LEE 45-70 405gr. FP FB

D

dagger dog

New member
Any one here using that mold, it's the flat base ? I have read a lot of positive reports on the hollow based version and think that one was designed to obturate well in the old Springfield trapdoor and clones.

I've have my sights set on the H&R CR 871 Buffalo Classic, and want to start shooting it with FFg Goex BP under the 405 gr flat base cast with 75% clip on and 25% stick on mix. My clip WW mix comes in @ 12.5-13 BHN, so I figured the almost pure lead stickys would soften it up some.

Most I have read says you need to compress the load to get it to shoot well, and the 32" barrel requires more lube than the Lee design can hold, may have to go with a lube cookie and over powder wad, to keep fouling to a minimum.

I may have jumped the gun as I have already purchased the mold.

Any and all info on this boolit in any 45-70 rifle, shooting low pressure
< 18,000 smokless or BP would be appreciated.
 
I use that mold with smokeless, using dead-soft lead and drive it at BP velocities from my H&R Handi rifle. Nothing I've shot with it wanders away. There's no reason it couldn't provide good service with BP loads.

For BP work I use the 459-500-3R, but that's out of my Sharps for longer distances than the Handi. I'd absolutely use a lube cookie between the bullet and powder. I leaned a long time ago that both my rifles like a lube cookie over BP and it's become a standard part of my reloading protocol.
 
I too use this mould and when casting pure lead, the bullets drop out weighing consistently around 430gr. May not be a big deal for modern rifles, but those firing the old trapdoors could see a problem.
Even using 95% lead, the bullets weigh 415gr or more. I have had to reduce loads and work up.
 
I use that boolit with smokeless powder. I've cast them from 20/1 and from straight WWs. They do fine with ww alloy so what the hey. I shoot them from a guide gun and they're good enough for government work (read hunting).

It's a good boolit with the only drawback being the single cav mould, lol. I have no idea how it would be with BP.
 
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