405 WCF, 350 grain Boolit

[StrawHat]

I was given some 350 grain boolits to use in my 405 WCF. (Time and memory prevent me from thanking the Member but I remember PMing my thanks when I recieved them.) These are gas checked and have a blue lube on them. I am used to loading the Lyman 412263 boolit over 28 grains of 5744. The heavier boolits are a new territory for me. Anyone have a suggested recipe? I would prefer to use 5744 or 3031 but they may not be optimal. Not looking for barn burners, just a decent load, nothing over the top as the rifle is a Winchester 1895.

[StrawHat]

Not a popular loading, I guess!

[pls1911]

The only reference I could find was an extensive article by Ken waters from 1982 as reprinted in his"Pat Loads" volues, which covers over 50 loads with various weights and powders.
the Seaco 537 weighed 352 grains, and the loads were:

35.0 H-4198 1844FPS
40.0 RL-7 1900fps
40.0 3031 1799 fps
42.0 3031 1761 fps
44.0 3031 1953 fps

In the 1895 Ken used for testing the bore needed cast bullets sized to .414, but his chamber wouldn't allow any larger than .412. For that reason his experience with cast bullets in an 1895 were disasterous...none shot well.
In the highwall he also used, he had a much better experience, as e bore only needed bullets cast to .412
He aslo tried bullets intended for e .41 magnum with great success, finding the remington 210 grain JSP over 55 grains of RL-7 ((2459 fps)a "most accurate , favorite light bullet load".
Good luck.

[StrawHat]

I have decided to stay with the Lyman 412263 boolit, nominal weight 300 grains.

[don45]

How do the 412263's shoot? In a 95? Old or new?
I found a nice old Ideal mold for this...just might have to add a 95 to shoot these. Nothing backward about that!

[Le Loup Solitaire]

This was originally listed by Lyman as being designed for the 405. I have one of the early molds.. single cavity. Using WW it drops as cast at .413 which is perfect for my 95. It tends to overheat and produce frosted casts if used too fast. With medium powders you can load up to around 2200fps which is factory spec and then hunt anything in the western hemisphere without a worry about its being effective. Brass is available from Hornady or you can make your own by fireforming 30-40 Krag cases, but they will be 1/4" too short.(but vastly cheaper) The 263 goes at about 300 grains and at full tilt will deliver about 3200 foot pounds of smack at the muzzle. That is well over a ton and one half and also generates a fair+ amount of fun at the stock end. If you have a crescent shaped butt plate be careful where you position it. The 405WCF is/was the most powerful cartridge ever developed (commercially) for a lever action. The 95 especially if it is in good/decent shape is a treasure to find and the price that goes with it is usually quite respectable especially if there are extra features involved like take-down, express sights etc. Its a great piece of American History. LLS

[416Rodney]

Strawhat

The 405 Win. in a 1895 is a wonderful combination. I have one of the newer Winchesters and take it with me when ever I go into the mountains in NW Wyoming. Around here I ain't at the top of the food chain, if you know what I mean. My favorite load is the RCBS 350 grain gas check for .416 water quenched and loaded on top of 46 grains of RL-7 at about 2150 fps. Boy, does it hit hard. The newer 1895's slug to .412, consequently, the RCBS 350's don't get squeezed that much. I size them to .414. They have made one shot kills on Bison in North Dakota and 300 lb. hogs in Texas.

[muskeg13]

With the RCBS 350 GC sized to .413, which actually drops 360gr boolits, I load up to 49.0 gr of RL-7 for @ 2255 fps. This is the most accurate combination of reasonable accuracy and high velocity for cast boolits, so far, @2" at 50 yds. I live in bear and moose country too.

Other loads:
Varget 57.0 gr 2122 fps
Varget 56.0 gr 2118 fps
Varget 59.0 gr 2197 fps
Benchmark 53.0 gr 2160 fps