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Thread: Is anyone using .461" boolits for 45-70? ...or where to get some?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Is anyone using .461" boolits for 45-70? ...or where to get some?

    Greetings pards;

    My large meplat custom mold drops 405gr, .461+" boolits just fine, then resized, however I'd like to try "postell" style pointy ones for better flight characteristics?!?

    Yes, my 2003 JM 1895GS groove dia. slugged at .461", even though some writers list this later manuf has having groove dia. of .458" "Ballard" type rifling to replace the earlier "Microgroove" rifling. It is what it is. (IIWII)

    I've been unsuccessful locating a manuf of .461" dia. boolits, coated or not, NOR willing to sell their 'unsized' ogive or round nose variety. Thanks for your time friends. Wally

    P.S. My boolit design is a .450" dia. "bore rider" followed by a .461" driving band ahead of a .055" crimp groove. They're COWW + 2% Tin, water quenched.

    This is my chamber slug; note how short the leade is!
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSC00248 My 45-70 Chamber Slug, view3.jpg 
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ID:	314771

    Example of: loaded, lubed & sized, then as cast.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walstr View Post
    Greetings pards;

    My large meplat custom mold drops 405gr, .461+" boolits just fine, then resized, however I'd like to try "postell" style pointy ones for better flight characteristics?!?

    Yes, my 2003 JM 1895GS groove dia. slugged at .461", even though some writers list this later manuf has having groove dia. of .458" "Ballard" type rifling to replace the earlier "Microgroove" rifling. It is what it is. (IIWII)

    I've been unsuccessful locating a manuf of .461" dia. boolits, coated or not, NOR willing to sell their 'unsized' ogive or round nose variety. Thanks for your time friends. Wally

    P.S. My boolit design is a .450" dia. "bore rider" followed by a .461" driving band ahead of a .055" crimp groove. They're COWW + 2% Tin, water quenched.

    This is my chamber slug; note how short the leade is!
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSC00248 My 45-70 Chamber Slug, view3.jpg 
Views:	13 
Size:	42.1 KB 
ID:	314771

    Example of: loaded, lubed & sized, then as cast.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2016 Loaded, Sized, as Cast.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	55.9 KB 
ID:	314772
    I'm loading .462 bullets in my 1886. I cast a 420 grain RCBS which is undersized a little over .457. Then I made a swage die and I not only swage them up to .462 I hollow cavity the base. Shoot fantastic. I also only size the bullet portion of the case.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    Ok NOEs version of the Lyman 458132 are .460+ . My 3 cavity copy weighs in at 535 gr . The bug is that the nose is a single feed only deal in the 1895G . The 45-500 FN , my example drops 530 gr, is within.01 BC and shoots , as far as I've gone with an MV of 1100 fps , right with the Postell and the short nose works in the 1895 .

    If I'm recalling correctly a 175 yd zero gives 8" high at 100 and 12" low at 200 yd .
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I have been shooting a Lee 3R 500+gr beagled to .461 out of pure lead, at about 1200 FPS, single shot only with the pointed bullet. Very accurate for me..

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
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    Are you interested in casting @OP. MP has .462s

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Some of the old Ideals intended for the old Winnies would drop 462-463. I have one that drops right at 463.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gobeyond View Post
    Are you interested in casting @OP. MP has .462s
    HI; thanx for response, but I don't understand your shorthand; sorry.
    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  8. #8
    Boolit Master huntinlever's Avatar
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    Hate to say it since you have the mold, but is there a reason you're not wanting to drop at .462 or .463? I'm not versed enough so maybe it's something to do with your desire for the Postell shape, just my first thought.
    -Paul

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    I have a 1884 trapdoor that takes .462's.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walstr View Post
    HI; thanx for response, but I don't understand your shorthand; sorry.
    He is saying "To the original poster that MP Molds (aka Mihec) has molds that are for sizes .462"

    https://www.mp-molds.com/

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

    Kraschenbirn's Avatar
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    My Accurate 46-500D mold drops .461-.462 from 20-1 (Pb-Sn) and, after pan-lube, I finish these by running them through an NOE .461 sizer. For your 'dream boolit', try browsing pgs 22-25 of Accurate's catalogue. https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=1 You'll likely find something pretty darn close.

