Lee 340gr or 405gr hollow base??

[Dogg]

I need to purchase a mold for the 45/70 marlin I am getting. Being on a tight budget I will be limited to the Lee molds.
Anyone shooting the 340gr or 405gr bullets please chime in and let me know what you think of them and how they shoot.
I will probably be mostly target shooting but may get a wild hair and decide to hunt again some day so would like a bullet that meets these needs. And since I have absolutely no experience with the 45/70 any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dogg

[Maven]

Dogg, I have a Marlin #336 in .45-70 (Microgroove) and the 2 molds you mentioned as well (fired both just last week). There's really not much difference in accuracy with them, but you do use quite a bit more alloy with the heavier one. Moreover, the 405-HB has more and deeper lube grooves than the 340gr. CB, which means it is less likely to lead your bbl. at higher velocities. Btw, you'll need to slug your bbl. to determine which diameter to size to. My rifle does quite well at .458", but even better at .459". OAL is 2.55" unless I'm using a weighed 70gr. charge of black powder.

[Dave B]

The Lee 340 is a good bullet if you get one that will make them .458 or.459. Fatter is better. 27 gr of AA 5744 is good too.

[softpoint]

Lee molds are relatively cheap, get both. The 340 gr. is a good midweight plainbase if the mold you get is not undersize. There are fixes for that too.
The 405 hollowbase is supposed to cast a slightly larger bullet, the .459 designation. and also the hollow base is supposed to bump up to fit your bore. The skirt or hollow base sort of mandate moderate loads.
Lee also makes a 405 grain plainbase that looks just like the 340 , I have used that bullet, too and it shot as well as the 340.:coffee:

[jack19512]

I have and use both of the Lee molds, the 340 and the 405 HB. Both are the same as far as accuracy is concerned(real good)out of my 1895 CB. I do however use the 340 the most simply because it will do the job when it comes to anything I will ever hunt with it and it takes less lead to cast them. I will keep the 405 mold just in case.

[Dogg]

Thanks for the input. I noticed on the Lee web site they have a 360gr mold in their 'specials' section. From what I understand these where Ranch Dog rejects, has any bought one of these and tried to open it up to .460? It would seem like a good in-between mold. Otherwise I guess the340gr looks like the one to buy for just shooting targets. IT would be nice if Lee would decide to carry the 360 or a 380.

[454PB]

I too have both moulds, and my experience matches the previous posts.

The 405 HB does cast slightly larger diameter, but it doesn't matter in my case. My 1895 GS has a .457" bore and I size to .4585". Both moulds cast larger than that.

But.....that 405 HB really sucks up the boolit lube, the lube grooves are huge!

[Four Fingers of Death]

The 405HB was designed for Black Powder use wasn't it? That would explain the big grooves. I'd rather be using a boolit that carries more lube than I need that one that carries less than I need. That boolit would make for some fun times loaded with black.