Slugging the bore of my 1895

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by Blr243 » 28 May 2021, 8:26 pm

4570. I don’t have any sinkers or 45 cal round lead balls. I have commercially cast 300 and 500 gr cast Bullets. I have my own home made quite soft lead 500 grainers ....is there anything wrong with me tapping one of these bullets down the barrel of my rifle with a 10 mm wooden dowel ? I’m thinking my own home made pills would b the go
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by No1Mk3 » 29 May 2021, 12:53 am

G'day Blr243,
Don't use the commercial pills, they are normally hard cast and might give you issues. Your soft home cast should be OK with plenty of oil, Cheers.
PS: Sucked me in with your title, I'm playing around with some 1895 Mausers at the moment and thought "aha! someone else is onto the Boer War stuff!" then I saw the 45/70.
No1Mk3
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2090
Victoria

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by Blr243 » 29 May 2021, 7:25 am

Thanks number 1. Foolishly I was goin in dry ..glad u mentioned the oil .....I will properly coat the bore first, then more on the front of the pill
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by LawrenceA » 30 May 2021, 8:46 pm

Just make sure your pills are fatter than the bore.
Hoestly you are trying to get the cast pills 2 thou over the throat.
The SAAMI specs forthe 45-70 is no throat so you need the bore diameter just ahead of the case mouth.
Going 2 thou over will prevent gas cutting and leading (assuming everything else is right).
This is particularly important with micro groove barrels.
Best to get this by using pure lead to cast a half bullet in whatever mold you have and flatten it a little. Measure it to make sure it is at least say 461.
Then tap it in from the breach end to about n inch in front of the chamber and then tap it back out.
Otherwise talk to the local blackpowder club and get a couple of 50 cal balls.
Then do the same.

If you want I can send a few bullets your way in 45 or 50. Think I have a few hundred somewhere.
If you really want to know what is happening do the same at the crown end and lastly push one right through.
Hopefully it is slightly larger at the bore with no loose spots and maybe a slight constriction at the crown end.
One well placed shot is all it takes.
LawrenceA
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 455
New South Wales

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by Blr243 » 31 May 2021, 8:05 pm

Thanks a lot Lawrence , top info. I really don’t know anything about rifles. To me mostly they are just a tool I use in the bush ...I’m regularly impressed with how much u blokes know about these things. Whenever I neeed help u are always there. I have some commerciallly cast weights of various weights and a couple of my own moulds so the marlin is goin to see a variety of loads soon Lots of powders to test too. I’ll b busy
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by Blr243 » 31 May 2021, 8:07 pm

Lawrence I’ll probably repost here once I have slugged and measured those different locations. Then I’ll make a die to size them down appropriately
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Slugging the bore of my 1895

Post by LawrenceA » 31 May 2021, 9:53 pm

Lee do a 459 die. Track of the Wolf sell them so they may be a specialty item.
That is probably all you need if the pills are oversize.

Most commercial pills will likley be 457 and depending on your allow casts could be the same.
Lee also do a 459 mold specifically for the 45-70.

As far as powder 2207 is probably the go.
I use a pretty light load pushing a cast 340 grain Hollow Point (Gould bullet) in my Marlin and it flattens pigs.
They cast a little small but I powder coat which brings them up.
Mind you I use the same pill and 65 grains of FFFg in the trapdoor and it also flattens pigs.

Basically I suppose the 45-70 will flatten pigs.

Good luck and have fun
One well placed shot is all it takes.
LawrenceA
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 455
New South Wales


Back to top
 
Return to Reloading ammunition