Lee-459-405-HB

[aimlowsqueeze]

Evening folks,

I have an 1873 Trapdoor Springfield and have no experience casting for this large caliber. I am thinking of buying the Lee mold listed above and casting using pure lead using my standard 65 grain BP load. Any advice?

[Lead pot]

"Any advice? "
For that 73 TD make a cast of the throat to see how big it is, chances you will need a .461 diameter bullet to get the best out of that rifle.
A .458 diameter bullet in that Lee small aluminum mould block is not the best way to go for a uniform bullet diameter.

[aimlowsqueeze]

My best bore measurement is .458. From what I have read, this mold typically drops at about .461. I have read some good reviews of the mold, my concern was whether to use pure lead or 30:1. All of my other casting is for military bolt actions ranging from .265 to .329 and I use a "harder" alloy.

[aimlowsqueeze]

Sorry, I forgot to say "Thank you" for taking enough interest to read and post to my question.

[chuebner]

I have an M1888 Springfield and three friends have a '73 and two '84's between them and none of these have a bore below .459. The three groove barrels are difficult to measure and I would suspect your .458 bore measurement may be in error. Nonetheless, we have all found that the Lee 459-405HB needs severe lapping to produce a bullet that will shoot worth a hoot in a trapdoor. My own mold drops at .461 and shoots OK out of my M1888 which slugs out at .450 X .460 as measured by the fellow in PA who used to do that service several years ago. That same bullet shoots wonderfully though in my Numrich rolling block which measures .450 X .456 and I size to .459. Best bullet in my trapdoor is the Lyman 457125 beagled to drop at .462 with roughly a 30:1 melt.

charlie

[aimlowsqueeze]

Thanks for the input. Yes, the three groove is very difficult to measure. Best I could do was to slowly rotate my lead in my calipers and try to hit the high spots. Seems as if I will have to do more homework.

[StrawHat]

I am always recommending that folks who own Trapdoors buy this book.

http://www.the45-70book.com/The-Book-3rd-Edition-by-Spence-Pat-Wolf

Lots of good info between the covers.

[Tom-ADC]

I just cast a few of these up to try in my H&R Springfield Officers model.
BTW +1 on Spences book mentioned above, it really IMHO addresses Trapdoors only but does have good info on loading BP. I do not drill my flash holes out like he recommends but my try it someday.

[aimlowsqueeze]

Tom,

Please let me know your results when you shoot these boolits.

BTW, nice to see another vet here. I am retired AF (77-99)

[Tom-ADC]

aimlowsqueeze no problem plan on getting out next Wednesday, right now have house full of visiting kids & grandkids they leave Tuesday!!!
I like seeing other vets here also 58-79..

[Nobade]

I use that bullet in my '73 trapdoor with very good results. I have found that Goex ctg groups just fine, but the velocity is a bit low to track with the sights. Swiss 1.5F is enough faster to shoot to the sights out to 800 yards, the longest range I have available. 70gr. powder, trickled in with a 36" drop tube. Wolf regular rifle primer. WW cases. No over powder wad with hollow base bullets. Bullets cast from stick-on wheelweights and lubed with Emmert's. Works for me!

[aimlowsqueeze]

More great advice...thanks! I am ordering the dies and getting started with this one. BTW, what do you guys get size wise, as cast?

[willyboy]

I have the Lee HB mold,and as long as your lead is soft enough,it will ''bump up'' enough to give good results...but the very BEST bullet I have tried in my H&R or my original Trapdoor comes from Midway's Saeco 1-Cavity Magnum Bullet Mold #023 45 Caliber (458-459 Diameter) 375 Grain Spitzer Point mold. Man! you can smack the two hundred yard gong with boring regularity...

[13Echo]

The two bullets I've found that work best in my '84 are the Lee 405 HB and the SAECO 881 500 gr Govt bullet. I use 30:1 lead tin alloy and pan lube a good black powder lube. I've shot both with 70 grs ffg with good results but really like the 405 with 59gs powder compressed enough to allow a firm crimp over the front band. I do find the 405gr bullet, at least in my rifle, needs a firm crimp. The 500gr SAECO does well with a light or no crimp. I like Wolf's book and highly recommend it but I also have not found it necessary to drill the flash holes like he recommends.

Jerry Liles

[herbert buckland]

I just cast a few of these up to try in my H&R Springfield Officers model.
BTW +1 on Spences book mentioned above, it really IMHO addresses Trapdoors only but does have good info on loading BP. I do not drill my flash holes out like he recommends but my try it someday.I tryed the enlarging the flash holes acuracy went to hell,a chapter later he mentions fixing this problem by yousing primer wads,I would think it was a experment that somhow got printed before he could delet it as it is the only bad advice i have got from his books and even then if I had read the hole book before jumping in I would have realised it was the wrong thing to do,leson learned

[school of mines]

I have had good results with the Lyman 457125 mold in my trapdoor. The boolits were .460 and cast to 40:1. With Swiss 1 1/2 FG and an OPW, I've gotten decent groups. I have loaded some Postell rounds w/Black Powder and will post my results soon. Trapdoors are a lot of fun!

[Grapeshot]

Evening folks,

I have an 1873 Trapdoor Springfield and have no experience casting for this large caliber. I am thinking of buying the Lee mold listed above and casting using pure lead using my standard 65 grain BP load. Any advice?


Get the Lee Hollow Based .45 caliber / 405 grain bullet. This will give you the best accuracy in the .45/70 Trapdoor over the plain based 405 grain bullet. Also, if you are planning to use Black Powder the Lee HB Mold carries a whole lot more Lube than their plain based model does.

I also vote for Spence Wolf's book. Great reading and chock full of good information.

[dromia]

Its one of the few Lee moulds that have worked well for me.

It was sourced by Spence Wolf and I've found his book invaluable.

Its my go to Trapdoor boolit.

Needs to be cast soft, I use roof flashing.

[218bee]

I would go with the Lee hollow base as it works in my trapdoor when cast about 30:1. If it don't work in yours your out less than 20 bucks . But I think you'll find it works just fine. I only shoot black and this boolit was designed for your rifle.