Need some advise on sizing 45-70 bullets.

Hello,

I just cast some 45-70 bullets in a Lyman mold. They will be used in a Winchester (Miroku) 1885 High Wall Limited rifle. The bullets were cast from lead pipe, measured .460 out of the mold and weighed 350 or so grns.

The problem is I cannot get them to size in my Lyman 45 sizer/luber. I'm using a .458 die. I can get them started but only the first land of the bullet then I'm afraid to pull any harder on the handle for fear of breaking it. I'm putting a pretty fair amount of push on it and it will not go any further.

Is this bullet just to fat to make it through this sizer?

Isn't .458 an ideal starting point for a modern single shot 45-70 rifle?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

I have myself on the waiting list for a new Ballisti Cast Sizer and will appreciate the stoutness of this machine when it arrives.

Regards,

Lee

Boolit Master Join DateSep 2011Locationsouthern tier NYSPosts217

Welcome. First, will this Boolit size, .458, fit your bore correctly? According to your bore slug measurments? Second, activate your lube sizer, without a Boolit inserted, to make sure the piston is not bound. I routinely bump up Boolits to a larger size on my Lyman sizer. As my Uncle said "the cheapest thing you can do is look".

Also measure a few bullets to see if they are round and not oval. as stated above besure die and ludrisizer is working properly and adjustments are correct. A soft lead bullet is going to be "stickier" tha one with tin and or antimony.

.002 sizing should be a cake walk.
i'd be inclined to shoot the 460 size rather than 458 anyway.

it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.

the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.

If the H&I die have set a while the lube in it may have hardened and the I die is stuck? If you are sure the I die stop is down and out of the way set a jacketed bullet of smaller diameter on the I die and see if that makes it go down. If not remove the H&I from the 450 and soak in bore cleaning solvent over night and try to push the I die through with a wood dowel or brass punch. If it's still stuck put the H die in a padded vise and tap on the I die with a brass puch to breack loose. If that works clean it real well and try again in the 450.

One other thing to check is to make sure when the sizing stops has the bullet nose punch come against the H die?

Larry Gibson

I shoot .460 in both of my 45-70's both with modern chamber/barrels. Lead pipe is "pure" lead. These boolits will be very soft! Might be ok for very light loads but you need some tin.
J

"The .30-06 is never a mistake." Townsend Whelen
"It's what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning."
French physiologist Claude Bernard

There is information missing from your OP. Have you tried to lube the bullet by hand before running it through the sizer? A pre-lube is what I'm talking about. It should not bind at all when you are trying to only size .002 As has been posted by my fellow members the .460 is the common size that is used by most 45-70 shooters who have guns that slug out at .458
I would take a hard look at the sizer as being the problem. Take out your sizing die and top punch and make sure they are what they say they are.
This is not a easy thing to answer as it is like trying to find out why a car will not start and the car is 50 miles away. It all comes down to you taking each step and piece and giving it the once over. Make sure that your sizer is set up correctly. Later David

Shooter of the "HOLY BLACK" SASS 81802 AKA FAIRSHAKE; NRA ; BOLD; WARTHOG;Deadwood Marshal;Bayou Bounty Hunter; So That his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat

You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules

Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

View the original article here