12 November 2017, 21:00
shootawayQuestions on casting for the 458 Lott 500gr bullet.
What bullet hardness should I be looking at?
Is 12 OK? Do I need a gas check? Can I use the starting loads of my regular copper jacketed loads? Any good mold recommendations? Are there very light loads for the 500gr bullet? If so what powders should I be looking at? Any load recommendations with these powders?
13 November 2017, 16:29
shootawayI found this bullet hardness formula.
Optimum BHN = PSI / (1422 x .90)
13 November 2017, 23:00
wheleniteThe main benefit of the bullet hardness formula you found is to get proper obturation with revolver bullets. You want them just soft enough to slug up in the cylinder's forcing cones so there is no gas cutting of the bullet's base. For rifles, you want them harder than 12 if you are going for more than about 1500 fps. 18 BHN and gas checks are best for 2000 fps +. Depending on the smoothness of the rifling, some can go as high as 2300 fps without leading the bore.
15 November 2017, 19:34
shootawayI have ordered my alloy.It is 92Pb/6Sb/2Sn.
I 've read that quenching in water increases the hardness.I am going to use this alloy for all my casting.
18 November 2017, 00:16
shootawayThe order arrived this afternoon.
It looks good.
[URL=
]bullet alloy[/URL]
01 December 2017, 09:21
eagle27I'm envious. Like symbolic maple leaf too.
Good luck with your casting will be interested to see results.
For light <1500fps loads in my 404 Jeffery with cast I have used Red Dot with no filler required and standard primers. Grain for grain of Red Dot I now use Vectan AS powder (a red and green flake shotgun powder from France). This powder in cast loads, and shotgun, has to be the cleanest burning I have ever seen. It just leaves a slight discolouration in the barrel.
Information from Vectan indicates that their AS powder is suitable for light rifle loads. I have used a lot of Vectan AS for shotgun reloading over the years and trialed using it in my 404J cast loads when comparing the burning rate to Red Dot and seeing that it was the same. I had been given the Red Dot 404J load and a container of Red Dot by another 404J cast bullet shooter to try.
I don't see Vectan AS mentioned much in other parts of the world but here in NZ it is commonly available.
The light cast loads are pleasant and accurate to shoot.
02 December 2017, 05:12
craigsterquote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
The order arrived this afternoon.
It looks good.
[URL=
]bullet alloy[/URL]
All I'm seeing is a bunch of cardboard in the back of a truck.
05 December 2017, 20:41
z1rquote:
Originally posted by craigster:
quote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
The order arrived this afternoon.
It looks good.
[URL=
]bullet alloy[/URL]
All I'm seeing is a bunch of cardboard in the back of a truck.
It's the 92Pb/6Sb/2Sn alloy contained within that excites.
08 December 2017, 17:23
shootaway[URL=
]alloy[/URL]
Each bar weighs around 8lbs.
16 December 2017, 06:09
WoodHunterSo any progress in mold selection?
I have a bunch of these that I need to try:
Bore rider above the crimp groove.
458 Win case. Bullet weight is 460 grains.
16 December 2017, 16:35
shootawayquote:
Originally posted by eagle27:
I'm envious. Like symbolic maple leaf too.
Good luck with your casting will be interested to see results.
For light <1500fps loads in my 404 Jeffery with cast I have used Red Dot with no filler required and standard primers. Grain for grain of Red Dot I now use Vectan AS powder (a red and green flake shotgun powder from France). This powder in cast loads, and shotgun, has to be the cleanest burning I have ever seen. It just leaves a slight discolouration in the barrel.
Information from Vectan indicates that their AS powder is suitable for light rifle loads. I have used a lot of Vectan AS for shotgun reloading over the years and trialed using it in my 404J cast loads when comparing the burning rate to Red Dot and seeing that it was the same. I had been given the Red Dot 404J load and a container of Red Dot by another 404J cast bullet shooter to try.
I don't see Vectan AS mentioned much in other parts of the world but here in NZ it is commonly available.
The light cast loads are pleasant and accurate to shoot.
Eagle,do you use a gas check for those bullets?
16 December 2017, 16:42
shootawayWoodHunter,I am trying to decide if I need a gas check.I would like a mould for at least the weight of the 500grain bullet.For reduced loads I plan on using H4895 at .6 of max.I should receive my newly Pac-Nor barrelled Lott from the Smith about next week.Then I need to order a .458 mould and wait for the RCBS pro-melt 2 casting furnace I pre-ordered.I am looking at the RCBS and Accurate Moulds.
10 January 2018, 12:52
eagle27Sorry shootaway I missed your query. Yes I do use gas checks on the 350gr bullet as it is designed for them but my 400gr cast is a nose pour plain base.
I had to turn recess's on the plain base bullets and use gas checks when loading up towards 1900fps as I just could'nt get any sort of grouping without checks.
The plain base are okay for the squib loads.
09 February 2018, 16:39
shootawayquote:
Originally posted by eagle27:
Sorry shootaway I missed your query. Yes I do use gas checks on the 350gr bullet as it is designed for them but my 400gr cast is a nose pour plain base.
I had to turn recess's on the plain base bullets and use gas checks when loading up towards 1900fps as I just could'nt get any sort of grouping without checks.
The plain base are okay for the squib loads.
Thanks eagle27
