boolit meassurments

[bigted]

hello all. what im needing here is a list of meassurements of the distance from the crimp groove to the tip of the boolits. most especially in 44 cal and 45 cal.

does a list of this sort exist for most of the boolits so that someone may do a little arithmetic to determine whether a boolit will work befor sending out money only to find out that it happens to be too long from the crimp band to the tip of the boolit.

thanks and im sure this is in the wrong place but thanks just the same.

[geargnasher]

You might contact a custom mould maker, I would suggest BRP custom moulds, Veral Smith at LBT, or some of our members like "45 2.1". I think Blammer could help you out, too, he has quite a collection of .44 and .45 Moulds.

But the best way would be to do this forward instead of backward, tell us what you're trying to do and we can give you some specific recommendations.

Gear

[runfiverun]

he's trying to find a mold that'll run through a levergun i bet.
i crimp over the front drive band with a few like 454429 in the 45 colt but 452664 runs just fine in the crimp groove.
in some of my 92's 429421 [44 mag] will go fine and others i need to crimp over the front band.
it's a pain.
when you lose the one load/mold for all guns, right quick, when you need a different mold for them all.

[bigted]

yep im looking for some boolits at and over 500 gr that will come in to the 2.550 coal. so what id like to find is a selection of these heavy hummers that i couls choose from and also i need to be able to buy the mould for them as i refuse to pay costs that equal the j-word boolits.

i like casting my own and being able to run them thru my own sizers for the diff guns i want to load em into. i also experiment a lot with diff things so having to buy already cast is outta the question.

there...lol....thats what i want and am looking for but id still like to find a graph of the meassurements of all boolits available just to be able to see with my own eyes what will work and what wont without having to buy specimens of each to meassure myself........hmmmmm maybe if there is enough interest in such a gragh.......

[BABore]

The heaviest levergun boolit I have is 465 grains. I have thought of doing a heavier one as I've seen several wanting souls looking for 500 to 550 grain boolits. Maybe when I get caught up. I have shot quite a few 550 grain boolits in my Marlins. They are really easy shooting boolits even when loaded to max for the Marlin. Once you get over about 475 grains, case capacity is so reduced that the recoil becomes more shotgun slug-like. More of a long, heavy push instead of a belt. IMO, when you get much over 420 grains of boolit, the reduced powder capacity starts dragging down the velocity real quick whick plays hell on trajectory. 500 +grain levergun boolits just don't range and carry like the Postell's and the like.

[wallenba]

I wish that info was part of all the specs, because I bought some 45 molds that, while they are fine in my Blackhawk, are too long for my New Model Vaguero cylinders.

[bigted]

babore,,, yes i can imagine the reduced powder cap however i still want to give em a try . i rarely shoot at game over 100 yds and i imagine that these heavys will do that alrite. im thinkin that even at the moderate velocitys ,,, these should hand a biting and browling visitor a jolt that will make em stop n take notice. i hunt moose at these ranges and i cant imagin a better round then a soft 500 or plus boolit traveling at a moderate speed.

what is the nose configuration of your 465 gr .458 cal boolit? and would you be interested in selling a mould for this? if so then id like to buy a few of these boolits sized to .459 or unsized so i can size em to the .459 cal. if you dont want to get off a mould then ill keep shopping as i want to cast my own.

thanks

Ted

[geargnasher]

I wish that info was part of all the specs, because I bought some 45 molds that, while they are fine in my Blackhawk, are too long for my New Model Vaguero cylinders.

The great thing about the .45 Colt and smokeless powder is that, if the boolit is too long, seat it deeper! I load the Lee 457-340-FN in my NV, just fill the crimp groove with lube and crimp over the front driving band. Had to have a deeper expander made, though, to keep the bases from getting smushed down upon seating.

Gear

[BABore]

babore,,, yes i can imagine the reduced powder cap however i still want to give em a try . i rarely shoot at game over 100 yds and i imagine that these heavys will do that alrite. im thinkin that even at the moderate velocitys ,,, these should hand a biting and browling visitor a jolt that will make em stop n take notice. i hunt moose at these ranges and i cant imagin a better round then a soft 500 or plus boolit traveling at a moderate speed.

what is the nose configuration of your 465 gr .458 cal boolit? and would you be interested in selling a mould for this? if so then id like to buy a few of these boolits sized to .459 or unsized so i can size em to the .459 cal. if you dont want to get off a mould then ill keep shopping as i want to cast my own.

thanks

Ted

Selling molds is one of the things I do. You can look at the boolit specs. on my website, www.brp.castpics.net . The nose profile is designed for the Marlin 45-70 as are most of my 458 boolits. I do have a few all sized and lubed at 0.4605. Please consider, when sizing boolits for a Marlin 45-70, to size to the chamber & throat. Most will easily chamber a boolit as large as 0.462. This improves accuracy as it controls the boolit's base as it exits the case.

