Help Laser Cast 405 gr loads

[warren5421]

I just came into 5000 Laser Cast 405 gr bullets for my Marlin .45-70 lever gun and trapdoor. The lady had $20 on them. I shot Black Powder and bullets lubed with SPG. These bullets are smokeless so need a good load for this bullet shooting smokeless. Would like a lite load and a heavy load. Most rounds will go down range between 100yd-200yd. My brass is Star Line and R&P.

[3leggedturtle]

I used H2400, and iirc it chronoed 1450fps in my 22" 1895. Never tried any other piwders with them... todd/3leg

[NSB]

These bullets were available in both .458" and .459", and that was enough to make a difference in my guns. You might want to see what you have there. I used the .459" and one of my best loads was with 2400 powder. Both 24.0 and 25.0 grains shot very well. I'm not sure what you're looking for with a heavy load, but I never recovered a single bullet with these bullets regardless of distance or angle. They were fairly easy on my end and lethal on the other.
I don't advocate this load and it's not in any manual. I got it off the internet and it seems to be pretty common and used a lot. Use at your own risk.

[tobywan45]

Lazer cast has a downloadable reloading book. At oregontrailbullets.com

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[osteodoc08]

I love Unique in mine. Can shoot those all day. For heavy loads I’ve had great success with 8208 for really up there velocity, cleanliness and accuracy. Varget too but get leftover kernels.

[onelight]

5000 ,405 grain bullets for $20.00.....that's like 290lbs of boolits !
What a deal.

[bluelund79]

Lazer cast has a downloadable reloading book. At oregontrailbullets.com

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Great info, thanks for sharing!

[slam45]

i like 2400 for an easy shooting load and reloader 7 for more swat...

[1Hawkeye]

For a light load try 10.0 grs of unique and for a regular load try 38.0 grs of imr 3031 it pretty much duplicates the Gov't carbine load.

[warren5421]

Thanks. The lady was talking to my wife after a divorce, her ex missed taking them when he removed his things and she was saleing the house and wanted them gone. He got them, I think, knowing he was leaving and money would be tight. I am reloading and will let a friend have some for the cost of powder and cases. At 75 don't think I'm going to shoot that much .45-70 before it starts hurting to much. Will load some with 777 just for the smoke.

[warren5421]

Just found a box of 300g from Laser Cast in with them. you might include in some loads for them also. Thanks

[Norske]

Are the bullet bases beveled? It's common with commercially cast bullets because they fall out of the mold easier. However, the shooter commonly finds they are best with starting loads because the beveled base causes gas cutting and bore leading. Don't start with a full-power load, work up from starting and stop when the gas cutting/leading becomes evident. It's the same as all the military testing showing boat tail jacketed bullets leading to more rapid bore erosion.

[DDJ]

I just came into 5000 Laser Cast 405 gr bullets for my Marlin .45-70 lever gun and trapdoor. The lady had $20 on them. I shot Black Powder and bullets lubed with SPG. These bullets are smokeless so need a good load for this bullet shooting smokeless. Would like a lite load and a heavy load. Most rounds will go down range between 100yd-200yd. My brass is Star Line and R&P.

My 45-70 casting days would be over! For light loads you might want to look at Trail Boss. Gives very good case fill and low recoil

[Larry Gibson]

I've quite a bit of experience with the Laser Cast 45-70 bullets. They should work very well in the Marin with numerous of the loads listed already. You may want to give them a coat of LLA if leading becomes a problem.

However, for the "trapdoor" [assuming an original M1873 or M1884] the Laser Cast, even at .459, are too hard and undersized for very good results in original trapdoor barrels. You might try them but most often results are disappointing because of lack of accuracy and leading, especially with BP or substitute BP powders.

[NSB]

Shooting the Oregon Trail .458" bullets my Pedersoli's and Winchesters wouldn't stay on the 4'x4' backer board every shot at 100 yards when shooting Trail Boss (Trail Loss is a better name). The .459" bullets weren't much better with it. Try 2400, 4198, or Rel 7 as each one is much, much better. They can be loaded down for less punishing loads and loaded up if you want more velocity (I never did, even the light stuff was complete pass throughs on everything they hit). I'm still sitting on a half can of Trail Boss that I bought about five years ago. I've NEVER found a good use for it in anything. It's the most over-hyped, over rated powder anyone ever came out with. I can't even give away the half pound I have left. I just don't get why everyone keeps pointing to it?