Suggested boolit for a Henry Bigboy in 45 colt

[tazman]

My next door neighbor and friend of mine recently purchased a Henry Bigboy in 45 colt.
I am not currently set up for this caliber.

While he is my friend, I am not certain how he would feel about me driving a slug through the bore of his new rifle even if I insist it is quite safe.
I understand the rifle needs a round or flat tip boolit to be safe.
What boolit and sizing generally works for this combination of cartridge and rifle.

[Tatume]

The 320 grain LBT LFN GC bullet is what I use for 45 Colt and 454 Casull. It is very accurate, very effective on game, and safe for tubular magazines. If you know the maximum length the gun will work through the action and fit the chamber, Veral Smith will make the mold to suit.

[Ramjet-SS]

Lee 310 RF GC

[DougGuy]

I would say the Lee C452-300-RF boolit, but some have already told me that boolit won't feed in the henry seated out long, and this is where you seat it at for best performance b/c it leaves the most room for powder. It would probably work well seated in the top crimp groove. Lee also makes a mold for a 255gr PB that is a shorter and non-GC version of the 300 RF. I would try those two for sure.

Ramjet the 310 is a .44 cal boolit..

[tazman]

Henry's website states that boolits over 270 grains won't feed through the action unless seated very short.
My friend tried out some of the Hornady leverevolution ammo and it fed and shot extremely well. BUT, at $1 a shot he can't shoot much. He is asking me to reload for him so he can practice and enjoy his gun.
It appears that I need to look at boolits in the 230 to 255 range.
Wondering if anybody has used those in a Henry?

[starmac]

My marlin will not feed the 300 lee if crimped in the lower groove, but they feed like butter crimped in the top groove, and are just plain fun. I thought the lower groove was for 454 ammo. I can't say about the henry, but that bites if the lee 300 rf wont feed in it.

[DougGuy]

starmac that top groove afaik was put on there so it would chamber in a S&W cylinder, and I have also heard it was for seating in a .454 case so who knows..

This is the Lee C452-255-RF boolit, I haven't used this boolit myself but many here speak very highly of it all the way around. Same shape/ojive as the C452-300-RF so with the 300gr seated short, should match the 255gr for OAL and feeding right?

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/Lee255RF_zps2aec6991.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/Lee255RF_zps2aec6991.jpg.html)

[starmac]

I don't know about the same oal, but it looks like it would sure work. I wouldn't mind picking one up to try, as it would be a little easier on the lead stash. lol I have talked to one of the cowboy shooters here, and he uses a 200 grain boolit, which would be plenty for what my use. One of the members hers has a 160 gr mold that he uses for grouse, That even sounds interesting.

[TXGunNut]

Just started casting with the Lee 452-255 last weekend, looking forward to shooting a few over BP out of my revolvers. It's a PB, GG boolit and the 6-cav mould performed like a custom mould first time out. You didn't say if he was planning on hunting with this rifle. If not the 255 will serve him well, probably do just fine as a hunting boolit as well. I prefer the RD 454-290 for hunting but I don't know if it will feed in the Henry.

[rststeve]

Mine shoots extremely well with the Lyman 452490 and 10 grains of herco

[onionfmr]

I've had really good luck with Rim Rock 250 gr LRNFP cast (.452) and Unique powder in my Henry 45 lever. Pretty accurate, minimal recoil and a blast to shoot.

[DHC]

My next door neighbor and friend of mine recently purchased a Henry Bigboy in 45 colt.
I am not currently set up for this caliber.

While he is my friend, I am not certain how he would feel about me driving a slug through the bore of his new rifle even if I insist it is quite safe.
I understand the rifle needs a round or flat tip boolit to be safe.
What boolit and sizing generally works for this combination of cartridge and rifle.

I have that very same rifle and have been using 250gr RNFP lead bullets without a single failure. NOE just completed a bunch of these molds in various configurations (various number of cavities, PB or GC and HP or solid). Here is a photo from the NOE website:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_454_255Gr._RF_PB_257_gr_Sketc h.Jpg

IHTH

ETA: I size at 0.452. The OAL used is 1.560. The plinking load I use is 7.9gr of Unique.

[tazman]

Thank you for that info. That is precisely what I was looking for.
I will be using a different powder as I don't have and cannot currently find any unique but I have other pistol powders so nothing to worry about.
Mostly was needing the confirmation that a 250 class boolit would in fact work correctly and the size it needed to be.
My friend says he may hunt with it but I question that somewhat. I think he mostly just likes to hear it go bang and I can't fault him for that. I do too.

[AggiePharmD]

DHC do you cast the HP version and if so what weight is it?

[DHC]

DHC do you cast the HP version and if so what weight is it?

I don't cast that particular bullet style in HP. Of more than half dozen molds for the 45 Colt, I have only one that has a HP option. That one is by Mihec and is a clone of the RCBS 270-SAA mold. Depending on the pin and alloy used, it ranges in weight from 265gr to 285gr (solid).

IHTH

[snaketail]

You didn't say, or I missed it, but your boolit choice for me depends on what your shooting. The most accurate in my .45 colt is the SAA (270gr LSWC) over 20gr of IMR4227, #2 is the same powder over a 250gr LSWC, #3 is 255gr LRNFP over the same powder load (The 255gr LRNFP might get a promotion if my casting gets better).