460 S&W w Lee 300gr GC bullet, load? Best lube?

[murf205]

Yep, some of my better boolits are made with Lee molds. I am really impressed with their 6 cavity mold handles for the money, as well as their push through sizer dies. The sizers are relatively soft steel and are easily made a bit larger with a split dowel and fine sand paper rolled on a cushioned bench top with some fine oil. That is especially helpful if a revolver cylinder is larger than the push through die diameter. The 460 S&W I have loaded for is an Encore, as I stated before, so I have not had to address this cylinder issue. That gun loves Accurate 1680 with a 290gr NOE boolit, but it's got a 15" barrel to burn it in. You will know more when you find out what your guns dimensions are. From my experience with recent S&W revolvers, the cylinder is USUALLY the same as barrel diameter. I have 2 newer guns that were a bit smaller. Pin gages are a really valuable tool for us wheel gun junkies. How long is your barrel?

[JeffinTD]

It’s an 8 3/8”.

.451 bullets can be pushed through the throats with some resistance, so I know the throats are slightly smaller. It shoots my regular 45 Colt load (Rimrock 250 rnfp and 8g Unique) much better than my SAA, and with no leading.

Got my new molds the other day, and ran some wheel weight through a Lee 6 cav 125g 357 mold. Steel alognemt pins are a great improvement, mold heats up fast (which I expected) but doesn’t overheat, and perfect bullets just fall out on their own.

[murf205]

The Lee 300 gr GC boolit you said you were going to shoot is one of the best loads for the 460 I was shooting. I hope you have as good results with that mold. With Accurate 1680 it went 1893 fps from the 15" barrel Encore. Your 8 3/8" barrel wont do figures like that but it will still hit like a run away freight train--on both ends. I have entertained the thought of running some of my 405gr boolits through the .452 sizer for the 460, but when it comes to recoil, I'm like Clint Eastwood, "a mans got to know his limitations". Besides, here in the deep south, we are fresh out of cape buffalo, and the 300gr will shoot through anything.

[JeffinTD]

Yeah.... shot several powders working up charges for the 300 grain jacketed, and although recoil seemed pretty mellow at the time, my hand has been reminding me I’m not an indestructible kid anymore.

Waiting to cast the bullets for the 460 for some Lyman #2 alloy to get here. I may experiment with wheel weight and boat ballast, but I thought I’d begin with known alloy.

[Moonie]

I have the 300gr Lee for my 45 Colt NMBH, and my 20" Encore 460 S&W but I also have an NOE 325gr HP (350gr non-HP) that I load in 454 and 460 S&W. I like heavy weights, in my 500 S&W I have a mold from mp-molds that casts a 580gr deep HP, 630gr pentagonal HP and a 700gr solid. That things really kills on both ends, and is the reason I added a muzzle brake to that monster.

I powder coat for the 45/454/460 and use W296/H110 in 45Colt, 2400 in 454 and W296/H110 in 460.

In the 500 S&W I lube with Carnuba Red and load all 3 of those heavy weights with 25gr of W296/H110

[JeffinTD]

What do you run for alloy?

I tried a variety of heavier bullets, various loads and such in the SAA with a buddy’s ransom rest. The 250 rnfp didn’t shoot too bad, and kieth type, tc and most other designs will not feed through a Lightning rifle I’ve got... Also have a Miroku 66 Winchester, but it will feed and shoot accurately with anything... so I just run the 250 rnfp in 45 Colt. In my testing Red Dot showed potential with light billets, but 250 and above liked Unique.

296 always gave me best results in 44 magnum, but I bought a lot of Blue Dot from a place going out of business. Not the cleanest burning, but worked well with 240 grain gc.

Anyhoo, Lyman #2 arrived today. Carnuba Red should arrive Monday. Next day off is Tuesday, so maybe I can have some loads to test.

[murf205]

Moonie, What speeds are you getting from that 700gr boolit? That is a bazooka for sure!

[Moonie]

Moonie, What speeds are you getting from that 700gr boolit? That is a bazooka for sure!

I haven't pulled out the chrony to check yet but I do need to. I also haven't cast any solids, only the HP's so far. I need to do that too. If the alloy question ws to me, I use straight COWW.

[lar45]

I'm a little late to the party but...
I don't have a 460, but I do have a BFR 45-70 and have pushed 405s(water dropped wheel weights) to 1750 with Carnauba Red and IMR 4227.
I also have a 4" 500S&W that I only shoot cast out of. Carnauba Red has worked very well in it also.

[JeffinTD]

Gas checked?

May I ask your preferred powder?

[lar45]

The 500S&W has mostly been gas checked bullets. IMR 4227 works really well. If I could find WC820 anywhere, I would use it instead.

The 405 in the 45-70BFR was the Lee plain based mold. The best overall powder that I've found for it has to be IMR SR 4759.

[JeffinTD]

I have the plain based lee 405 mold and I’ve cast some out of #2 alloy and will use Carnuba Red. I’ve found RE7 gives me best accuracy in 45-70 out of my Contender, and shoot well in my rifles as well.

A local shop has a used RCBS 2 cavity gas check, and I wonder if it would be worth having.

[lar45]

It would definitely be easier to push higher velocity with a gas check.

[WehrmannsGeweher]

I used straight WW, 4227 and SPG. Worked just great.

[JeffinTD]

Well, by way of update I’ve shot some of the 300gr Lee bullets with Carnuba Red, gas check, #2 alloy.

Played with W296, Lil Gun, H4227

None are giving impressive accuracy.

300g XTP Mag shoots quite accurately behind full loads of W296 and H4227.

Will have to try some different powders as I’d really like to find a highly accurate cast load.

[JeffinTD]

Was thinking I might try Ramshot Enforcer. Never used it, but hear good things in magnum handgun loads.

Anyone messed with it with cast bullets in 460?