I have an unusual rifle. It's a 71/84 Mauser action with an 86 Winchester barrel screwed into it. It's bedded in a 98 mauser stock so there is no magazine making it a single shot. It's chambered in 45/70 and the bore is bright and sharp. The problem is it slugged out to .462 and I can't find a bullet to fit it. Any suggestions?
I plan on loading black powder loads for this old action but think it could handle trap door smokeless loads. I've in trouble thinking before so anybody want to back me up?
If it proves to be a decent shooter I want to restock it and fit a tube mag and return it to a repeater. Are stocks still made to fit the 71/84? I have'nt been able to find any.
Steve, I've never done it so I don't have experience, but there was an excellent article in Handloader Magazine about paper patching bullets that are under bore. They had the specs for the paper and the technique all explained in detail. It's as simple as cutting a tapered end strip of paper and rolling it around the bullet. You can patch .308 to use in a 303 British (which is .312) or even .308 up to 8mm (which is .323) for example. That would be an increase of .015, even more than you need. They wrote mostly about larger caliber bullets like yours. They claimed that this process really helps accuracy without a lot of trouble.
You might also try a soft cast hollow base bullet to see if it would bump up to fill the grooves. I know some guys use that technique in revolvers with tight throats and loose bores. RD
____________________ "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~
Thanks Rocky! That sounds like a good fix. I remeber a book a friend of mine had. I think the tiltle was "The paperpatched bullet" or some such. I hope he can dig it out of his "filing system." His is almost as bad as mine. I leafed through it back then and thought it looked like alot of work but what the heck. What ever works.
Where did you find such a conglomeration? It sounds very interesting. Do you think the original magazine system can be refitted to it? The paper patched bullet process also seems very interesting to me. I know that a lot of the Shutzen rifles from the 19th century used paper patched bullets and achieved excellent accuracy.
Please keep us updated on the project as it seem intrigueing.
Try Lee's 405 grain hollow base mold. It is designed to bump up on firing. You could also lap out a mold, to increase it a couple of thousandths, or apply metal duct tape to the mold faces to increase diameter slightly.
____________________ "You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas" David Crockett (and probably George Bush)
The paper patch article is in Handloader #220 December 2002. You can usually get back issues from Wolfe Publishing. It's a very detailed article and doesn't seem like all that much work. If you can't get it PM me and I'll see if I can copy it clearly enough to send it to you. RD
____________________ "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~
Check the major brand mold producers. They usually have oversized molds available for slightly higher prices. Here is Midway's stuff: http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse
These cast a 458-480 bullet. Use pure lead and it should "bump up" to the bore.
Check the major brand mold producers. They usually have oversized molds available for slightly higher prices. Here is Midway's stuff: http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse
These cast a 458-480 bullet. Use pure lead and it should "bump up" to the bore.
You can go here and design your own mold. I'm thinking of getting one of his super heavyweight molds for my Magnum Research BFR in .500 S&W. The only disadvantage is the turn around time. Bill T.
Just a heads up. I have never ordered from Mountain MOlds, so I don't have any first hand knowledge of problems. Some folks on the cast boolit board have had some negative comments about him. You might search the archives and see what you can find.
____________________ "You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas" David Crockett (and probably George Bush)
What bothers me is his turn around time. 12 WEEKS??? At 40 hours a week thats a 480 hour backlog. It can't possibly take him more than 5 to 6 hours to cut one if he's properly set up. Most likely 2 or 3 hours tops. Thats a lot of molds! I'm having a hard time believing he's that busy. Bill T.
Well, I was trying to post a link to another site, but if you'll go over to the CBA.org website (cast bullet association) and find the forum, scorll down to the "bullet moulds" topic and you'll see a thread with the title, "ask Veral" and there's an explanation from Veral Smith on how to make a mould cast bigger bullets without lapping or doing any kind of irreversable modifications.
____________________ As long as there is lead in the air, there's hope.
Steve;
The Lee 405gr HB will expand quite a bit if you use pure lead.
I have modified several molds to increase the size by making simple reamers to increase the diameter of the driving bands, simple to do with the reamers, can be done with a pair of gas pliers, if you are dexterous, and is a cinch if you have access to a drill press, do not even use power.
The most I have opened a mold was a .450 to .460.
If you want to get an aluminum mold and let me know what mold it is, I can send you a reamer to take it to whatever diameter you need, usually .002 over groove diameter.
Don
That sounds cool Don. I've got a couple of Lee moulds. The trouble is I need to dig them out. I'm inbetween moves right now and my normal "fileing" system is even worse than normal. I'm going to try and attach a pic of my beast.
, but if you'll go over to the CBA.org website (cast bullet association) and find the forum, scorll down to the "bullet moulds" topic and you'll see a thread with the title, "ask Veral" and there's an explanation from Veral Smith on how to make a mould cast bigger bullets without lapping or doing any kind of irreversable modifications. 
