LEE 45/70 HOLLOW POINT

[missed_shot]

I see Lee has a mold to cast 405 gr. hollow point bullets for the 45/70. Has anyone used them ? How is their accuracy. Can they be used with smokeless powder? thanks  

[Gun Runner]

missed, I have used one for yrs. Havant had any problem with accuracy
(course cant shoot stright anyway :-D )  Smokless is about all I push them with thru my 1895ss.

Gun Runner

[Leftoverdj]

I've got one. Accuracy is acceptable, but not as good as the 459-405-HB. All I use is smokeless. Velocity with accuracy has been limited to about 1200 fps for me, although some others report getting up around 1350.

Lee has been dropping HP moulds although this one was still listed the last time I looked. Might be a good idea to get it while you can if you have any interest.

Sure wish they made a GC version  in .459.

[missed_shot]

Does  anyone make the above with a gas check ?

[cjensen]

"Does anyone make the above with a gas check ?"

Not that I know of.

Too bad the Lyman Gould HP is not offered in a 20th century version with a gas check. Ken Waters did a big write up on the Gould a few months back in either Rifle or Handloader Magazine. He praised it big time and never once mentioned that maybe it might be better with a gas check. Also he did not chornogragh most his loads. The loads seemed very similar to my old Lyman cast bullet handbook. Seems to me that bullet needs to be updated with a gas check so it can get up to 1800-2000 fps without all the plain based shortcomings.

Anybody have the gould and if so have you tried pushing this thing up to modern velocities?

[DPRinks]

I have the Lee 405hp, I put a gas check on it and have used it at about 2000fps in my handirifle, it shoots as good as I can, about 2" at 100yds.
I am not much of a target shooter, being mostly small game and birds, so I have a tendency to snap shoot, is not the best way to do precision shooting.
RCBS has a 405 rfn with gc and Saeco has a 405 spitzer with gc, but no hps.
I do not know if Mountain Molds makes hollow points, really do not think so.
Some one makes a hand powered hollow pointer, or at least did several years ago, may be the thing to do with the RCBS rfn.
Don

[jpuke]

I agree with cjensen about the Gould and the article that was written.  I have a hard time being impressed by a 330 gr bullet coming out of a RIFLE at 1600 fps, seems it should be a bit higher.  I have been playing with the Gould in my Marlin 1895 (22") and the loads I have used should be around 1750 fps.  I have yet to chrony them and there appears to be almost no leading.  Mine cast at 345 gr and I'm going to work up a load to around 1900 fps.  I had been paper patching the Gould and pushing it at 2100 fps but the patching was more time consuming than I wanted.  I may go back to this load for deer season, but shooting it into wet phonebooks showed that it blew up more than expanded at velocities that high.  I want it to go through the deer, not blow it's shoulder off.

[stuffit]

I have this mould and from the factory it cast undersized (ie .456 - .457 depending on the alloy).  As cast, the only feasible diameter to size it to was its original size, .457, and this was a near thing at best.  (I'm shooting this in a brand spanking new BC now with smokeless).  I can't really say it shot groups at all, and keyholing was frequent.   While trying out this bullet, I also had a Lyman mould for their 330 gr HP and, since it fell  from the mould at around .458 -.459, it could be sized to .457 - .458 and shot considerably better though only at velocities up to 1600 fps.  But back to the Lee, I consulted with others who shot it and was advised that the BC preferred bullets sized to .458 - .459  (I've found this to be true with a couple of GC NEI bullets that restored my faith in the BC's ability).   I got advice to lap the Lee mould a bit and did so successfully insofar as the bullets now fall out at about .459 - .460.  I sized these at .459 (felix lube) and am just waiting for some decent shooting weather.  I have high hopes that the more desirable sizing will  show up in a dramatic improvement in accuracy, or maybe just some results that can be categorized as groups and not patterns.   I cannot, from my experience so far, say anything favorable about this bullet.  
 :wink:
stuffit

[ron haralson]

I've been put off by the oddball sprue plate - on my mold the bases weren't even close to flat, which is too bad because the solid based version with a flat sprue plate shot pretty well. I used 24gr of 2400 and 40gr of XL44, a supposed 3031 equivalent and had reasonable accuracy with both.

[Leftoverdj]

There is a group buy brewing over on Cast Boolits for a revised version. Main changes are that it will be gas checked, .460-461, and will have a deeper HP.  We're still in the talking stages, but I'll cross post over here when we have a drawing and are taking orders.

[dodd3]

stuffit i have a buff classic and use 2 lee bullets the 500r and the 500 gas check  moulds sized to .457 they both shoot  very good in my buff classic . but i think it depends on your bore size my bore size is breech end .452  muzzle end .450 so it kind'a has a choke lol .
bernie :-)

[stuffit]

dodd3,
Now I'm not taking issure with your measurements here but I do find them a bit of a surprise.  I've slugged my BC and the slug, after passing all the way through, measured .457 on several checks.  What method did you use to get the bore and breech end dimensions you posted?  The measurements you've given (.452 & .450) don't correlate with any other reports I've seen.  Is it a custom barrel?
 :wink:
stuffit

[dodd3]

stuffit got a smith to slug it and thats the sizes he gave me. he said it is an excellent barrel and no its the std factory barrel. my buff shoots .457 sized bullets really well must have struck it lucky with my buff, if i shoot the 500r unsized .459 i tend to get a bit of leading if i push them with smokeless loads. the gas check mold cast .457 .i use a lee .457 sizing die i lube with my home made lube which i have posted the mix already on this site.keep safe.  
bernie  :grin:

[dodd3]

i will ad that both my bullets mike up on the nose just in front of the first driving band a whisker over .452 ,when i chamber a round and then remove it the nose of the bullets show slight engraving of the lands. hope this clarify's my post..
bernie :grin:

[stuffit]

dodd3,
It does, indeed, clarify your post.  You were describing the diameter in relation to the lands (the raised section of the rifling), while I usually think in terms of the groove diameter when referring to rifle barrel dimensions. Thanks for the clarification.
 :wink:
stuffit