I see that RCBS makes a mold throwing a 300 grain semi pointed bullet for the C. Sharps rifle. The advertisement suggests that with a 1 to 20 alloy the bullet will be .410

Reading in Ken Water's "Pet Loads" the 405 Winchester did not deliver outstanding accuracy with cast bullets. The most accurate bullet was the 400 grain Saeco at 1,200 or 1,400 fps.

Mr. Waters also had difficulty in getting 405 cartridges with .414 diameter bullet to chamber in two different 405 rifles. The idea being the 405 barrel measured out at .412 and the .414 would be the usual 2/1000ths larger for cast bullets

Some questions;

If I cast this bullet out of a WW and tin alloy could I get that bullet diameter up to .412.5 to .413?

Who can ream out a Lyman H&I die to .413?

What is the consciencious of opinion of getting a die made for the loading press to taper the bullet after sizing and lubing, to .411 at the nose to .414 at the base?

Jim



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I can't comment on specifically the 405Win, but I have been doing a lot of shooting with a 40/65 and Lyman's 410678 395gn tapered bullet.

That it is capable of extreme accuracy is of no doubt giving 10 shot 100yd groups of 1.25" with clusters of 6 and 7 holes in .5 to .7". I have found however, that it will not shoot with hard alloys and that my mix of 1:40 is perfect.

The dynamics of the tapered bullet are that it is seated mostly outside the case and aligned well into the rifling with only the bottom 2 grooves in the case. Upon firing, the bullet's inertia wil hold it that position until pressure rises to a point where the bullet 'bumps up' to fill the bore then moves forward in the normal manner. Use a too hard an alloy and this will not occur giving rise to poor accuracy.

You may be better bumping up a straight sided bullet. I've done this for a 45/70 Trapdoor successfully also using an RCBS bullet puller die with a 6mm collet to hold the lubesizer top punch. Place a flat piece of steel over the shellholder and raise the bullet up to the top punch. adjust the die up or down to achieve the required bump. This method is suprisingly good for about .008-10" and repeatable.

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28/2/04 - Seven consecutive shots - 45/70 485gn tapered cast projectile 70gn Swiss black powder - 100yds fired from a 1874 Sharps with peep sights.