Lee 459-405-hb in Handi Rifle?

[FergusonTO35]

I'm planning to get an NEF Handi Rifle in .45-70 here soon and already have the Lee 459-405-HB mold. Anybody ever try this boolit in a Handi? I'm just looking for trapdoor velocity and good accuracy out to 100 yards. Does this boolit work well with Unique?

[indian joe]

I'm planning to get an NEF Handi Rifle in .45-70 here soon and already have the Lee 459-405-HB mold. Anybody ever try this boolit in a Handi? I'm just looking for trapdoor velocity and good accuracy out to 100 yards. Does this boolit work well with Unique?

totally irrelevant to your questions -----that boolit is a darn good blackpowder boolit, nice lube grooves

[Whole Bunches]

I use it with 12 grains Unique in my trapdoor. About 1100 fps and nice accuracy. I use as-cast with no sizing and 50/50 NRA type lube. Mine come out about .463” with 20/1 alloy. My trapdoor is .463”.

[upr45]

My handi 4570 has a very short throat. i have not tried that boolit but have shot several different cast 405-460 gr with decent accuracy and performance.

[725]

On the milder side, 40 grains of 3031 or 30 grains of 4198 w/ a Dacron filler. Check these loads against your load manuals before using to be sure they are safe in your gun. They work for me, but because I have never seen your gun, I can not recommend them for you. Good place to start to look, however.

[snipin101]

That is my main bullet in my Pedersoli sharps with 12gr universal. Mine throws my hospital lead at .460. I work at a hospital and the CT machine uses big lead filters they have to change. They make great bullets! Anyway I have shot that bullet out to 400 yards with great accuracy and easy on the shoulder. I just tumble lube mine with Lee alox. Post pictures of that handi rifle. Always like to see a good HEF pic.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[koger]

I shoot the same bullet with 12.5 grs of Unique, and it shoots stupid good. Better than I can shoot, and most of my friends, if we miss clangers, at 100-150 yds it is our fault. A buddy has a Buffalo Classic and it loves this bullet, with a old weaver 6x scope, will shoot 5 into a ragged hole at 100yd about 1.5 inches in diameter. Cast them, lube as described above, load and enjoy, all their is to it.

[cabezaverde]

Has anyone hunted with it?

[wcp4570]

I don't have that mold but do have the Lee 405 solid and my handi 22" barrel gun shoots it very good.



wcp

[FrankJD]

I found that Lee hollow base "trapdoor" bullet to not have good accuracy out of an H&R Buff Classic, better results with a Lee 457-405F, and best accuracy with a Lyman 457193.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks alot guys, very good info here. Been talking to someone about a very nice Henry with Skinner sights for $400.00, so I might go with that instead.

[FrankJD]

I've had four Henry single shots, two were .45-70, really fine guns, specially now that the hefty trigger pull has been fixed on the newer ones ... Henry will fix the trigger on the older guns.

Even with a trapdoor load the lightweight Henry .45-70 s/s has some goodly recoil. A bit less if lead shot is added to the butt stock. A lot less if 13 grains of Trail Boss is used.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. You ever try any of the Lee boolits in your Henry? Ive been thinking the 340 grain as cast dipped in LLA should be a good one.

[FrankJD]

I've used all the Lee .45-70 molds with the H&R Buff Classic, Pedersoli '74 Sharps and rollers, Henry .45-70 with both black powder (Swiss) and smokeless (AA5744 and Trail Boss). The 457-340F, 457-405F, and 457-450F worked the best for me. Lots will depend on your shooting requirements - paper, steel, game ... recoil management ... and shooting distances.

[FergusonTO35]

My use would just be deer out to 100 yards, I can't use sights beyond that distance. If I could consistently get 2-3" groups at that distance I would be quite happy.

[FrankJD]

The Henry H015-4570 has a 1:20 twist and that would limit bullet weight to under 500 grains and better at 400 grains. For hunting with the Henry I'd go with the 456-405F greaser over black powder perhaps 65 grains w/wad slightly compressed, or 23-25 grains of AA5744 smokeless. For a light plinking load that will also kill deer at 100 yards and under, 13 grains of Trail Boss or Unique.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks, I'll probably just stick with Unique given my needs. I have about 1.5 pounds of the late great IMR 4759 also.

[FrankJD]

IMR4759 was the defacto staple of the BPCR smokeless shooters, replaced with AA5744, they're all good but I'll take black powder over any smokeless.

[FergusonTO35]

For my needs, I can't see ever using anything slower than 5744. If Unique gives me what I want then I'll stick with it.

[ohiomadman]

I use 10 grns of Red Dot,Clean,accurate, and sub-sonic...