Shot my Lee TLC460-425-RF today...

[Ranch Dog]

Didn't have much time but I did shoot 5 of the boolits from my special order Lee mold... the TLC460-425-RF. This is an awesome looking boolit!

http://home.awesomenet.net/~ranch-dog/Casting/TLC460425RF/041206_004.jpg

I've been working with the Beartooth Mini-Pile Driver (425-grain WLNGC) and H4198 out of my 1895MR (450 Marlin) so I just loaded up 40.5-grains of that powder and gave it a try. Here is what the chronograph had to say about the five shots fired at 100-yards...

http://home.awesomenet.net/~ranch-dog/Casting/TLC460425RF/CED_Data_041206.jpg

I had my rifle set at a 100-yards zero for the BTBullets and with the same velocity the Lee boolit point of impact was 3" higher [smilie=1:

[35remington]

RD, that looks like a really good bullet for the .45-70 levergun. Since it was a special order mould, I presume you paid the setup fee, and I am also presuming it was a single cavity mould. I'm envious enough that I might inquire of Lee if I could have one made to the same specs, after your shooting results are reported, of course.

I'm guessing if I wanted a copy that I'd have to pay the 100 dollar setup fee as well? I would normally be content with my existing RCBS 405 FN design but the as-cast diameter needs to be bigger. I've purchased oversized moulds in existing designs from Lee for my .45-70 in their plainbase 405 grain. This design you have has both a gascheck and the proper crimping location, a combination which Lee does not offer.

What's the as cast diameter from your alloys? Is it .460" as implied? I'd like around .461" if possible. My Marlin .45-70 is Microgroove.

[Ranch Dog]

35 Rem

Yes, I paid the setup fee for the special order and ordered 4 molds for my personal use. I figure that's $50 a mold for a custom mold with the Micro-Bands and I've become very confident in this basic design so I suspect that I will be using them for years to come.

With the 10 to 1 (Pb/Sn) it cast .460" as advertised. My 1 to 1 (Linotype/wheel weights) does cast .461". I also special ordered a Lee Lube and Size kit for the .460" diameter to ensure that dimension and seat gas checks.

This mold was designed with both my 1895G and 1895MR in mind. The OAL for the 45-70 is 2.55" and 2.495" for the 450 Marlin. I back off a bit from the maximum OAL for the rifle design because I want to ensure a reliable feed cycle during hunting conditions.

I will continue to keep you guys posted with the progress I make. I would like to see Lee offer all these TLC designs of proper diameter. There are a lot of Marlin rifles out there that are prime cast boolit canidates! The tumble lubing is about as easy as it gets.

[Ranch Dog]

Forgot... it is a two cavity mold.

[Nrut]

RanchDog....Looks like you are shooting 1.33" with a 425gr. cast bullet @ 1715fps...that'll flatten just about anything....If I could do what you just did I would say that my load development is over!! way to go....looking forward to your .375 and .35 work....mic

[35remington]

I'd have to agree about the "proper diameter" part. Most of the offered .45 sizes except for the hollowbase are too small for any .45 rifle.

[Ranch Dog]

RanchDog....Looks like you are shooting 1.33" with a 425gr. cast bullet @ 1715fps...that'll flatten just about anything....If I could do what you just did I would say that my load development is over!! way to go....looking forward to your .375 and .35 work....mic

Actually, I want to shoot all my rifles through a "ladder". I've started to use this for load development and it is amazing what you can learn about your rifle in 20 shots. It helps to have a little MS Excel graphing skills.

Really, the work I'm talking about here with this TLC bullet is running it past a strain gage attached to the barrel to look at pressure. I have all the Hodgdon powders on my shelf, so I would like to do it with each one. I will keep 5-rounds of the above referenced powder handy and my scope is now zeroed just in case a feral hog wanders into my path during or between this work.

[Ranch Dog]

I'd have to agree about the "proper diameter" part. Most of the offered .45 sizes except for the hollowbase are too small for any .45 rifle.

You are right about that. Lee was quite suprised about the need for a .460" bullet in the Marlins. In examining all the ballistics, I think the 425-grain bullet is about right for just about everything in North America.

I would like to see Lee take an interest in cataloging not only these molds but the proper diameter Lube and Size kits. They could corner the market on cast bullets for the Marlin rifles! I'm very tickled at the invoice for this mold. It is marked TLC460-425-RF ....Marlin 1895 Rifles chambered in 45-70 and 450 Marlin. That would look great on a catalog page and save a bunch of shooters a bunch of time searching for a bullet that shoots great.

Lee has been most helpful with my design work and so far the boolits look and fly great. I haven't shot the 375 yet but they are loaded up and ready. May be next week but I doubt it. I'm pretty busy with planting summer food plots for my deer. If you think I'm nuts about my boolits, you ought to see me about my deer .;-) Also, I'm an airline pilot that has to fly on weekends so there is no way to work on any of this during that period of time. Bottom line is that I will get to all this as once the seed is in the ground there isn't much to do around here until it is time to shoot deer.