.457 - .458 - .459

[baikal1]

Hey all. I'm new here and to casting anything other then 12ga slugs. I wish to cast and load for my 4570 as factory loads are outrageously priced. Anyway I'm a little confused as to what size bullets I need. My 4570 is modern (baikal mp221 double) with a bore of .458. I was lead to believe cast bullets should be .001 bigger yet the lee catalog lists .457 for their sizer and list .457/.458/.459 for molds. I'm looking for consistent hunting accuracy not long range precision. I was planning on getting another press for the sole purpose of resizing and lubing my cast boolits but don't want to buy a bunch of stuff I don't need. Any help and guidance would be awesome thanks

[Maven]

baikal1, I take it you've actually slugged your bore and determined it is .458"? Also, am I correct in guessing you'd like to use Lee Precision push through sizer dies? If so, you can easily lap them out to .459", .460", and even .461" if necessary. Here's a link: http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/How%20to%20Hone%20a%20Size%20Die.pdf

As for the Lee molds, they're of good quality and often cast larger than .459" and sometimes as large as .461", my 405gr. HB for example. If you purchase one which casts too small, you can either return it to Lee or "beagle" it (Search our site for this.). Hope this helps!

[Jailer]

Ranch Dog sells a .460 Lee push though sizer.

[MtGun44]

Actual slugged groove diam +.001 or more seems to work best for rifles.

Bill

[Keyston44]

I have a Lee 457-405-F that drops them at 459 with wheel weights. I don't size them, I shoot them as cast. I also have a Ranch Dog 425-460 that drops them at 461 and I run them through RD's 460 sizer while pressing on gas checks.
This is all for a Marlin Guide Gun that slugs at 457.

Key

[TJF1]

Baikal1
we have 2 of the mp221 45/70 dr rifles
and we use the ranch dog 350 gr. And sized to .360
and they shoot fine with no leading
terry

[Wayne Smith]

TJF1, I'm willing to bet you size to .460", not .360!

Baikal, if you haven't figured it out by now, slug your barrel before you buy anything. Measure with a micrometer, not a caliper. Once you have that information you can buy what you need and nothing else.