Heavy Bullets in the 45-70.

[James B]

What is the heaviest bullet anyone shoots in the standard NEF Handi rifles? Will they handle 500 grain bullets. So far I have loaded 300 grain and 405 grain cast bullets in mine. I have a BC on the way as well. Can't wait to take it out and let some lead fly. Thanks

[Cottonwood]

What is the heaviest bullet anyone shoots in the standard NEF Handi rifles? Will they handle 500 grain bullets. So far I have loaded 300 grain and 405 grain cast bullets in mine. I have a BC on the way as well. Can't wait to take it out and let some lead fly. Thanks

This 500-gr 1881 Govt RN is available at Western Bullets, is cast from a Lyman #457125 mould in a 20:1 hardness.  Can be used with either smokeless or Goex Black Powder or any of the substitute black powders like Pyrodex, Tripple 7, Clean Shot and Black Mag-3

I hope this helps

[James B]

You bet. Thanks a lot. I can't wait to drag that honey home from the store. Hope it warms up a little soon. This is out first day above zero in quite a while then it almost hit 40 degrees. Forecast for tomorrow? Much colder.

[Haywire Haywood]

Both of my 45-70s had extremely short throats.  I wouldn't bet on those 500s chambering without having to seat them really deep or getting a little throat work done.  I've got a fat 325gr that engraves the lands if you seat it to the cannelure.

Ian

[Cottonwood]

Ian

When you get these bullets... look at the picture again you will see the top driving band of the bullet.  Well you notice that these bullets do not look like your average bullet that has a cannelure or crimping groove.  That is because with BPCR we do not crimp our bullets... I repeat we do not crimp our bullets.  We use the sizer die and just run the case up into it, to just get a tapper crimp where the case is just snug enough to hold that bullet.  If you use smokeless powder for your loads.... you almost can not get away from using a crimp because the bullet wants to fall into the case.

One thing your gonna need is a caliper to measure with.  That top driving band will only get 0.010" above the top of the case mouth.  Now in your case having your barrel reamed up, your going to need to get an empty 45-90 case with a dummy load of just a bullet seated to provide your gunsmith with.  At least this is what I did for my gunsmith when I had my repro Sharps reamed up from 45-2.1" to 45-2.4" this way it allowed for the precise length that I wanted which was 45-2.513" and allows me to seat my bullets out to be 0.010" off the lands with grease groove bullets or even use my paper patch bullets.

Paper patch bullets are a whole nuther addiction  :roll:

If you just tell your gunsmith to ream up to 45-2.4" you may not get the desired throating that your looking for.

[Longcruise]

Both of my 45-70s had extremely short throats. I wouldn't bet on those 500s chambering without having to seat them really deep or getting a little throat work done.

They will probably fit just fine.  The 500 Govt is a bore ride nose style.  The entire nose of the bullet up to the first driving band will slide into the barrel.  Ideally it should just barely fit without resistance but also without being loose.  A fit check can be made by sliding a bullet nose first into the bore.  If the barrel is pretty much straight, that will tell you how it fits.

When these bullets are not accurate it's usually because of the fit of the nose.  They should be cast soft and shot at velocities of 1300 fps and less.  Could probably push them to 1400 I'd think.  I've pushed them to 1550 without too much accuracy loss.

The 500 govt style bullet at 1200 to 1300 fps has probably killed everything that walks on the planet. :shock: