Yep, that load data is a bit dated. I would substitute Hodgdon's BENCHMARK, grain for grain, for that antique IMR-3031. For nostalgia's sake, BLACK POWDER ! Reminds me that I am going to switch to casting in soft alloy for paper-patched and BP loads for the .45-98 Sharps Belted, aka .458 WM+. Ross Seyfried said that for Lead & Tin mixes, 40:1 is the softest and 20:1 is the hardest that worked well in his .461 Gibbs No. 2 with a 570-gr paper-patched. He said that one time he sucked a case neck down the bore by trying too-soft, pure lead.
The .461 Gibbs rifles were chambered with tight necks. The actual bore diameter of the rifles was .461", and grooves were ,472". The greatest bullet diameter that can be loaded in the .461 Gibbs No. 2 case and still be able to chamber the round is .461" to .462". So, the paper-patched lead slicks were about .453" diameter, patched up to .461" diameter including patch. The rear third of the bullet obturated into the rifling, and the front two thirds of the paper-wrapped bullet rode the bore diameter. It worked well in that Metford rifling with a bit of gain twist, might have gone from 1:22" at breech end to 1:18" at muzzle end of barrel. Hence I shall try a soft lead slick of .442" diameter/ 530-gr weight patched up to bore diameter of .450" in the .45-98 Sharps Belted. Big Blue is the other side of that brass, 2-cavity mould, so it will get cast in 20:1 also, which should still be pretty close to 579 grains. BP for the paper-patched, Blackhorn 209 for Big Blue the FNGC with PC paint.
I have seen clip-on wheel weights rated at 10 to 12 BHN. I am leery of relying on wheel weights since I am not sitting on a big pile of them, and can't know the composition of COWW I might scratch up. I will scratch up some certified Lead/Tin mixes instead, for consistency.
As for my newest dynamic duo of 485-grainers with GC and PC paint: Hard ball alloy and smokeless powders all the way Recreate the original 450 NE 3-1/4 Inch ballistics with those.
Ron aka "Rip" for Riflecrank Internationale Permanente NRA Life Benefactor and Beneficiary .458 Winchester Magnum, Magnanimous in Victory THE WALKING DEAD does so remind me of Democrap voters. Donkeypox.
