Proven best alloy??????

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Has anyone here on the forum gone to the effort of compiling info as to which lead alloy gives the best groups in rifles such as the 45/70.

Hard, soft, etc. etc.

AS per boolits which you want to expend, don't even go there, as I am not interested in such information.

From the results I saw last year with a LBT/WFN boolit I have little or no need for expansion.

However, I am greatly interested in alloys which, over time and testing have proven to provide better groups.

Currently I am using WW, air cooled.

I figure some of those with more hunting rifle casting experience under your belt then I, must have already run some of these type of tests.

With an early Elk season set to open in a week or less, I will probably not get to any more bench testing this Fall, but looking ahead as to what direction I should head for shrinking my groups.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[onondaga]

It seems to me that your question is answered in the long rich history of Lyman #2 Alloy.

You can get maximum accuracy with any reasonable alloy in the 45/70 by getting your bullets to fit first and then keeping all the other little duckies in line.

Gary

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Thanks onondaga,

That is a good and worthy point.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[RobS]

There are too many variables to say what is best. Simple bullet design i.e. HP vs solid is one variable and then to the extent of PB vs GC. Next, proper powder selection for alloy strength or toughness and yet one step further to a person's reloading practices as more variables. onondaga did hit the nail on the head with the very important principle of boolit fit followed by all the other variables. Hunting, I personally would shoot a 50/50 WW to plain lead or equivalent that was water quenched if I was shooting a WFN with any form of upper end velocity from a 45/70.

[uscra112]

If paper patched, your best alloy is pure lead.

[Stick_man]

I find it extremely difficult to find one universal "perfect" alloy. Each application is so different, some guns like hard alloys, others like soft alloys. Others just plain don't seem to have a preference. Like has been mentioned, the Lyman #2 is probably as close as you are going to get to a universal "perfect" alloy. Unfortunately, finding the optimal alloy for YOUR gun is not always a very quick procss. Sometimes it takes a bunch of trips to the range. (not that that is such a bad thing if you have the time available)

To me, the "perfect" alloy is the one that MY gun shoots best after I have eliminated as many of the accuracy altering variables (velocity, lube, fit, barrel cleanliness, etc) from the picture. You get everything dialed in properly and your looking at nirvana.

Good luck and don't forget the pics!

[cbrick]

any reasonable alloy in the 45/70 by getting your bullets to fit first and then keeping all the other little duckies in line. Gary

Duckies are important! Fit is more important!

Your air cooled WW should be good, anything except dead soft or diamonds. Your rifle will tell you but I'd bet anything from 50/50 soft/WW to Lyman #2 or somewhere in between should do well.

Rick