Light 45-70 boolit

[Ken O]

Any suggestions for a lighter (than 405gr) boolit mold? Something to just punch paper with. Is there a boolit that gives good accurcy, I'm thinking no sense thowing all that lead down range. This is for a 1895G with ballard rifleing.

[wills]

The 330 gould was a highly thought of design as a hunting boolit. Lyman has it

[Buckshot]

...........My suggestion would be the RCBS 45-300. It does take a GC, but the accuracy I have had with it in 2, 45-70's and a 45-90 makes the additional step and cost of the GC of no matter to me. I have also had some fine shooting from the Lyman 292gr RNPB.

If you have a 45 Colt handgun, that Lyman 292gr sized down does superb work in a Ruger Vaquero, so it will do double duty for ya.

If you do not have a handgun in 45 Colt, here is an excellent reason to get one. This reasoning works for me and I believe several others around here. I HAVE gotten my personal backside in hot water for such things, but it does blow over and life is good. I just pretty much stay in the garage until I'm no longer persona non grata.

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

[Bullshop]

Buckshot
RCBS also makes one that does not take a check, it is the 457/300 FNU. I use both and like both. I use the FNU sized .457 in a Ruger Bis 45 Colt that mikes .456 throats.I have been using an old Ideal hollow base mold. Cast some today in WW at about 170gn and drop at .458" Makes a good light for the sprouts. They like to shoot the big gun if it dont hurt. Good way to ease em into the 45/70.
BIC/BS

[Blackwater]

I've got the Lee 340 gr. but haven't shot any yet. Planning to use a buddy's super accurate #1 Ruger to test some lubes with it, and some LDPE and fiber wads, just to play with it and the loads some. Wish I could give you more, but that's all for now.

Also have the Lyman/Gould 330 gr. HP mould, but don't think you want to use it for casting volume loads. The HP casting goes kinda' slow. I think I'd try a plain base solid point for a "foolin' around" load. Quicker, cheaper, and with light loads, very pleasant, so you'll shoot more.

[wills]

If you want to send less lead downrange maybe you have an excuse to get a smaller gun, 38-55 or 32-40.

[Maven]

The Lee 340gr. bullet over 13gr. Unique will group into 1", i.e., 10 into 1" from my Marlin #336. Unless you can find a better deal on a Gould (Ideal/Lyman) bulet mold or RCBS, I'd go with the Lee, but bre sure you read the section (on this board or on the Castpics site) about "Leementing" just in case.

[LAH]

I like the 300 Saeco.

[9.3X62AL]

If you want to send less lead downrange maybe you have an excuse to get a smaller gun, 38-55 or 32-40.

Wills--

I've tried that explanation on SWMBO to justify a couple rifle deals, and it don't fly hereabouts. She did award style points, though.

Overall, my luck has been better with the 400 grain-class boolits in the 45-70, both in the current Ruger #1 and a couple of Marlin lever guns that preceded it. My RCBS 300 grain FNGC is hamstrung by a lack of diameter in the castings/abundance of same in the #1, so it gets used in the Ruger BisHawk x 45 Colt with good accuracy, sized to .454" for its .453" throats/.452" grooves. The castings land on the towel at ~.4575" when cast at 800* from Taracorp alloy, but when poured at 675* I gain almost .0015", making them almost ready for the #1. I didn't fire enough of the 300 grainers from the late Marlin levergun to assess its potential in any depth.

[bobthenailer]

hi ive had excellent results from my marlin cowboy with the saeco 350 gr gas checks with 21 gr 5744 costiantly puts them in 1/12 to 1/14 at 100 yards with a 2x7 leupold taken a ride