44 Rem Mag Beginner Bullets

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Bongo Boy posted this 13 January 2015

I'd like some recommendations if you don't mind. I don't own a revolver and never have, but I soon will, if things go according to plan. I'm gonna need to pour projectiles pronto. I've had very good experiences with Accurate and MP molds, gas checks aren't something that I want to get in to or that make sense to mel for revolvers, I lube with an RCBS lubrisizer and don't care for the look or concept of tumble-lube. I don't hunt and never will, and enjoy punching nice holes with round-nose flat points in the 45. I have well over a  1/2 ton of lead on the garage floor, so don't mind heavier bullets. My experience is these are easy-shooting anyway, relative to lighter ones. So, with that introduction, I'm really looking for a recommendation for a bullet yo629-5u think can be loaded up to say a '7' or '8' on the scale of decent 44 Mag loads in terms of manliness, still be accurate using #7, #9, 800X, or 2400, yet not be so heavy as to waste lead given I'm going to be range shooting most of this. Right now mihec appears to have nothing, so Accurate is where I'm looking.

With absolutely no experience yet, I'm looking at something about 240 gr, roughly, with a round nose flat point profile. I like to load bullets that I find attractive, and in cast bullets I find 'ball' style and wadcutters the least appealing.

I'm currently all over the board in a way regaring what I'll be shooting these magic bullets in, and while I know it's a little silly to ask for recommendations without even hinting at the gun they'll be fired in, I can't narrow it down much. It will be something like a 629 4” to 8". The list of most likely firearms in order of decreasing likeliness are 629 'Hunter' 7-8” (depending on how many $1000 of dollars someone is willing to subsidize me), down to the shortest option which is something like a 4” 629 of some sort. All of these quirky desires can be easily overridden by “mold can actually be purchased now". I need to be casting. Life is short, and lead is going up.

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onondaga posted this 13 January 2015

http://castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=3348>Bongo Boy

Due to your lot of lead and wanting to jump into high volume casting for the .44 Mag,  my first recommndation is the 6 cavity Lee TL430-240-SWC :

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/656156/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-tl430-240-swc-44-special-44-remington-magnum-44-40-wcf-430-diameter-240-grain-tumble-lube-semi-wadcutter?cm_vc=ProductFinding>http://www.midwayusa.com/product/656156/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-tl430-240-swc-44-special-44-remington-magnum-44-40-wcf-430-diameter-240-grain-tumble-lube-semi-wadcutter?cmvc=ProductFinding

The Lee 6 cavity molds are made by their best machinists and are wonderful quality. I have been casting bullets since 1958  but just started with the 6 cavity casting a few years ago. They are easy to learn on if you watch YouTube videos on using them as I did.

I have used this bullet in .44 Mag and loved it for accuracy just simply cast in Wheel Weight alloy, tumble lubed and loaded without sizing.

The Lee 6 cavity is $39.99 and

handles are $12.99:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/117892/lee-commercial-bullet-mold-handles-for-6-cavity-lee-bullet-molds>http://www.midwayusa.com/product/117892/lee-commercial-bullet-mold-handles-for-6-cavity-lee-bullet-molds

You don't need to make it harder of more expensive than needed, That is what I recommend. Lee has a total of 5 different 6 cavity molds for .44 Mag, but the one I recommended  specifies that bullets drop .430", the others drop .429".

Gary

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R. Dupraz posted this 13 January 2015

Bongo Boy:   From the FWIW department.   The revolver has been my first love since I bought the first one some time in the early sixties. Back in the day when I was bullet proof and the only MO was full throttle, including a 68 Camaro. A fair number have passed through since then including several 44 mags. However most are gone now save for a 44 special that still gets used quite often.   So, to the point of all this. The most important thing for accuracy  in a revolver is the diameter of the chamber mouths and their relationship  to the groove diameter of the barrel. This can  be determined only after you get your wheel gun. There is lots of info in the archives on this by just using the search button.    There is a vast array of mold designs for the 44 mag. but all I have ever used is the 240 grn. FPSWC. So basically it really depends on what you chose and your intended purpose. Because all my HG shooting is just for the fun of it any more, I used nothing but plain base. No need for GC's. Suits my MO just fine.   The 4 5/8” barreled 44 special is loaded with an RCBS PB 246 grn. SWC that just so happens to fit this revolver as cast and  lubed with thinned liquid Alox. This relatively mild load will repeatedly hit the 150 yd full sized steel turkeys on our lever action silhouette range when I am up to the task. Serves my intended purpose just fine.   So, there are lots of choices and it's up to you.  Good luck.  

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Bongo Boy posted this 13 January 2015

Thanks very much for the recommendation, Gary. I've got a 1/2 dozen of the Lee 6-cavity molds in .45 and .40 and have been very happy with them (unless I get them too hot and they get sticky--that's my fault not a fault of the mold).

In rummaging thru the internet on the topic I just ran across a little article (Chuck Hawks) where he says “Actually, in any magnum handgun caliber, it is best to forgo lead bullets.", but he doesn't go on to elaborate. I assume this is based on a leading complaint, since that's the only routine complaint I see with regard to lead bullets.

