Beartooth Pile-Driver 45-70 bullets

[Naphtali]

I am having a 45-70 rifle customized in the next ten days. Has anyone had experience with the two WLN 45-70 bullets Beartooth named "Pile-Driver" and "Pile-Driver, Jr.?" These bullets have meplats of, I believe, .374 or .375 inch on weights of 425 and 525 grains.

If anyone can furnish/sell to me three or four of either Pile-Driver bullet, I would furnish them to my gunsmith to make sure they feed flawlessly.

[Naphtali]

A responder suggested calling Beartooth. I did and they are sending four bullets.

[WBH]

Paul Jones made a custom mould for me last year with a .362 meplat in .459". It punches quite a hole in paper and flesh. Call him if you want and ask about the 457362 bullet he made last October. I'm sure he could cut you one if you like. Or send youa sample.

[Naphtali]

I received the four 525-grain Pile-Drivers, .375-inch meplat. The rifle with dummy rounds and several bullets is with my gun maker as of this afternoon.

When the Pile-Driver was noticed, Tim and Lou cringed at the thought of shooting it. Well, it strongly resembles a highball glass -- made of lead.

[WBH]

With a meplat that big you start to get into wadcutter territory. Mine is great out to 300 yards but then seems to run out of steam. Must be from pushing all that air out of the way with that flat nose.

[BABore]

Don't fret too much. I was loading some 550 gr WFNGC bullets for my 7 1/2 lb, 450 Marlin GG. I think I was using 39 grains of H322. I figured they might sting a little. Far from it. The recoil impulse was slow and long, feeling more like a semi-auto 12 Ga with slug loads. Hot 400 grainish boolits are by far the most punishing. I think I was pushing that 550 gr about 1,500 fps. Lot's of fun, but of little use in the real world. A 420 gr GC bullet is probably the best compromise in terms of velocity, penetration, and power, and will cover all critters.

[WBH]

Mine cast at about 420gr with 1:20. A real pleasure to shoot.

[BABore]

Mine cast at about 420gr with 1:20. A real pleasure to shoot.

Try them at 1,800 to 2,000 fps out of a levergun.:-D

If that's not enough, get a #1 and take them up a couple 100 more fps.

[Naphtali]

My purpose for obtaining Pile-Driver and the other loose WLN bullets, and the included dummy rounds is to assure the rifle will feed aggressive WLN bullets reliably. Although Beartooth states the Pile-Driver feeds reliably in stock 45-70 rifles, I believe the nose shape is more likely to have feeding problems than any other nose shape of the same .450-inch nose-to-crimp length. And if the most aggressive nose shape feeds, I anticipate no difficulty with any nose shape that is less aggressive. Pile-Driver Jr. is a 425-grain WLN of nearly identical profile with Pile-Driver. There's just less of it.