Shrink,

Your already using gas checks which will help prevent leading at higher velocities and thats a good thing. Another thing you need to do is use the right size bullet for your bore. Slug your barrel and get a good reading of your groove diameter and order bullets .001 to .002 over groove diameter. Then take your time and don't get to frustrated while developing your loads. I load cast bullets for five different lever actions and they're a blast to shoot.

Shrink

I'm working on the same rifle and caliber.

I'm using a 350 grain cast bullet design of my own, made by Mountain Molds. What I used as a starting place was the loads by Hornady for the 400 grain bullet. Then I've picked up some loads from other people, online, working on loads for the 405.

So far I've used used IMR 4198 and IMR 4895. When I get a larger supply of Re-7 and a 4 pound canister of IMR 3031 I'll be working with these also.

The moderate loads using IMR 4198 seem to be accurate and don't beat you up.

Jim







The elevation needed to be to be adjusted as you can see.







My cast bullets and the Hornady jacketed bullet.

Howdy Wayne-

I have no specific experience with the .405 WCF. However, loading CB's over smokeless is not hard. Your basic approach is good as far as starting low and working up. One hint - if you can at all muster the means to do your loading at the range - it is a huge time saver. Go with your brass all sized, expanded, and primed before you get there; then dump powder, seat bullets, and crimp at the range. Easy to change powders and charge weights and determine if you're on the right track or not.

Ken Waters "PET LOADS" loading manual includes the following powders for the .405:

H-322
H-4895
IMR-3031
IMR-4198
IMR-4320
IMR-4895
RL-7

From these you can get a general idea of the other newer powders that may be also be suitable based on their burning ranges.

You commented that 2300 fps may be the upper limit for CB's... Maybe. While other folks are able to push them to those velocities (at least in other calibers) - I think it's a very tricky proposition. I'll hazard a guess that you may be better limiting it to 2100fps or below in terms of accuracy and consistency over a broader range of shooting conditions. (temps, lubes, alloy hardness, etc.)

Good luck with your project - I'm envious!

Best regards-

Sky C.