.45-70 contender with cast

[throttleman]

Greetings:

Does anyone have experience or knowledge regarding what wide meplat, cast bullet can be shot through a contender in .45-70.  Concern is regarding the contender being "short throated" and that some bullets may not fit properly.  I want to go as wide as possible in a 300-405 grain bullet.  All responses welcome.

Thanks,

Jeff

[dubber123]

The ones I have experience with were heavier than you want, but had a very wide nose, they were 460 grain wide flat noses from Cast Performance.  They chambered and worked perfectly in a Hunter model Contender.  This bullet I believe is intended for lever guns, and the nose length isn't super long though.  I would make up a dummy round with the bullet seated backwards, and seat it progressively shorter until you can fully chamber it every time.  The length from the case mouth to the end of this backwards bullet will be the maximum length you can go to the radius on a wide flat nose.  Hope this helps.

[jhalcott]

 It dosen't matter WHAT bullet works in MY gun,you still have to test them in yours!  What do you plan to shoot with it? Deer ,paper or ground squirrel? I have had great accuracy with 300 grain Lyman  and RCBS bullets Also 400 grain slugs from different makers.This is with several barrels from 12" to 23". Powder's were NOT the same in a couple 14"/15" ones .One preferred 3031 the other 2400. I have an NEI 405 grain pointed bullet that occassionally gets used for ground hogs out to about 150 yards(after that the trajectory and windage get TOO much.)