Which Cast Bullets for a Rio Grande 45.70

[Jacko]

G/Day Folks, I have a 45.70 Rio Grande on Layby. My local Gunshop is out of stock at present and it's looking like a month before they have any in Stock. I dropped my deposit on the strength of a close look at a Rifle that was already sold. Add to that an approx waiting time for my "Permit To Accuire" my new Rifle is 13 weeks at a minimum [ we have insane Firearms laws here in Australia ] it will be June / July before I get my Rifle, plenty of time to gather the gear I need to shoot a 45.70 cheaply.

I already have plenty of once fired Brass and around 100 Rounds loaded with 300 gr JHP and 405 gr JSP and a 250 pkt of 500 gr commercial hardcast Proj a mate gave me. From what I just read in Ranchdogs post the 500 gr Proj have bucklys chance of chambering in a Rio Grande. All I need other than my Rifle is a set of Dies and a couple of suitable Cast Bullet Moulds. These are mid range handloads that he was shooting from a Marlin 1895 before he sold it.

I have been Casting for my .357 and .44 Mags for a fair while now and was considering the 350 gr Mould for the 45.70 but again after reading Ranchdogs post it appears these will not chamber without a bit of a struggle. I am willing if absolutely necessary to spend another $100 and buy a throating Reamer. The only Gunsmith in this neck of the woods to have a suitable reamer for this Job charges like a wounded Bull and it is far cheaper to buy my own for the one use.

Jacketed Proj here are $1 each, maybe 80 Cents on special and just too expensive. I have access to as many wheel weights as I can Cast so once the Jacketed proj I have are shot, thats it - I will be shooting Cast from this Rifle

Does anyone out there shoot their own Cast Proj from their Rio Grande 45.70 and what Mould are you using ?? Thanks for your reply's in advance

regards Jacko

[Ranch Dog]

Jacko,

Still waiting on the reamer. If throating is as easy as Pacific Tool says it is, I will be providing the tool as a loaner through my store with only a minimum charge and deposit.

My TLC460-300-RF has proven itself a full length possibility in the RG, more on that in store soon.

All typos courtesy of DROIDX!

[Jacko]

Thanks for the reply Ranchdog. A 300 gr proj would prove ideal for the majority of my Hunting and for Range work, I'll keep an Eye on your Website.

However I bought the 45.70 for a meaningfull step up in power over my other Rifles. This Rio Grande fullfills my desire for a Scrub Bull / Asiatic Buffalo Rifle and as such I really would like to shoot heavier Cast Proj from it. At the time I bought this Rifle I was not aware of the limitations of the Rossi chamber. Still would have bought it, they are half the price of an 1895 Marlin and based on my experience with my Rossi M92 if the Rio Grande proves half the Rifle it is I'll be very happy

Will keep your offer of the reamer in mind but postage / insurance bothways being what it is nowadays there is not much in it. I have some thinking to do

regards Jacko

[Barry in IN]

What are the bores slugging on Rio Grandes? Just wondering. My old and current Marlins were both .460".

And yes, shipping to that part of the world can get a bit expensive. An Australian friend recently asked me to locate some books he couldn't find over there. I gathered them up, took them to the post office, and they cost more to send than to buy.

[Ranch Dog]

What are the bores slugging on Rio Grandes? Just wondering. My old and current Marlins were both .460".

.445" bore and .457" groove.

[Barry in IN]

Wow, .457. I've heard rumors of .45 cal rifles with bores at .457-.458 but was beginning to think it was only rumor. Pretty soon I'll find a .44 with a .429 bore and maybe, just maybe, a 9mm at .355".