[Doc Highwall]

I just weighed a RCBS 45-500 and it weighed 524.8 grains and the distance from the crimp groove to the nose is .425"-.430" with a .300" meplat.

[onesonek]

babore,,, yes i can imagine the reduced powder cap however i still want to give em a try . i rarely shoot at game over 100 yds and i imagine that these heavys will do that alrite. im thinkin that even at the moderate velocitys ,,, these should hand a biting and browling visitor a jolt that will make em stop n take notice. i hunt moose at these ranges and i cant imagin a better round then a soft 500 or plus boolit traveling at a moderate speed.

what is the nose configuration of your 465 gr .458 cal boolit? and would you be interested in selling a mould for this? if so then id like to buy a few of these boolits sized to .459 or unsized so i can size em to the .459 cal. if you dont want to get off a mould then ill keep shopping as i want to cast my own.

thanks

Ted

With a sectional density of over .300,,, .315 if it cast right at 465 grs., and cast a tad on the hard side either using quenched ww's, air cooled Lyman #2 or Hardball, I would just about bet it would shoot through a moose lengthwise or come close to exiting,,,,starting at 14-1500 fps. (can push alil faster if desired)
Softer you might find some riveting robbing you of momentum. With the meplat on BRP's 465 gr, I'm thinking one really don't need much, if any expansion.
But then there is nothing wrong going heavier to insure that momentum.
I'm also thinking that is about ideal weight and design for anything bigger or meaner than elk, short of thick skinned dangerous game. Certainly more than adequate for anything on this continent,,,jmo & 2 cents worth,,,,,ok with my experience in cast,,,maybe a 1/2 a penny's worth:bigsmyl2:

[mpmarty]

I have an RCBS iron mold that casts a 435gr 459 diameter boolit that seated to crimp groove makes a cartridge of 2.550 oal. It's a gas check design and has MANY lube grooves of good size with a nice fat meplat.

[bigted]

doc hiwall, does this rcbs boolit you mention #45-500, work thru your marlin without having to shave the cases?

thanks all for the reply's. this is very helpfull and ive found a couple custom boolit makers that will sell moulds for their boolits. this site is always a hoot to deal with and rarely do i see a question ignored. the replys are always snappy and even when missunderstood you people still try to help a floundering co-caster.

thanks again.
Ted

[Bullshop]

RCBS makes a series of molds for the Marlin 45/70. They weigh 325, 425, and 525gn and are all flat nose gas check. The OAL of all when crimped in the crimp groove is the same. When loaded you can not see any difference as all have the same meplate and nose length. They do make another flat nose call the 300 FNU but it is not a gas check design and is not the same meplate and nose shape.
They also make others for BPC but those are not for the Marlin. The three in a weight series seem to be specifically made for the COAL limits and of the Marlin.
I have all of them and all are great shooters. If I had to choose just one of the three it would be the middle weight 425. I have taken lots of large game with each of the three at one time or another. By large game I mean elk, caribou, moose, and Grizzly bear. If your only big game is dear then the 325 is likely all you would ever need.
I shot a fork horn moose with the 325gn with a muzzle velocity of 2150 fps. Hit him broad side at the base of neck/point of shoulder and it sailed right through leaving about 4" of spine missing. That will do for most anything accept where a shot has to be taken from the rear either straight on or slightly angled where more penetrated will be needed on these bigger animals.

[Doc Highwall]

bigted, all you have to do with this bullet is load it. I bought it for my 1895S Marlin and with the reduced powder capacity I do not think you will get over 1400 FPS. but at this weight and velocity I do not think there is any thing it will not kill. I have a 16.5" Barrel on mine for 100 yard max shooting and in places where I have hunted in Maine 5-10 yards would be a long shot with a few places 100 yards. It looks like you could buy some from the Bullshop to try out before buying a mould.

[mdi]

Beartooth Bullets has a .45 cal., 525 gr. bullet. 1.28" OAL, .450" nose to crimp groove, .374 meplat dia., available in .458" to .460". May be a LBT design (?). http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm

[bigted]

cool man...im gettin lots of help...now i gotta sift thru n see where the checkbook leads.

thanks all. ill take all and any hints i can get here...its been my week as i just ordered a win 1885 45/70 davidsons special edition. should be here in a week or so. i gotta slow down on the rifle aquasitions and start the load development for real now. awww what a bummer huh? sucks to be me !!