Looking for .43 Mauser information

[K75RT]

I have a really nice 1887 dated 71/84 that was made into a stalker many years ago...it has a beautiful bore and I want to shoot it. As I am not too familiar with this rifle should it be paper-patched? Any help and knowledge is absolutely appreciated...Thank you..

[ascast]

It really depends on what bullet you get. If you go with a .439 patching will help. Black powder? Groove dia can run up to .452. I use RCBS 44-370. It casts about 448. You need to get dies that neck size and expand to the size you use. I have a set a C&H4D that size and expand to .444 so the 448 buleet go in nicely. It is expensive brass to ruin by overworking. good luck

[uscra112]

I have one with a pristine bore that I've never fired. Bought it for peanuts at a small local gun show in Michigan in the late 1990s. Original ammo was a swaged, dead-soft bullet, paper patched, over black powder. The Canadian C.I.L brand sold smokeless ammo loaded with a naked, lubed, .446 diameter cast bullet. The brass has an unusually thick rim. The dies i have are RCBS. Huntington's had some proper brass, and I bought some to put away. I think Bertram also made some. Now people are making it from ?.45-90?. It's been so long that that's all I remember.

[upnorthwis]

.45-90 can be formed in a single pass with Lee dies. You will need a way to machine the relief on rim. Lathe works best, but can also be done in a drill press with a file. Depending on your chamber, you may or may not have to trim the length. I use a Lyman mold 446110 cast of 50/50 WW/Pb over 24 gr. of 5744. Goes about 1120 fps.

[K75RT]

Thank you upnorthwis, I own a couple of lathes both have collets. I will start looking for some .45-90 brass...

[15meter]

Wow. Just wow.

6 years and two posts.

Both in the last week.

Talk about keeping a low profile!

Welcome to the forum.

Sorta new guy

[ascast]

I think Lyman changed the 446110 design a tad. Maybe I'm wrong. A buddy shot thios bullet and said it was crap. He borrowed MY mold, same chargh, and said it worked fine. My bullet has more large dia in front of the driving bands, more like a bore rider. Keep us posted.

[uscra112]

Fast powders like Unique won't make for the best game loads. 4198 or RL-7 will give you hunting velocity and significantly lower peak pressure. Look to loads for the .45-70 for some guidance, even though the .45-70 is a smaller case.