Ruger #3 question

[redneckdan]

Has anyone ever reamed a #3 in 45-70 out to 458 american? I am wondering about details as far as any needed modifications to the ejector.

[Bullshop]

Please forgive me Dan but I have to ask, why would you? In the same action both are capable of the same performance. Perhaps in the extreme high end loads the 458 brass is strongeR but who would want to go there with a #3 OUCH!!!

[scb]

45-70 case length 2.105
458 American case length 2.000
Your 458 x 2 (American) will be too short to clean up the old chamber. But I got to go with Bullshop - why? If your bound and determined to do this you might better look at the 450 Marlin. Same case length, factory ammo and off the shelf reloading dies.

[redneckdan]

I have a pretty significant collection of donor cases to use to make brass. Pretty much any H&H head size belted magnum case can be used. My line of thought with that is greater availability of cases. Case forming is not an issue for me. They are pretty much exactly the same round. With the same potential. Dies for the 450 marlin work for the 458 2" , no need to pay hundreds to RCBS. By the time I cut a real throat in the barrel it should take care of the government ball seat style throat. I would go for the 458 2" over the 450 marlin because of the brass availability. Currently I am not invested in 45-70 tooling other than molds, I am borrowing the 45-70 dies from a friend since he has no rifle in that caliber. I will have to return them before I leave Houghton so I am weighing options before buying the tools. I have not fired a factory round in a rifle that I own in a very long time, about the only occurrence that comes to mind is some norma 5.56 to test function on ar-15s that I built.

It's not like I am looking to break out the reamer and go to town tonight. The idea popped into my head during PLC lab this afternoon and I am looking into it.

[HORNET]

OR you could just fix the government ball seat style throat. If you do it like Finn did here (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=18409 ), you don't even need to buy a reamer and could still rechamber later if you want. You can still get lathe access to make laps, right?
Shucky-darn!! The pictures are gone! Basically, he made some laps with a pilot and a reasonable taper and lapped the throats to the size and taper that he wanted. He ended up with a very smooth finish as well.