The paper jacket

[161]

I finally finished the book this weekend in the deer stand. Who makes a good mold for a beginner to use in a 45-70 Guide Gun? Can a LEE 405 hollow base be sized down enough?

[Nobade]

It can, or pretty much any 45-70 mould with a short nose will work, as well as many 45 Colt designs. 45-70 is really easy since Lee .452" push through sizers are already available. Just size whatever boolit you want to use in one of those and patch it back up. For really thin tracing paper, the .454" sizer works better and gives you a .460" finished bullet.

[pdawg_shooter]

My 1895g really likes the Lyman 451114. Doesn't require sizing and shoots great over 54gr AA2495.

[cdet69]

Good book. I just got mine and am half way through. Gives good ideas.

[pdawg_shooter]

My first chance to read the book was after I had been patching for about 30 years. Found out I made just about all the mistakes he warns about. Also found out I agree with Paul on most things.

[161]

I have some commercial 405 cast. If I bought a LEE .451 push thou die could I uses them to experiment with before I buy a mold?

[161]

It can, or pretty much any 45-70 mould with a short nose will work, as well as many 45 Colt designs. 45-70 is really easy since Lee .452" push through sizers are already available. Just size whatever boolit you want to use in one of those and patch it back up. For really thin tracing paper, the .454" sizer works better and gives you a .460" finished bullet.

Went over the post again and found this. I'll give the .454 a try.
Thanks Nobade
161

[pdawg_shooter]

I have some commercial 405 cast. If I bought a LEE .451 push thou die could I uses them to experiment with before I buy a mold?

That is a great way to start, but .4515/.452 might be a bit better. I found that the Lyman 451114 is just about the perfect 47-70 PP bullet. With wheel weights it drops just a hair below .452 and is ready to patch. Saves one step. That bullet is the most accurate in all my 45cal rifles. From just over 1800fps in my Marlins to just under 2400fps in my .458s.

[Nobade]

Wow, 450gr. bullets at better than 1800 fps out of a Marlin. I bet that gets your attention when you touch it off!

Another bullet like that is the Pedersoli 535gr. one they sell for their Gibbs rifle. I have one of those moulds, which is pretty lousy quality for the price, but the bullet is a very good design for long range. Too big for a Marlin, it works very well patched over smokeless in my Sharps out to 1000 yds. (Farthest I've tried it yet) Casts out at .451"

But for the Marlin for normal use, I like the Ranch Dog 290gr. 45 Colt bullet. It's .454" and patched with onionskin is just right for my Marlin. Feeds through the mag and shoots very well at 2200 fps. powered by as much IMR 3031 as I can get in the case behind it.

[pdawg_shooter]

Except they dont weigh 450gr, they drop at 429/430gr from my mold using WWs.

[zuke]

I used the LEE 500 grn bullet for year's.Sized to .451,patch with 9lb onion skin paper and load'em up.
Now I use my NOE 330grn HP the same way.

[nanuk]

my Handi slugs at .455/.459

from what you guys have said, I'd need a boolit at .456-.457, and wrap TIGHT and THIN!

[bearcove]

I use 454 325 WFN in an Encore cast with soft alloy it weighs 340gr. With notebook paper to wrap. Size 459. Load

[softpoint]

The Lee 340 grain is my favorite paper patch boolit for the 45/70. I use 2 wraps of tracing paper, they group about 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 meters out of my guide gun. Pure lead, about 1950 fps.

[geargnasher]

The Lee 340 grain is my favorite paper patch boolit for the 45/70. I use 2 wraps of tracing paper, they group about 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 meters out of my guide gun. Pure lead, about 1950 fps.

Gawd, I bet that's a HAMMER! My NEF .45 Colt only gets that boolit up to a shade over 1300 fps with a compressed load of Reloder 7 and seated to the middle of the second-from-front driving band. I use two wraps of Meade sketch paper after sizing the core to .447". Air-cooled 50/50 ww/pure is still a bit too hard for hunting at that velocity, eventually I'll try 40:1.

Gear

[161]

I ordered the .452. Then found some tracing paper. Messed around in the shop two nights ago just to see what would happen. Took a 405 Suter's Choice cast and tried wrapping it. Took a little time but after it dried it doesn't look too bad for a beginner. Not going to shoot it because it wasn't sized first it was still .458. Just wanted to see how hard it it to get a couple patches to stick.
161

[Nobade]

Sounds like you're well on the way to a new addiction. Better watch out!

[161]

My LEE .452 sizer arrived yesterday and I ran 6 405 gr. .458s through it. That went well, did a little cussing trying to PP them so I walked away. I'll try again today.
161

[161]

Things went a little better today after some sleep. I still need to get the two ends to come together a little straighter. I also cast some LEE 457-405-F 50/50 WW/Lead just got that mold yesterday also. They looked really good, after they cooled down I sized them .452 and patched them. Want to get out to see how they shoot. Is there any difference in wrapping so the paper just passes the base vs twisting a tail? And if you have a tail how short do you cut it off?

[161]

I know my camera doesn't take the best pictures but it's all I have. On the left is the LEE 457-405-F. One PP, one sized not patched and three loaded. The right 3 are Suter's Choice. After I loaded them I tried the rounds in my Guide Gun. The Suter's Choice would not chamber. I had to trim the paper back so it would. My LEE boolits chamber fine. Two wraps of tracing paper gives me .459. I think I need to get a .454 sizer, it's a pretty good jump from .458 to .452. Tell me what you think about my picture.
Thanks
161

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