Lee 405 HB and Lee 459-500

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

I bought new molds and using pure lead cast 20 to 1. My question is my 405 HB weighs 394 grs and the 500 weighs 486 gr. Both molds were seasoned and the bullets looked good. Aren't the bullets to light?

[Nobade]

It's a Lee. You get what you get.

-Nobade

[Mark Daiute]

Does the .459 cast at .459 or better? my 405 HB casts .461 with lead and shoots better than the SAECO 500 grainer I bought.

Thanks,

Mark

[Boogieman]

It's your alloy. Harder mixes cast lighter. Casting temps, both mold & metal, will cause the weight to vary also If they shoot good I wouldn't worry about it

[montana_charlie]

I bought new molds and using pure lead cast 20 to 1.
Are you using pure lead, or a 20 to 1 alloy?

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

Charlie
The lead was suppose to be pure lead and I added 50/50 tin lead to make a 20 to 1 cast.
Guy

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

I am not going to complain here is the target I shot at a 100 yards this weekend with my 1884 trapdoor. It has to have a 10 lbs. plus trigger pull.104257

[MtGun44]

What difference does a few grains make? Just a lower density alloy
than was used to rate the nominal weight.

IMO, entirely irrelevant.

Bill

[Klaus]

the Bullet 405 HB looks pretty good and seems to be very close to the original 45 / 55 Carbine Bullet but it failed for me

on 50 Yards accuracy was as good but on 100 Yards it failed completely
i sold it and use my reliable Lyman 457125 or 132 .

To say i use Black Powder only in my 45-70 Gov.

regards
Klaus

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

This was the 486 gr bullet.

[griffiga]

SE-Okla.Shooter,
What rifle are you shooting? I've got several .45-70's from original trapdoor carbines and rifles to a Marlin 1895. One of my trapdoors loves the Lee 405 bullet with wheel weight lead and 28 grains of IMR 4198 ( I shove a little wadding in the case between the powder and the bullet which oft times is toilet paper). Open sights gets me sub 3 inch groups at 100 yards any day of the week. Velocity and pressure are on par with standard black powder loads (aprox 1300 fps). I hand lube each bullet and shoot them as they come out of the mold - I don't size. I have over 50 different molds for over 20 different calibers from Lee, RCBS, Lyman and a couple I can't remember, but I have no problem with the Lee. At one time I belonged to the "Let's knock Lee molds" club but have had a change of heart over the past 25 years. Granted most of my shooting is out at the gun range with my friends or family and not on the Creedmoor range, but my aging eyes tend to be the main reason I can't shoot as well as I used to - not the Lee mold. I'm not a sales rep for Lee, but for an inexpensive way to get into bullet casting which is for me the best way to get out on the range. A friend of mine just last week, gave me a 160 grain round nose .308 Lee mold. I cast up a bunch (wheel weight lead), stuck them in the .30-30 with a load around 1400 fps, and my son and I shot over 50 rounds without any problem. I fired two jacketed bullets down the barrel at the end of our shooting, took it home and there was no lead in the barrel at all. Being able to load and shoot for .05 cents a shot puts a smile back on my face

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

I have a couple of 1884 trapdoors. The rifle I used to shoot this load is a cadet model. I use drop tube, compression die, and a blow tube. I also follow Wolf's recipe. The rifle has Buffington rear sight which is one of the best military sight I have every use. It also has a hood on the front sight which is needed because the front sight is small. I was aiming at the bottom of the black on the target.
I have a 850 yard range and plan on shooting further next time.
Guy

[SE-Okla.Shooter]

Here is a picture of my 1884 Springfield Cadet rifle
105375
This is 200 yard. I added 1 gr. powder. I pull the bottom shot but not sure what happened to top shot. I am proud of the 3 shots.
105377
The Buffington rear sight is a good military sight. I set the bottom hole on 200 yards.
Guy

[Nobade]

Looks like it is working well so far!

-Nobade

[dagger dog]

My 405 HB Lee drops @ 412-416 with stick on wheel weight lead, it shows about 6-8 BHN with my Lee hardness tester.