Good Question.

I would suggest you slug the barrel at the chamber and muzzle to see the diameter of the grooves. From there add .002" for your sizing die. Midway has a good chamber casting alloy with instructions.

NOE is going out of business. They make the best overall sizing kits on the market. You should see if you can pick one up along with a few $11 bushings ranging .459" to .460" range. While there an expander that is .001" smaller than the finished cast bullet would be good as well.

NOE Bullet Molds is the web site. Look in SHOP, Bullet Casting and Reloading, then Sizing Tools.

Good luck.

 

 

Size 459+

Do you weigh

Do any of you weigh your boolits? I don't for large amounts or for boolits I use alot of I do weigh (and I just started) my hunting boolits for my rifle namely my 45/70 It has made a visible difference in my group size what is your weight range for those who do weigh exact or 1-2...

castboolits.gunloads.com

 

There are some variables to consider. Depending, you may not need to size at all. Your alloy will effect the final diameter as dropped from the mold, and the molds themselves are sometimes off a thousands or two. I would not consider purchasing sizing dies until after it was determined they are need or not. The advice about +.002 over bore is sound. I will go out to .003 with no ill effects if it means avoiding sizing.

 

Hold on! "will be PC both the bullets" Does PC in your original post mean Powder Coated? If so I think they need to be cast smaller to allow for the Coating.

If not then carry on.

 

Yes ive always powder coated then sized in my old .43 Spanish RB

 

Common wisdom for cast bullets is bore size + 0.002-0.003".

My 45-70 needs a minimum 0.4595" bullets for accuracy. It does well with 0.460" and 0,461". When I tried 0.457" cast bullets, they key holed and were all over the target.

But don't get distracted by this. Jacketed bullets at 0.457" shoot well.

 

Generally speaking, when it comes to lead and jacketed bullets. Lead bullets are typically .1000 larger diameter than jacketed bullets are. I think I got that number right. I've reloaded a lot of pistol ammo both jacketed and lead bullets. At least this has my experience with what I have reloaded. 38 caliber lead bullets were sized .358 whereas jacketed bullets came .357. Same with 45acp. Lead was .452, jacketed were .451. I don't use lead bullets in rifle reloads so no experience here with that. If I had to pick one on a whim it would be the .458 if I were reloading a lead bullet for a 45 70.

 

Mam444, I think you meant 0.001. The number you gave is almost 1/8th of an inch.

 

Congrats on the new rifle! I size to .458" for my 1895 SBL with PC’d Lee 459-405-HB—sub-MOA at 100 yd with Reloder 7. Chrono your loads and watch for pressure signs.

 

@MikeWarner
I'm looking for a bullet for my 1895 SBL. For distances of 100-300 meters. How does the Lee 459-405-HB perform without painting?