Lee 405 gn. in Marlin 45-70?

[Olevern]

A friend has offered to send me a large number of 405 grain Lee cast bullets for postage (his deceased fathers making). I accepted his offer and they are on the way. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with this bullet in the Marlin and Brownchester lever actions? Will they feed thru the actions? If nothing else, I can remelt and recast with my Lyman mold but would like to try them as is before going to all that trouble (1,400 bullets). Hopefully they will feed and I can use them for plinking loads.

[harvester]

Yes they work , I use them in a Marlin 45/70 with good good accuracy at 50 yards. Feed just fine in my gun. I found 5744 powder to be best for me.

[thx997303]

Which Lee 405 gr boolit?

I have the Non hollow base lee. Casts fine but I haven't shot it yet.

[Olevern]

didn't know there were more than one 405 gn Lee. Not a big Lee fan, so little experience with these boolits.Guess I'll have to see when they get here.

[idahoron]

I shoot the hollow base paper patched in my Muzzleloader. I have wondered how they would do in a 45-70. They shoot very well in the muzzleloader. Ron

[MtGun44]

Had very poor resuls with Lee 405 in my Marlin years ago. Probably too small, never went
back and checked since RCBS 405 GC works fabulously. Lee HB 405 works great in my
trapdoor, when nothing else would hit anything but sideways. Bore is very worn, but cast
of pure lead and loaded over 12 gr Unique gets 4" at 100 yds, all I can expect from the
sights and trigger pull and very slow lock time with the immense hammer. I'm pleased.

Bill

[jlchucker]

At one point I had a mold for both the HB and plain-base 405 Lee. The HB boolit is a different design, and wouldn't feed properly in my Marlin 1895. Turns out I was crimping in the upper groove, which is NOT a crimp groove with this boolit. The plain-base is more of a levergun design, and the upper groove in that boolit is in the proper location. Both make good boolits, but IMO the HB is better suited for use in single-shot rifles.

[Olevern]

Boolits still not here, mailed out four days ago. Whatever they are, I learned early in life to be appreciative of any gift, at worse can recast them, which I might do if they turn out to be the hollow base, I believe HB bullets pretty much went out with the Springfield Trapdoors. Gotta have something here to shoot free boolits in, let's see: Custom Siamese Mauser, Marlin 1895, early Browning SRC, Brownchester 1886 L.W., and Ruger #1. Oughta be something in there that will not turn down the noses at free boolits.

[JSimpson65]

Definately check the diameter. I have the plainbasee Lee 405 and it cast at .457
as-received. I beagled the mould and have decent accuracy now that it drops around .459-.460.

Hopefully your are a little bigger than mine originally cast.

Joe

[RobS]

The only issue with the bullet is it drops small from many molds and doesn't work for rifles with larger bores. JSimpson65's experiences are similar to many who have tried the design. My dad had the 340 grain 45 cal rifle bullet and it cast at .457 and the 405 PB cast at .458, both small for his Marlin SBL 1895

[Olevern]

Boolits arrived, miked them, .457
lubed with some soft tan stuff, I know they will not be any good in my Siamese Mauser or Marlin, haven't checked the bore sizes of the Ruger No. 1 or the Browning and Brownchester 1886's yet, guess I will slug them tomorrow before I resign myself to recasting. One plus, they come with a built in flux (looks like 50/50 beeswax/alox) Definately an outside job.

[Maineboy]

The Lee 405 grain PB was the first 45-70 mold I had. I've shot alot more of them through my Marlin than any other boolit at speeds from 900 fps to 1900 fps (not very many of those though!) Mine drop from the mold at .459 and I tumble lube them and shoot them unsized with very good results. My 1895 barrel mics .457.

[Jim]

The hollow base model is my "go to" mold when I cast for my Marlin Guide Gun. Works great for me. Mine come out at .458.