Fellas, I am trying to justify a new Ruger No. 1, and while tempted by the 9.3X74, it occurs to me that I could buy one in .458 Lott and load it up and down like a xylophone, from Lee 325-grain plinkers at 1,000 to the big Lyman 550-grain hammer to the various jacketed slugs. There's no law that says I ever need to load it even to factory Lott ballistics if the recoil is just too severe on the No. 1 platform, but the power would be there if I ever needed it. So tell me, have any of the rest of you concluded that the Lott is one of the most versatile cartridges extant for handloading with cast and jacketed bullets?

Bill,

The .458 calibers seem to work very well with cast bullets. I make a Ballisti-Cast 435 gr GCFP from WW sized to 0.459" using Carnauba Red lube from Lar45.

Rick Rose reports very good consistency with the Lott and 45/70 at nearly full velocities with little metal fouling and only light smoke. I've had great success with it in the .458 AR as well.

Bill, yes the Lott is a very versatile cartridge. I cast bullets and I have tried them in the Lott, but now for plinking rounds, I just use the Remmy 405s. To cheap and work to good to bother with the time and effort for cast bullets.

In the #1 with 405s @ 2100+/-, are very pleasent to shoot. I would still replace the worthless pad that Ruger puts on these.

Keith

Get some Hogdon Trail Boss load data for the larger black powder 45 caliber cartridges; Charlie Petty had an article on that in Guns Magazine last year. I have 1500 Laser- Cast 405gr bullets waiting for the right 458 Win mag to come along...

I'm using Mike's bullet at pretty much full tilt boogie, accuracy is quite good and cleanup is actually easier than with jacketed bullets.

Guess I could try some lighter loads, but that's not why I bought a Lott. Cast bullets give me the abillity to shoot without paying a buck a bullet.

With a #1 in .458 Lott you could mimic loads for everyting from .45 Colt to past "ouch" levels.

I have had excellent luck shooting 430 grain gas checked .458 cast bullets and 41gr of 5744. Accuracy is astounding at less than 1moa @100yrds. The damn thing is just fun to shoot at that level. Ruger 77 rsm. Use 215 caps and get ready for 1660f/s w/ single digit extreme spreads as well as SDs. Dr.C

Cast slugs work great in the .458's. I haven't had a leading issue in mine. Still, I tend to use jacketed slugs for the heavy hitters and use the cheap cast ones for lighter loads.

quote:

Originally posted by doccash:
I have had excellent luck shooting 430 grain gas checked .458 cast bullets and 41gr of 5744. Accuracy is astounding at less than 1moa @100yrds. The damn thing is just fun to shoot at that level. Ruger 77 rsm. Use 215 caps and get ready for 1660f/s w/ single digit extreme spreads as well as SDs. Dr.C

doccash,

What is the bullet mould number?Lyman,RCBS,Hensley &Gibbs,Lee ?

Also,I have some sr4759 powder on hand which is similar in application to 5744.Have you tried it?

Thanks,ray

Another good plinker is the .458 155g collarbutton. I shoot it outa my 45-70 w/ 14g of Bluedot. You can buy those collarbuttons from Western Bullet Company in Missoula, Mt. I've killed wabbits, gophers and feral cats w/ em' out to a hundred yards.

ray m,

Laser-Cast offers a 430gr GC bullet that is 24 Bhn. I have run them out the muzzle in a 45-120 at over 2100fps without any signs of leading.

Rich
DRSS

I'm glad to hear all you guy's have had such great luck with the cast bullets in your .458's.

I have not done so well. My rifle shoots a one inch or better group at 100 yds with a 500 gr Hornady but it will not even stabilize a 500 gr hard cast.

I tried at least 6 or 7 differant cast bullets in my .458 from 400 gr. to 560 gr. none would stableize.

I finally had success with a 350gr gas check and the groups went back down to ragged holes.

My rifle has a 1 in 22 twist and I realize this is proably the reason for the larger bullets not stableizing but why then dose it shoot the 500 gr Hornady. Can someone explain this to me.

Akshooter: Tell us more about your rifle. A 1:22 twist is even slow by black powder cartridge standards, as most Sharps and otehr .45 caliber BPC rifles now come with a 1:18 twist standard. The twist for the .458 Win Mag and Lott is 1:14.

Bill/Oregon

Custom VZ24. Stock by Charley Coffin, Metal work by Larry brace, hand cut barrel bt Bob West.

I don't know what else to tell you about it. Most of these guys except Charley are or were Oregon lolcals so maybe you know them or someone else who dose.

raym: The bullets were Lasercast 430 gc. I have not shot 4759 in the Lott, but have in the .45-90. I had such great sucess w/ 5744 in the Lott I see no reason to try 4759. However, I do think it can be used to a good advantage. Dr.C