Correct Bullet Dia?

[Alias]

Just finished slugging the Pedersoli .45-70 Sharps today. Would like advise on what bullet dia. would be most likely to work?

At the breech: bore .451 groove .4565
At the Muzzle:  bore .450 groove .4555

Bullet: Paul Jones 540 gr. Long Range Creedmore (45001)

[John Traveler]

The rule for sizing cast bullets is to size them 0.001" over groove diameter.

Since your barrel is "choked" at the muzzle, I would try 0.457" sizing.

How do standard 0.458" bullets shoot in your rifle?

[Alias]

John,

Here's the first target. The 5 larger holes are from the .45-70. These were shots 9 - 13 as it took 8 to get on the target (first shots thru brand new gun). Wiped with a Ballistol soaked patch between shots as I was paranoid about rusting my new gun. Maybe since I now know the rifling is so shallow, I should have used a water soaked patch? Less chance of bullet slipping on the rifling?



A friend gave me 50 Brooks 545 Creedmoor bullets @ .459 dia to try. I sized them down to .457 with a Lee sizing die to fit a homemade inline bullet seating die. I wanted to make sure the bullet went into the case as straight as possible and decided to make the hole for the bullet in the die .457 (as it could always be made larger if needed).



The brass were full length sized with a LEE sizing die which caused run-out to be a lot less than ideal, but the bullets were seated very straight (no bulge in brass like you get using the factory Lee seating die).



Since I needed more bullets (and not sure of what mold to order), I ordered the Paul Jones 540 gr. Long Range Creedmore (45001) from Sagebrush. These come sized to .459. Once I get these, I was thinking that I would try the same reloading steps as last time except neck sizing the brass only with a Redding neck sizing die (on back order right now). I could try some at .459 but they won't fit my inline seating die unless I open it up.

Do you think I should just concentrate on .457 or make the inline die bigger?

[John Traveler]

That is a pretty respectable group for first firing in a new gun!

Don't worry about the bullets "slipping" in an oily cleaned barrel.  The rifling is plenty deep enough to grip whatever goes through it, as long as it is not undersize relative to the groove diameter.

Does your bullet have a long bore-riding diameter?  It's pretty well established that long bore-rider nose bullets shoot better.

It's probably less trouble (and expense) to try sizing some bullets to .458" and loading in conventional seating dies.  If that doesn't work out, you can then size some down to .457" to use in your inline seating die.  Just trying to avoid the one-way opening up of your inline seating die without another alternative first.  Let us know how that works out.

[Alias]

Thanks John,

I'll take your advise & try .457, .458 & .459 with a conventional seating die before changing mine. Need to order a .458 sizing die and wait until things dry up.

[John Boy]

Alias ... don't want to be a spoiler ...
Shoot a Pedersoli Quigley 45-70 frequently using reloads of PJ Creedmoors (1:20) 460 diameter.  Also reload this rifle with Lyman 457123 (1:20) 460 diameter.  The bullets are lubed using a 461 H&I die so they stay 'as cast'  Point is: 0.0460 bullets will shoot just fine in your Pedersoli including using WW alloy.  Here's proof:
... the 100yd ragged hole is 14 shots.  Sometimes we get Lucky!