Titan ReloadingRotoMetals2Load DataLee Precision
Reloading EverythingWidenersMidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackbox
Inline Fabrication
Page 1 of 6 123456 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 103

Thread: Mauser 1871 bullets

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437

    Mauser 1871 bullets

    This stalking rifle in 11 mm has .454 grooves and .433 lands. Every bullet, I think it won’t fill up the bore or too small for case. Some are too big for case. I could PP to groove size but still too big for the brass.
    What would you do? Can one PP to less than groove? Should I use a jacketed bullet at .446 or .435. Will a .446 lead boolit do leading? All w/ BP of course.
    Last edited by Gobeyond; 01-30-2022 at 07:22 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Outside Rolla, Missouri
    Posts
    2,170
    I'd have Tom at Accurate molds cut me a mold of about 350 grs. to cast .454 out of 25-1 alloy, provided the throat is big enough. An "M" die can be had from Dave at CH-4D to open the case neck to the correct diameter.

    I suspect paper patching would work but, I'd spend $1,000.00 just to keep from paper patching. I absolutely HATE doing it.
    "In general, the art of government is to take as much money as possible from one class of citizens and give it to another class of citizens" Voltaire'

    The common virtue of capitalism is the sharing of equal opportunity. The common vice of socialism is the equal sharing of misery

    NRA Benefactor 2008

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE WV
    Posts
    6,216
    What size will fit in a fired case? That's what I'd use, just like I do with my Swiss Vetterli and Argentine rolling block. Either a grease groove bullet or a slick patched to that size, cast from pure or nearly so lead, loaded over a full charge of black powder should work fine. The bullets bump up to fit and shoot accurately. By using a bullet that fits the case you don't have to resize your cases or use any dies on them so they last a long time.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master MOA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Concho, Arizona. At home in the White Mountains at last. Formerly living in Mobile Alabama.
    Posts
    1,603
    ^^^^^^ what he says. Most of the rollers I have (1870-1898) seem to have been engineered to function with a smaller boolit diameter than what you find barrel measurements. It's all about bumping the bullet up by using a softer alloy and full charge of black powder.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
    rockrat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    5,311
    Why not cast a boolit like for a 45-70 @ .460, lube it, then run it thru successive Lee size dies so as to arrive at a .454" sized boolit.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437
    I’m going to do a 457. Trying a Webley 454 first. Then I sunk a bunch of money in it. Silly me but my wife is very forgiving about my hobby. Taking some of @Sharps4590 advice.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Argentino's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    174
    Quote Originally Posted by Gobeyond View Post
    I’m going to do a 457. Trying a Webley 454 first. Then I sunk a bunch of money in it. Silly me but my wife is very forgiving about my hobby. Taking some of @Sharps4590 advice.
    Lyman #446110 will be my first choice for a 71 Mauser, but yours has a bigger groove dia. than expected.

    I would experiment with a 45-70 boolit (0.457") sized down to groove dia. or to a couple thousand less than groove dia.

    Depending on chamber dimensions, seating a fat boolit in the case could be an issue, so breech seating might be a solution to this. I tend to always use breech seating for several reasons: minimizes freebore, increases case volume for heavier loads (when using BP) and the possibility to use a bigger boolit than case might admit
    "Skill is acquired not alone through practice but through the combination of study and experience" - P. Sharpe

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    behind the lines of enemy territory,60 miles from NYC
    Posts
    128
    You may run into the difficulty I had in that the necks are too narrow to chamber a large enough boolit! One solution is a "heeled" boolit.
    See this thread especially on post #3
    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...91#post5267391

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy


    hpbear101's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    256
    With the 71 (single shot not 71/84) you will find that the maximum bullet diameter that will fit the chamber is .450sh. I had luck running the Lee 405HB bullet through a .451 sizer, then run the loaded case into a .43 Mauser sizer die with the decapper removed. They actually shot OK.

