45-70 bullet mold suggestions

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springfield17074

New Member
I’m new to casting, I have reloaded for 35 years but just recently felt the urge to cast my own. I have a H & R 45-70 Shikari. I am looking for mold around 400 gr.. I have not slugged the barrel yet. I have looked at the lee .459-405 hollow base mold though. I just thought I should ask you guys with experience if you have any other suggestions for a mold.
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I own that mould.
Brad had reduced your question to
the lowest common denominator.

Ben
 
StrawHat

StrawHat

Well-Known Member
What is your intended use for that rifle? It is relatively light for a 45-70 so long days at the range may be fatiguing from a recoil standpoint. If punching holes in empty cans and deer is your plan, you may be better served with the 457122, better known as the Gould bullet. It is a 330 grain hollow point and has been an accurate bullet in all of my rifles, when I used the 45-70.

Kevin
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
My favorite is the LEE 350g Ranch Dog mold.

Its heavy enough to ring respectable FPE het light enough to have some velocity. Its wide nose is a excellent profile for a hunting bullet.

CW
 
Creeker

Creeker

Well-Known Member
If you consider a lighter bullet for that rifle I like this 300 grain for day in & day out shooting. It's made by Saeco.

DSC03292.jpg
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
I have 255 gr Rapine 458201 , 458-340 Lee , 453-350 Mountain Molds I PP , a 458193 Lyman @415 gr , 462-420 MP @ .460-417 or 380 gr PB or HB , 45-500 RCBS and a 460-543 NOE version of the 457132 .

The most alloy , load level , powder flexible bullet so far has been the 458193 Lyman . I haven't even cast the 45-500 yet , I think I had just poor performance with the Lee 340 ......it was lube issues , my cheapo stand by just wasn't enough lube , quality not quantity . I didn't have a canalure tool at that time to enhance the grooves and the last thing I needed was some more potentially gooey stuff to move . Copper barrel contamination may have been helping me out too .
 
Intel6

Intel6

Active Member
All great suggestions and I will add more, all shoot great in my Marlin lever.

NOE 405 gr. This is a version with HP pins so I can make a 405 gr. with flat pins or dish/hollow point with HP pins. Below is an as cast and then one coated in HiTek and GC installed

460 405 RF.jpg


Another slightly lighter bullet that I shoot lots of is the NOE 460-356 GC. I originally got it for my .458 SOCOM loads but tried it in my 45-70 and found it to be an awesome shooter. They come out right at 360 grs.

Here it is coated in HiTek with GC installed:

NOE 354 gr .459 web.jpg


And here it is PC'd and GC'd loaded in both 45-70 and the .458 SOCOM:

NOE 354 gr web.jpg
 
S

springfield17074

New Member
I have only used the rifle for shooting paper at this point. With jacketed bullets it is very accurate with Sierra 300gr bullets and Barnes original 400gr. If I take it hunting it will be for black bear around my cabin. I have not minded the recoil as of yet but I have been shooting a 300 win mag for many years so the 45-70 is not near as hard. I can only load for trapdoor pressures. But I would love to take it out for bear with a bullet I have poured myself.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Intel6 said:
All great suggestions and I will add more, all shoot great in my Marlin lever.

NOE 405 gr. This is a version with HP pins so I can make a 405 gr. with flat pins or dish/hollow point with HP pins. Below is an as cast and then one coated in HiTek and GC installed

View attachment 17442


Another slightly lighter bullet that I shoot lots of is the NOE 460-356 GC. I originally got it for my .458 SOCOM loads but tried it in my 45-70 and found it to be an awesome shooter. They come out right at 360 grs.
Click to expand...
That one looks alot like a Lyman mold I also Like. But its a heavy. I wanna say 420gs...

F605283C-E676-4818-A429-755AC92C9AC7.jpeg34A412C3-BE97-4124-AB37-6F1D41ADCDE8.jpeg
I dont remember its number...

CW
 
S

springfield17074

New Member
420gr wouldn’t be to heavy. I was just thinking something like 500gr bullets might not be needed for black bear. Although I honestly have no idea. If you remember the number please let me know
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
springfield17074 said:
420gr wouldn’t be to heavy. I was just thinking something like 500gr bullets might not be needed for black bear. Although I honestly have no idea. If you remember the number please let me know
Click to expand...
Not "NEEDED" Blacks are not hard to kill. The heavy fur and fat layers make blood tracking difficult. (Making hunters think they are tough) Breaking bones and WFP bullets anchor them soundly.
CW
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I shot 2 black bears with my Marlin 45-70. A 420 gr cast FN that looks a lot like that accurate 405V and a decent charge of H322. Ran 1650 FPS and penetrated both bears quite well. Made a hell of a mess of a should on the first one.
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
Screenshot_20200828-110521.png
The 45-500 FP RCBS at 1100 MV .
Not even really a warm load .

Below the 405 458193 @ 415 gr MV 1400 .
Screenshot_20200607-121543.png

Just for fun the 255 at 2000 fps
Screenshot_20201005-211221.png
 
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H

hrpenley

Active Member
CWLONGSHOT said:
I also very much like the Lyman 457191 and 457122 molds. 191 is a 290g and the 122 is a 330g HP called the Gould Express. FINE BULLET!!

View attachment 17435View attachment 17436View attachment 17437View attachment 17438View attachment 17439

CW
Click to expand...
The 330's pack a nice punch and cast the lead to spread at chosen velocity should do a pretty good job on pretty much anything you run into here in the states I would think. 45/70 ought to put plenty of heat to them even at td pressures. I've used these myself out of the .450
 
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