    Bill
    "I'm not often right but I've never been wrong."

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  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntinlever View Post
    Hate to say it since you have the mold, but is there a reason you're not wanting to drop at .462 or .463? I'm not versed enough so maybe it's something to do with your desire for the Postell shape, just my first thought.
    Hey Paul;
    I do not have a Postell style mold; rather I'm seeking advice re: which one to consider, or who might sell their casts. The ones I've seen, drop boolits at .458" dia., which is too 'narrow' for my 1895GS.

    I tried the Lyman #457193 mold, which dropped some @ .461", but they looked so ugly & non-symmetric I sold it.

    BTW: I honed a LEE resizer to .461", so no problem casting larger; that's not an issue.

    Thnx Pard.
    Last edited by Walstr; 06-11-2023 at 02:28 PM.
    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gobeyond View Post
    Are you interested in casting @OP. MP has .462s
    Thanks. The MP-Molds site has no "pointy" or "rnd nose" for me, they're like 60% Meplat similar to my mold.
    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kraschenbirn View Post
    My Accurate 46-500D mold drops .461-.462 from 20-1 (Pb-Sn) and, after pan-lube, I finish these by running them through an NOE .461 sizer. For your 'dream boolit', try browsing pgs 22-25 of Accurate's catalogue. https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=1 You'll likely find something pretty darn close.

    Bill
    Greetings Bill;
    Yes indeed, Accurate has a total library of designs. I'll contact them to ask why their .46 selections do not have "round nose" options.
    Wally
    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pworley1 View Post
    I have a 1884 trapdoor that takes .462's.
    Greetings Pard;
    Mind saying a little 'bout yur boolits?
    Been loading 6.5 CM for ELD, learning to load Mosin Nagant & .308/7.62x51
    Caster & CWW / Lead miner.
    Mountain Mold 45-70-405, 80% Meplat, sized .461" dia. for Marlin 1895GS
    Lyman mold #429421 "Elmer Keith" style 255gr, Dbl Cavity; [for .44 Mag, S&W 629, Alox lubed]
    Lyman #356402, 9mm, Sngl Cavity [for a friend]
    LEE #90282, 12ga Drive Key, 7/8oz Slug [for: Son's 3-Gun]
    LEE #90349, 452-255RF, 6 Cavity [for 45 Colt & 45 ACP; Alox lubed]
    LEE #90697, 453-200RF, ditto

  16. #16
    Boolit Master huntinlever's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walstr View Post
    Hey Paul;
    I do not have a Postell style mold; rather I'm seeking advice re: which one to consider, or who might sell their casts. The ones I've seen, drop boolits at .458" dia., which is too 'narrow' for my 1895GS.

    I tried the Lyman #457193 mold, which dropped some @ .461", but they looked so ugly & non-symmetric I sold it.

    BTW: I honed a LEE resizer to .461", so no problem casting larger; that's not an issue.

    Thnx Pard.
    Gotcha. Good luck.
    -Paul

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy

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    It is my contention the US Ordnance Department should have called the new Springfield rifle they adopted in 1873 the 46-70 Govt ! Most of my old US Springfields slug .459~.460 I size my boolits to .462 to get any kind of accuracy. Have to be careful the large sized boolits seated in a brass case will chamber!!

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rockindaddy View Post
    It is my contention the US Ordnance Department should have called the new Springfield rifle they adopted in 1873 the 46-70 Govt ! Most of my old US Springfields slug .459~.460 I size my boolits to .462 to get any kind of accuracy. Have to be careful the large sized boolits seated in a brass case will chamber!!
    Most will chamber with a .462 bullet. I think in the case of the 45-70 the 45 designated the bore size, or was suppose to.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    JSnover's Avatar
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    I have a Lyman 457132 that drops 535 grains, lapped to .463" using 20:1. If you have a mold that casts with .001" of your intended size, it isn't hard to lap it. Maybe try just putting the abrasive on the drivers, you should be able open them up without affecting your bore-rider.
    Warning: I know Judo. If you force me to prove it I'll shoot you.

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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
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HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
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