Lee 405 HB mold

[HighUintas]

Hi indianjoe, I finally found. Lee 405 hb mold for my 45-90. I remember you saying you have a lot of experience with this mold and ground the point off the plug to turn it into a plain base.

I'm wondering if you ever tried this mold as a HB with a wad? Do you think this mold would make a better bullet for my 45-90 and BP as is or modified as you have done?

Thanks,

Ryan

[GregLaROCHE]

If he doesn’t respond, consider sending him a private message. He may not see this post right away.

[Carrier]

I use this mold a lot. I found that the wad causes accuracy issues compared to no wad.

[indian joe]

Hi indianjoe, I finally found. Lee 405 hb mold for my 45-90. I remember you saying you have a lot of experience with this mold and ground the point off the plug to turn it into a plain base.

I'm wondering if you ever tried this mold as a HB with a wad? Do you think this mold would make a better bullet for my 45-90 and BP as is or modified as you have done?

Thanks,

Ryan

I milled a tad off the nose of mine - saw the results of magazine ignition years ago maybe I am super nervous, anyway I took a little off it until the nose would not fit into the primer pocket. (am shooting a Uberti 45/75 model 1876 theres a definite "kerchunk" in the magazine when it feeds the first few with a full tube, plus the recoil - not serious but you know you shot it - I dont know what it takes to set em off in the tube - got zero interest in finding out!!)

Initially I made a new base plug that took off the bottom lube groove and driving band and made a 335grain boolit

then I took the point off the original plug and ended right back at 405 grain. I shot it a little before doing the mods but not with a wad - assumed the wad might distort into the HB - dont know yes or no on that? maybe not with a decent tough wad. I am using 45 thou HDPE wads

I really like these boolits - they have a nice nose profile and haul a good load of lube for shooting blackpowder

Your 45/90 is a single shot???? I wouldnt mess with the nose - maybe you get away with the boolit as cast and no wad ?? worth a try ..............

When I did this LEE were happy to sell spare parts so I got a couple spare base plugs and the carrier plate they mount on (had a dealer setup with them and aussie dollar was up above par so this stuff was cheeeeeep - both those things have changed since)

[hpbear101]

The 405 HB has been a good bullet in trap doors, 1886s, and a highwall 45-90 (would also add they work good in a 71 Mauser sized down to .451, and a French Chassepot needle rifle :) ). I would leave the mold as is and give them a try I think you will be pleased with them. I shoot as cast and pan lubed, I don't use a wad with this particular bullet.

[17nut]

Annd my 1886 (1910) is a 45-90 Express so it's light (330grain'ish ~ 1" length) bullets only.
The again i shaved the snout and the base band and now i'm golden again.
Lee's are dirt cheap and tend to lend themselves to altering in a good way.

[HighUintas]

Holy moly. I've been waiting for a PM reply from indianjoe because I thought I sent this to him in one. I didn't realize I started a thread. I've been a bit sleep deprived from having a newborn! Haha

Anyway, yes I was planning on shaving the nose side of the mold, because my 45-90 is an 1886 repro. I'd like to play it safe on that may tube also.

I was thinking I'd try shooting it before grinding the base plug flat but was unsure about whether to try a wad or not. I usually use 0.020 HDPE milk jug wads and I don't think it would be sturdy enough to not get pushed into and then stuck in the hollow base.

If I go sans wad, how do I deal with the hollow base and not leaving any airspace using BP?

And for lubing the mold prior to use, what is the most commonly available oil that will work well that's not a shooting specific product? Just trying to use something I've got on hand.

[Tom Trevor]

HighUintas, I have the Buffalo arms 462405 HB that I shoot in my trapdoors and have shot both plastic [ldpe] milk carton .020 wads as well as paper milk boxes .035 and all that happens is a small hole in the center of the wad. the rest is fine and we find them between 15 and 20 yards from the muzzle. Shoot some and go look for them. And as was posted before the rifles shoot just as well or better without any wads.

[indian joe]

Holy moly. I've been waiting for a PM reply from indianjoe because I thought I sent this to him in one.

I looked, didnt see any pm so I did it here
I didn't realize I started a thread. I've been a bit sleep deprived from having a newborn! Haha

Anyway, yes I was planning on shaving the nose side of the mold, because my 45-90 is an 1886 repro. I'd like to play it safe on that may tube also.

I was thinking I'd try shooting it before grinding the base plug flat but was unsure about whether to try a wad or not. I usually use 0.020 HDPE milk jug wads and I don't think it would be sturdy enough to not get pushed into and then stuck in the hollow base.
agree

If I go sans wad, how do I deal with the hollow base and not leaving any airspace using BP?
not a problem so long as boolit is seated on the powder charge

And for lubing the mold prior to use, what is the most commonly available oil that will work well that's not a shooting specific product? Just trying to use something I've got on hand.
Aluminium blocks, I smoke them with a candle flame before casting - maybe a TINY dab of beeswax on the sprue plate hinge pin when its hot if it gets stiff to operate

[HighUintas]

Thanks for all the replies and advice!

I'm just waiting on my ladle to get here and then I'll see how casting goes.

I don't have a melting pot yet. Maybe I'll get in for Christmas or something. I do have a high temp thermocouple I can use with my multimeter and I'll just have to heat over propane. Hopefully the heat control won't be too hard for consistent casting results

[tacofrank]

This mold shoots well as is in my Trapdoor. Very happy with it.
TF

[HighUintas]

Oh yes... One part I forgot.

What alloy?

I have some coww that I smelted to ingots and some solder (rosin core I think) to add. I was thinking I'd add enough to get myself somewhere in the ballpark of 2-3% tin. Thoughts?

[indian joe]

Oh yes... One part I forgot.

What alloy?

I have some coww that I smelted to ingots and some solder (rosin core I think) to add. I was thinking I'd add enough to get myself somewhere in the ballpark of 2-3% tin. Thoughts?

I use the pencil test, my mix is softer than 2B harder than 3B. Solder is expensive so I use as little as I can get away with. Old fashioned caster - I have a big old cast iron pot holds about 40 pound and a salvaged gas (propane) stove, once I get a mix right nothing changes for quite a while, got a 100yard range in my yard with the butt right close to the casting place - dig em out, recycle em on a regular basis.

[17nut]

If I go sans wad, how do I deal with the hollow base and not leaving any airspace using BP?

And for lubing the mold prior to use, what is the most commonly available oil that will work well that's not a shooting specific product? Just trying to use something I've got on hand.

1) Small airspaces never hurt anything with BP! It's when you have a frontstuffer with a bullet seated way of the powder that problems begin.
2) I use synthetic 2-stroke oil for mould oiling. It does'nt burn it bust dunst of.