What's The Best ~500-grain .45-70 Bullet Mold? RN, Spire, Other?

[Liberty1776]

Pedersoli Sharps in .45-70.

Need to standardize on a single bullet.

Is the Lee 459-500-3R worth the trouble?

Is round nose or spire point better?

Should I use a different mold?

Should I just buy a ready-made bullet?

303834

[HWooldridge]

I try to buy a box or two from one of the commercial casters before I purchase a mold. You can try a variety and settle on the one that works best in your application.

[BNE]

I have that Lee mold and use the bullets from it in a 458 SOCOM. Very happy with it, but have not done long distance shooting with it yet.

BNE

[Digital Dan]

https://www.opticsplanet.com/lyman-rifle-bullet-mould-45-caliber-457125-2640125.html

https://op1.0ps.us/full-size/opplanet-lyman-rifle-bullet-mould-45-caliber-457125-2640125

[BLAHUT]

I USE THE [ Lee 459-500-3R worth the trouble? ], YES; IN PURE LEAD, I SHOOT LONG RANGE; THIS BULLET IS FANTASTIC, 8/10 X RING AT 1000YDS WHEN I DO MY PART>

[Bent Ramrod]

I’ve found that the Ideal 457125 copy of the nominal 500-gr Government roundnose shoots good to at least 600 yards in every .45 caliber rifle I’ve shot it in.

Other, more specialized designs may do better at longer ranges with the proper temper, sizing and load development, but with a new .45 rifle, the above is what I start with.

The nominal 405-gr 457124 Government roundnose shoots good to at least 400 yards, with slightly less recoil.

Doesn’t seem to matter what alloy they’re cast out of, as long as they’re sized properly for the barrel. I used to cast them out of melted cores from jacketed bullets, but now mostly use 20:1 lead:tin.

[gwpercle]

Casting what boolits you want , when you want them , of the alloy you want and sized as you need ... beats buying Pre-Cast all to Hell and Back and then some !!!
There seems to be a Boolit Shortage every where .
Get that double cavity Lee mould , heat your pot and get busy .
The 459-500-3R is reported to give excellent results in 45-70 out to 1000 yards .
And don't be afraid to give a couple of the other Lee 45-70 moulds a try , the double cavity mould will not break any banks ,
at times a lighter boolit may do ... and remember ... "Variety is the Spice of Life" !

Gary

[Kraschenbirn]

+1 on what Bent Ramrod said. I've got the Accurate 46-500D - essentially a clone of the Lyman 457125 - and it shoots as close as I can hold at 400 yds (longest range I have access to without driving a hundred miles each way.). Also have an old SC IDEAL 457124 that also does very well using it to duplicate the 45-55-405 'carbine' loading. Tried the Lee 459-500-3R but had problems with getting consistent fill-out of the hollow base and traded it off.

Bill

[BLAHUT]

I HAVE ABOUT 1/2 DOZEN OF THESE MOLDS [ Tried the Lee 459-500-3R but had problems with getting consistent fill-out of the hollow base and traded it off. ] HOLLOW BASE? MINE ARE ALL FLAT BASE ??? SHOOT FANTASTIC IN MY RIFLE, AT LONG OR SHORT RANDE>>>

[Geezer in NH]

What are you shooting the rifle for???

Depends on the answer

[BLAHUT]

What are you shooting the rifle for???

Depends on the answer

COMPITISION OUT TO 1000yds.. USE 515 gr #LEE C57500F, IN MY 45/70 GUIDE GUN, AND IN MY 45/60.