Hi y'all,

I posted this in 'cast bullets' as well BP .45-70 for G2 , but so far haven't gotten the answer that I was looking for yet.

I have a Contender G2 with a 23" .45-70 barrel, and having a hard time to find the right bullet mold for a 500gr bullet to be used with blackpowder.

I have used Redding blocks, which gave a 520gr bullet...unfortunately that bullet won't chamber anymore even in a moderately fouled barrel.
Does anyone of you guys have a good experience with another bullet of similar weight?

Max,

A little more information would really help with an answer. I currently shoot two very different .45-70's with black powder.

One is set up for match shooting (NRA silhouette), and I use both the Redding-SAECO 745 and the RCBS 500 BPS bullets in it. The Redding bullet is more of a bore-rider, and must be a close fit to get good accuracy. For long strings (15 shots or so) you must either wipe the bore between shots, or use a blow-tube to keep the fouling soft, or the bore will "foul out" and accuracy will go to hell in just a few shots. With proper fouling control (blow-tube or wiping), you can shoot all day without any degradation of accuracy.

The other rifle is set up for hunting, again with a .45-70 chamber, and black powder. In this one I use an RCBS 405 gr. flat-point bullet (my mould has been modified to cast a plain base, no gas-check bullet), and Lyman makes a very similar mould as well. This is not a bore-riding design, and chambers easily in even a fouled bore. As long as you wipe the bore every 3 or 4 shots, accuracy isn't too bad...plenty good enough for deer hunting to 150 yards or so. However, don't expect to be able to shoot long strings without using some form of fouling control.

Be sure you are using a bullet lube that is designed for black powder...most smokeless lubes are no good for black powder loads. A good commercial black powder lube that is easy to find is SPG.

Last, why 500 grain bullets? Cast 300-400 grain flatpoints are easier on the shoulder in a light rifle like a Contender, and great killers on deer, hogs, elk, etc., as long as you pick your shots and don't stretch the distance.

Greg

The Redding bullet is -for me- not too heavy on the shoulder, and very accurate in my rifle. Unfortunately, I can only get off two shots, and the next cartridge won't chamber because of fouling. I would like to use it at longer ranges, maybe up to 300 yards. Heavy bullet=less winddrift, right?. Or is 300 yards just too far when using a barrel that's only 23 inches?

I load the bullets as-cast, and pan lube them with a 50/50 mix of beeswax and Molykote. Seems to me to be a good lube, although a bit messy in use. I use unsized cases, and just push the bullets in place: no crimp is used.

I have tried the RCBS 45-325 mould, but with pure lead it yields 340 grains bullets. These bullets chamber fine, even in a fouled bore. For shorter ranges they are ok though less accurate than the Redding. But I dare not use them beyond 100 yards or in heavy shrubs. Nice for target practice, but not for anything else.

Two questions: the RCBS 500 BPS is not a bore rider? And what is a blow-tube??

I think I'll be looking for that 405 grain RCBS mould...or rather the Lyman, if that one doesn't have the shank for the gascheck.

Max,

The RCBS 500 BPS has a much shorter bore ride section than the SAECO 745. It is also designed to have more of the bullet in the case (eats up a lot of case capacity). My match rifle is not throated (no freebore), so the max OAL I can load to for it is shorter than what I can feed the Browning. In my rifle, the RCBS bullet is consistently more accurate, so I put up with the reduced powder capacity. Neither of these bullets is really designed for hunting, however.

There are hundreds of formulas in circulation for black powder lubes...and just as many theories about what works best. Most have all natural ingredients, though a few use some sort of moly product.

Blow tubes are what match shooters came up with to help with fouling control. It is simply a case that fits your chamber, with the primer pocket drilled out and a piece of plastic tube attached to a soldered-on fitting. After the shot, slide the tube into the chamber, and exhale your breath into the barrel, 3 or more times, depending on the humidity. The fouling in the barrel will absorb the moisture in your breath, and soften to a point that the next round can be chambered...it's a good way to get the bore in the same condition from shot to shot. About the only other option is to wipe the bore between shots with a jag and damp (not wet) patch. Neither method is really practical for hunting.

Some folks use paper patched bullets that are bore diameter (for easy loading in a fouled barrel). They "bump up" when fired, and grip the rifling well...lots of old black powder military ammunition, as well as commercial hunting and target ammunition was loaded with paper patched bullets. My Browning, using the RCBS 405 grain bullet, will consistently shoot 2", 3-shot groups at 100 yards with iron sights. 3 shots is about all I can get before fouling needs to be dealt with.

Greg

PS..the .45-70 in the right rifle is a VERY capable target round to at least 600 yds (and used successfully by some folks out to 1000 yds)...but it is NOT a 300 yd hunting rifle. In your 23" barrel, I'd be suprised if you can push that SAECO bullet much over 1000fps with black powder.