11mm mould

[Harter66]

Here's the picture. I've a paper cartridge breach loader , an 1866 Chassepot that needs a pure lead boolit originally a 43cal 286gr round nose (sorta) paper patched to groove dia. In this case I've a 434x458 bbl. I think a fat 44 pistol heavy weight would be a start,but then I don't know whats out ther for rifles short of a custom mould. I'd like to be able to get something to play with before sinking in $100 for a 1 gun mould.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

[leadman]

Lyman makes a .446" mold for the 43 Mauser that I use in my 43 Mauser. Has a small meplat on it. I also size down the Lee 300gr 45 cal boolit to .450". This is the largest boolit I can get in the case that will chamber. This situation with the throat larger than the chamber is not unusual from what I have read. My gun has a large throat at .458".
I load 20grs of 2400 with 3grs of polyfil behind the 300gr pistol boolit, with a GC. Shoots into about 3" consistently. Not bad considering the front sight is built-up with J B Weld and my eyes are almost 62 hard years old.

[Buckshot]

Here's the picture. I've a paper cartridge breach loader , an 1866 Chassepot that needs a pure lead boolit originally a 43cal 286gr round nose (sorta) paper patched to groove dia. In this case I've a 434x458 bbl. I think a fat 44 pistol heavy weight would be a start,but then I don't know whats out ther for rifles short of a custom mould. I'd like to be able to get something to play with before sinking in $100 for a 1 gun mould. Any and all suggestions welcome.

............No reason to spring for a custom mould to begin with. A big problem with old BPC rifles is that the chamber may not accept a cartridge with a groove diameter boolit. Many depended up the BP charge to upset a BORE diameter slug into the grooves. This gave decent battlefield accuracy for the day, and allowed rounds to be loaded and fired in fouled chambers one after another. You could drive a cast 45 cal pistol boolit (.451") up into the throat/leade, and one into the caseneck area to determine what you have to work with, and what might or definitely will NOT work.

No sense dancing in peanut butter guessing. Lee makes an inexpensive 310gr 44 cal slug (my copy drops a .432" slug). It might be the choice if the throat is tight. The mould can easily be flycut to remove the GC shank which would give you a slug closer to what you mention as to weight.

There also might have been alterations to the original design. Such is the case with the 11mm Mauser. The M1871 single shot had a .451" (Spec) groove with a .433" land. The M71/84 Mauser repeater had a .005" reduction in groove diameter (keeping the same bore ID) over the single shot, and the latter is what the Lyman 340gr slug listed for the "11mm Mauser" is REALLY intended to feed. In the single shot M71 the Lyman 'Mauser' mould is way undersize.

It also wouldn't hurt to definitely determine what the barrel twist is. You may be able to shoot something a bit heavier then what the original specs call for. Once again, my M71 Mauser single shot will shoot the Lyman 457121 PH design which is a 475gr slug very accurately to 600 yards.

..............Buckshot

[Harter66]

Thanks,all good suggestions.

I'm not sure 2400 would be a good idea in a paper cartridge .
The rifle is infact basicly caseless as the case is paper and burns up w/the powder charge.

I wonder if a full chamber cast could be done. I've not 'put it under the microscope but the rest of the rifle is in good shape right down to the 1870 issue stamp in the stock.

1000s of these were converted to the Gras cartridge this isn't 1 of them , I don't think it ever belonged to the Russians or Germans either.

I do have a 452-255 that drops at 265 w/50/50 ,it should be just shy of 270 w/pure and closer to 452 than the 454 w/5050. Isn't there a guy that makes sizers........ just kidding. This will be the winter project .