight and a Frankfort Arsenal. All 3 read 459 to 459.5. Micrometer is a Lyman, looks like 459 on it too. Guess I'll try to find a 460 mold. Already have a RCBS sizing die for 457, lol. Guess I'll try to find a larger one since it's not needed at the moment.
    Powder coating works great for Marlin .45-70 boolits. If you already have a mold that you think is small you can powder coat to increase diameter.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    All three of my 45-70 single-shots...all modern repros...slug at .4585-.459 and I shoot 10-12 Bhn boolits 'as cast' (.460-.461) at BP velocities without any issues. Shouldn't be any significant difference from your levergun.

    Bill
    "I'm not often right but I've never been wrong."

    Jimmy Buffett
    "Scarlet Begonias"

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Ruger #1 in 45/70 slugs out at .459 I shoot the lyman gas check 480 grain bullet which barely makes .459. Time for a new mold. Next one will be from Accurate molds at .462 or therabouts. Frank

  11. #11
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    Looking at the Lee 459-405-HB mold. Some of the reviews on Midway say it drops a little larger for some people. If not, I could attempt to modify it to drop slightly larger maybe using the tape method. The hollow base design would help it fill out and seal the gases a bit too wouldn't it? I was looking for a 460 sizer die for the RCBS Lube sizer, can't find one other than Saeco and that won't work with my sizer. Guessing it's possible to lap a sizing die to a larger diameter without too much trouble. Lyman has a 459 die I am looking at that would work if I could increase it a bit.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I typically size to .459" and some of my real hard bullet actually are closer to .460" for the 45/70 in rifles or handguns. Works fine in the 2 Marlins I had, a guide gun and the regular 22 inch lever gun.
    Works well in an Encore 15 inch and a BFR revolver I have too.

    Again I mean no hurt, harm or anguish to anyone here. I am not trolling, calling out or baiting anyone here by my post on this posted thread. I am merely making a statement based on my knowledge, experience, belief and/or opinion only. Thank you.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    My 1895 SBL is 4585 as far as I can tell. Got it working with cast quite easily.

    I coat my 459 dropped bullets and opened a Lee push through sizer up to 4595. I expand the case with a 459 NOE plug. Works pretty good,325's shoot clean @1975 fps. 480's work,too.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Whatever the SAME mic reads, make your boolits one to two little lines bigger and go have fun.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

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    How old is your cast?? Cerrosafe expands at a predictable amount. There is a table that shows it. I don't have one at the moment.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    The thing to do is get a .459" size die and size the bullets to that. Reloaded 7 powder worked well in both of the two Marlins i had. While they most certainly are not considered a highly accurate rifle they will shoot fairly small groups at 100 yards and I shot a few groups at 200 that could be well covered by the palm of my hand. This using an old Leupold 3 power scope.
    The bullet I used was an old NEI 550 grain bullet that duplicated the Garrett 540 gr load.
    Dont start sweating things unless you need to.

    Again I mean no hurt, harm or anguish to anyone here. I am not trolling, calling out or baiting anyone here by my post on this posted thread. I am merely making a statement based on my knowledge, experience, belief and/or opinion only. Thank you.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    Cast was 1 hour old as the instructions state. I bought a 460 arsenal mold and a 459 RCBS sizing die.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check