Hello everyone!
First post here, as I am a new member.
Anyway I recently became the owner of a NY State Militia Remington Rolling Block chambered in 50-70. The previous owner used it as a shooter using low pressure smokeless loads. I want to load her up with the holy black. This is not my first firearm but this is my first foray into reloading.
I purchased 50-70 brass from starline, and a lee mould that drops .515 bullets at 450 grains in weight. I believe this is what the army standard was. 50-70-450. I have already cast 30 bullets using a 40-1 alloy of lead and tin.
I tried to use a set of lyman dies, but the mouth expanding die didn't come close to the .515 I need to seat the bullets without shaving lead off the bullet. So I ordered a .513-.517 custom expander from buffalo arms. Even this expander is a little tight and I still get a little shaving. Now, buffalo arms is out of larger expanders at the moment, but I'm hankering to shoot this beauty. I have also been reading some negative reviews about the Lyman dies.
So my question is does anybody here reload for 50-70 and if so what dies do you use and do you have any tips or tricks for reloading this cartridge?
Also, I know that the previous owner sized his bullets to .512 to make the lyman dies work, but I want to keep this rifle historically accurate for now and use the 50-70-450 and a .515 bullet, unless I get advice to do so otherwise.
I am a total new guy to not only reloading but also to BPCR reloading so a primer (no pun intended) would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you