Looking for a light bullet in .460

[Chris]

Does anyone have experience with the NOE 460-315?

I've never shot anything lighter than the Gould in my Marlin .45/70. Would like to try a lighter bullet for plinking at modest velocities. Currently shooting a 400 LBT and wouldn't mind cutting back on lead usage a bit, not to mention my wife might like the reduced recoil.

Anyone shoot this bullet or willing to make recommendations for other mold designs? I thought about some of the collar button designs but the pointy nose probably should not be run through the magazine.

 

[freebullet]

No experience with that mold.

I helped a newbie work a plinking load with a 300gr. Over 7gr of titegroup, real mild @950ish sub 2" on target & he wasn't a great shooter.

 

[Pistolero]

I used a 300 gr Sierra jbullet as my practice load in my GG, works great. I would
consider that fine for deer, but a bit light for anything larger. Bear, elk, moose,
etc. are better served with 405s. I have a 300 mold, but it casts undersized and I
haven't yet spent the time to work with it. No problems with that wt. On the old
site we had a Group Buy on a "collar button" which ran something like 125 to
150 gr or so, and reports on it were also good.

Try 8-12 gr Unique for a plinking load, which would also nail a deer very well.

Bill

 

[Brad]

I own a 350 RD clone from NOE. Mine shoots very well. That is as light as I would usually go. I do have a Lee 6 cav collar button from the group buy Bill mentioned. I have fired very few of them.
A 420 plain base gets the work from my Marlin. Shoots too good to ignore. I also prefer to keep it simple and shoot a single bullet in a gun.

 

[Chris]

I hunt with a 400 LBT, shot a few bucks with it. Very accurate and more than able. I shoot the same plinking using 14 Unique and waterdropped range scrap. Very accurate. Remarkably tolerant of almost any appropriate powder you feed her.

Still, I'm looking for something to fool with on paper and it might be a bit easier on my wife at the range. This .460-315 caught my eye. Have not looked at offerings from other makers, but anybody who has experience with light-for-caliber molds could help me out?

 

[Brad]

That looks like a light weight RD bullet. Bet it will shoot just fine.
I would use Unique or 2400 for powders. Unique for 1000-1200 fps and 2400 for closer to 1400 fps.

 

[Chris]

Say, how much weight would a HP remove from the 315 nominal weight? NOE offers that in a cup/HP version.

Never hunted with HP's although I own a Gould. This 315 might be the ticket at 1300 fps and softer alloy, maybe a cup rather than HP?

You see any reason why PB wouldn't work to 1400 FPS in a Marlin microgroove given good fit, etc?

 

[Brad]

I have run a plain base to 1650 in mine. Use a slow powder and lots of it. Like 4895 or Varget.
I got a little leading after 15-20 rounds but not enough to bother me much. I was running 46 gr, I think, of H322 under a 420 plain base. Alloy was straight range scrap water dropped.
With that flat nose an HP isn't really needed. It will make a plenty large hole. What expansion will do is reduce penetration. I want all the penetration possible with a lighter 45-70 bullet. A 425 gr HP would be good, a 300 no so good. But hey, that is just my opinion. Then again, I killed a few deer with a pure lead Gould HP in a sabot in my inline ML. Made a hole you could almost fit a hand thru. Talk about hammer a deer on broadside shots!

I would go plain base, solid.

 

[Chris]

Brad, thanks. I'm an Elmer Keith "eat up to the hole" kind of guy and excessive meat damage doesn't interest me. I also require two holes, an entry and exit, with whatever load I hunt with and have game experience to support that philosophy. Had to ask because I have no hunting experience with an HP and also a light bullet like the 315 is out of my experience as well.

Back to the 315: might it feed/function through the magazine, have accuracy potential if played with, and MAYBE be fit to hunt with in a pinch?

Also if anybody knows, who else might make a mold that is similar in weight and purpose? I think Rapine made a lightweight mold years ago but they are probably scarce.

I'm getting interested in this 460-315...

 

[Brad]

That will feed fine in a Marlin. I would verify that the nose isn't too long but I really doubt it is. Bet that mould was designed for Marlin rifles.

Accurate will make whatever you want. That mould is probably your best bet. It looks like it should shoot well.