Lee 459-500-3R in the 45/70 Gov't

[brstevns]

Anyone using the Lee 459-500-3R postel design bullet in the 45/70. How is it working for you?

[ohiomadman]

I could never get that get boolit to shoot in three different rifles. Slow to fast.

[762X51]

I use the 459-500-3R in my No.1 and in an Encore Katahdin not because I especially want the snot kicked out of me but because it's one of the few projectiles that will chamber in those rifles. The throat in the No.1 and the Katahdin is really non existent (as it should be per SAAMI specs). I've discovered the nose profile of both the Lee 340 and 405 (and I'm assuming the 450 and 500F as they appear to have the same profile) is far too fat to allow a cartridge to chamber in either rifle if the bullet is seated to the crimp groove. Both the 340 and 405 work fine in the generous throat of my Marlin. I contacted Lee to ask if it is normal to have to seat these bullets further into the case to get them to chamber and they insinuated I was the problem. They said they have been making this mold for decades and that I'm the first person to claim that bullets produced from these molds won't chamber when seated to the crimp groove. I find it hard to believe I'm the only person throughout history to try one of these Lee designs in a 45/70 No.1.

[brstevns]

I use the 459-500-3R in my No.1 and in an Encore Katahdin not because I especially want the snot kicked out of me but because it's one of the few projectiles that will chamber in those rifles. The throat in the No.1 and the Katahdin is really non existent (as it should be per SAAMI specs). I've discovered the nose profile of both the Lee 340 and 405 (and I'm assuming the 450 and 500F as they appear to have the same profile) is far too fat to allow a cartridge to chamber in either rifle if the bullet is seated to the crimp groove. Both the 340 and 405 work fine in the generous throat of my Marlin. I contacted Lee to ask if it is normal to have to seat these bullets further into the case to get them to chamber and they insinuated I was the problem. They said they have been making this mold for decades and that I'm the first person to claim that bullets produced from these molds won't chamber when seated to the crimp groove. I find it hard to believe I'm the only person throughout history to try one of these Lee designs in a 45/70 No.1.

Then what other mold designs work in a number one ?

[Wayne Smith]

I can't speak for the #1 but I have no problem with the Lyman 457122 Gould or an old Lee custom 420gr large meplat mold chambering in my Katadin. Have not tried the 457125 in that rifle.

[brstevns]

How about the Lyman 457193 ?

[Kraschenbirn]

Shoots okay in my Pedersoli RB...67 gr. FFg with .030 fiber wad...but, for me, ain't a 'shoot it all day' load. Not quite as good as my preferred 440 gr. Saeco RNFP over 65 gr. FFg...but has a little less drop @ 300M (max. distance on our club range) with less drift in a crosswind.

Bill

[samari46]

Don't remember the lyman mold number but their 480 or so grain gas check bullet does fit in the 45/70 case with all bands covered. Unfortunately my #1 bore is .459 and the bullet only casts at .459. Time for a fatter bullet. Frank

[brstevns]

Don't remember the lyman mold number but their 480 or so grain gas check bullet does fit in the 45/70 case with all bands covered. Unfortunately my #1 bore is .459 and the bullet only casts at .459. Time for a fatter bullet. Frank

Good to know, need to slug the barrel.

[762X51]

Then what other mold designs work in a number one ?

I know from experience that the Lee 500 3R works and that the current round flat nose Lee projectiles DO NOT, at least when they are seated to the crimp groove. As for if other makers' molds of the same style work I can't say for sure which do but I have used bought'n 405s that I didn't cast that have worked just fine so there are indeed molds that produce that style bullet that will work I just don't know what they are. If I were to persist in searching for such a mold my next trial would be an NOE or Lyman offering but I'd try to secure samples of each to verify they will work before buying a mold. The Lee flat nosed bullets can be made to work if you seat them past the crimp groove slightly.