    Next up I went with the Accurate 45-370Y mold which is a heeled bullet. They shoot well but I have two problems with them. I should have specified a .446-.448 shank or base as they are a little loose in a fired case and I get leading from them. The heeled bullet cured the too tight of a chamber.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	H777  Mauser @ 50 yds 50pct.jpg 
Views:	23 
Size:	27.0 KB 
ID:	295145

    I've just recently started experimenting with paper patched bullets. I read where the 1871 barrel and bullet was designed after the 1866 Chassepot. I shoot a chassepot so I ran some chassepot bullets through a .444 sizer die to remove the .460 belt off the bottom. I then patch two turns of 55Y paper for a.447-.448 bullet. This is also a tapered bullet so I think it may be a good bullet as the bore starts to foul. This is my first serious try at paper patching and so far it's gone very well and I have a bunch more test loads ready to go.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20211219_232136 50pct.jpg 
Views:	25 
Size:	40.8 KB 
ID:	295146

    When I get a final paper patched load I will post something up on it.

    Tom

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437
    This is getting to be a bit too much for me and my shop to handle. I shot .446 bullets in my other 1871 and got no leading with bp. I think they were 12 bhn. Maybe I’ll take the easy way out and try them. With low pressure they should be ok. Or just sell the freaking thing. Any interest?

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437
    How do you breech seat? Sounds interesting. Sounds like a solution! Is it easy?
    Last edited by Gobeyond; 01-24-2022 at 10:15 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Switzerland of Ohio
    Posts
    6,313
    The original Mauser bullet was dead soft swaged lead, smooth sided and paper patched. With the patch on, it was under groove diameter. It obturated on firing to fill the grooves. (I have a double handful of original ammo, so I'm more than a little sure about this.)

    This is why the chamber necks found in most 71 and 71/84 rifles are too small for the modern scheme of a grooved, lubricated bullet sized to groove diameter or a bit bigger. Either enlarge the chamber neck, or do it like Mauser intended.
    Cognitive Dissident

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437
    You would have to at least plan on .452 wouldn’t you? And then enlarge the neck of the case. Have you heard of a .452 fitting into the chamber?
    Last edited by Gobeyond; 02-11-2022 at 06:55 AM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Outside Rolla, Missouri
    Posts
    2,170
    Ehhh...should probably qualify my comment a bit. My comment was based on my experience with my Goldmann double in 11.15 X 60R. I've never played with the 71 Mauser so my comments might be moot.
    "In general, the art of government is to take as much money as possible from one class of citizens and give it to another class of citizens" Voltaire'

    The common virtue of capitalism is the sharing of equal opportunity. The common vice of socialism is the equal sharing of misery

    NRA Benefactor 2008

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    437
    That is good shoot in’. A heeled bullet is starting to sound real interest in’. I wonder why you got leading? Paper patching is the originally intended way of Mauser. But how to get all that diameter in the case? I’ll check out that mold to see what it looks like. Thanks

    Good looking bullet. Where did you put your lube?
    Last edited by Gobeyond; 01-25-2022 at 02:37 PM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy


    hpbear101's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    256
    http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_deta...bullet=45-370Y

    The bullet has lube grooves on the heel portion and I also tumble lube the as cast bullet.. I think I get leading due to the .440 diameter heel should have ordered that at .446 to .448 also provide a snug fit in the case. Also I have had good luck with H777 BP A2400 and 5744 powders

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE WV
    Posts
    6,216
    How come you guys don't just make ammo that duplicates the original stuff? That's what those rifles were designed to use and work very well with it. I haven't found a single antique rifle, especially military ones, that didn't perform best when loaded as intended.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Switzerland of Ohio
    Posts
    6,313
    You don't necessarily have to swage the bullets like Mauser did. Just cast them of pure lead. A mould with no lube grooves won't have any fillout problems.

    Or you could make a hammer swage die like the old nuzzleloader shooters did pre and post Civil War.
    Cognitive Dissident

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    North Coast - Oregon
    Posts
    472
    Piloted neck reamer...for the chamber

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    125
    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    How come you guys don't just make ammo that duplicates the original stuff? That's what those rifles were designed to use and work very well with it. I haven't found a single antique rifle, especially military ones, that didn't perform best when loaded as intended.
    That's what I've found. Duplicate the factory shells they were intended for. Works nearly every time........

Page 1 of 6 123456 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check