Now, for my own experience limited to 40SW, 10mm and 45ACP, leading has never been a 'problem' even in those rare cases where I've noticed it. But these calibers don't compare to 44 Mag, I understand.

I just wonder if anyone has any input on why they would forgo cast in 44 Mag. This may not be the right forum to ask about 'forgoing' cast bullets, eh? :D

With regard to bullet diameter and the actual gun measurements, thanks for that RD--just finished reading what may very well have been your comments over on Cast Bullets, and it seems things are not quite so simple now. What's always baffled me a little bit is how folks actually deal with the fact that their slug measurements indicate the need for, say, a .430” bullet, for example. It seems to me in general you have molds available in “this size” and sizing dies available in “that size", and there are your choices. I mean, unless you have stuff custom made.

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R. Dupraz posted this 13 January 2015

"In rummaging thru the internet on the topic I just ran across a little article (Chuck Hawks) where he says “Actually, in any magnum handgun caliber, it is best to forgo lead bullets.", but he doesn't go on to elaborate. I assume this is based on a leading complaint, since that's the only routine complaint I see with regard to lead bullets.”     While I have not read Hawk's  article, from my experience, I have no idea why he made that statement without any elaborating. I have shot cast loads from wild to mild in 44 and 357 mags  without any leading or problems. This of course was when the alloy and fit were right.  And using GC's when pushing velocity.      Either he was just repeating what had been written regarding the .357 mag when it was first introduced back when, or doesn't have an understanding of what it takes to shoot lead bullets in a HG. Initially they were trying to shoot PB lead bullets in the 357 like jacketed, too fast.     Check out the writings of Elmer Keith, Ross SeyFried and Skeeter Skelton.        

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corerf posted this 13 January 2015

Get a 310gr lee fpgc mold and don't look back. Also get a lyman 240gr swc Keith mold and again don't look back.

You have a heavy which will typically outshoot anything ever developed, and a Keith which is...... A Keith. Every need you have will be satisfied by these two molds. Load down, load up..... Make sure the Keith is plain based. You'll be a happy shooter. This is from experience.

I only shoot jacketed in a 44 so I can see what my baseline accuracy is. I do it once from a bench rest. Then I'm done. Cast have been every bit as accurate as jacketed in a freedom arms, Ruger super rh, Ruger bh hunter and shooting some 44 mag to break in a 445 sm barrel single shot. Vs factory jacketed, my cast hand loads have been more accurate more than half the time, even in development

Leading has been mostly miss, not hit. Push plain based too hard and I get a bit. But that's my fault. With gas checks, I can eat off the surfaces. I prefer slow powders, unlike many members. Recoil is not bothersome, although I expect as I age and arms deteriorate (expected due to genetics), my mind will change. This may be why I have little leading to contend with and any leading found, no brush is used to remove. Simply eds red, jag and patch. Maybe a tiny bit of 0000 wool if it's stuck in a difficult spot.

I have a good supply of IMI Israeli 44 mag 240 jsp, like 500 rounds. That's an end of days supply. They can sit and rot. I won't shoot jacketed. It's just wasteful and they are devoid of penetration compared to the lee 310.

That's a few highlights of my 44 mag experience. Dale turned me on to that lee, I think he drew the thing up if I recall. His posts are valuable in this regard. Maybe do a search on dale. His handle was/is dale53 I think. The lee is a 100 yard bullet from short barrels. It has a following for a reason.

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onondaga posted this 13 January 2015

http://castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=3348>Bongo Boy

That is great you have experience with 6 cavity mold casting.  The Tumble lube design from Lee I recommended generally is big enough for most .44 Mags. They usually chamber with a little slide feel on the way in and that is a good fit.

The Lee Liquid Alox works fine but I prefer the commercial 45:45:10 Deluxe from White Label. I consider it a big improvement over LLA. I warm the lube and bullets before tumble and it dries clear and tack free in 5 minutes. one quart at $15 lasts about forever also. Here is where I get it:

http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?mainpage=productinfo&cPath=2&productsid=31&zenid=3f0e932e1ed6eb371387d998bc72059e

Gary

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Tom Acheson posted this 13 January 2015

Don't own a .44 revolver, too many .41's, but I have a Lyman 429244, 255-grain gas check mould that I use to make for a friend's Ruger Super Blackhawk. He likes those bullets and shoots a lot of them. He uses WW 296 so maybe he is at the velocity level where the gas check is needed, not sure.

Tom

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R. Dupraz posted this 13 January 2015

That Lyman 429244 was the second mold that I ever bought years ago and was for my 44's.  Mine is a four cavity GC and have intentions of sending it off to have two cavities modified to PB.    Haven't gotten around to it yet.

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tturner53 posted this 13 January 2015

There's so many good .44 molds it's hard to pick one. I do really like that Lee 310 grainer. Loaded up it's a handful and will stop a train.

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corerf posted this 13 January 2015

Tim, yes it will.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 14 January 2015

ditto on the lee 310 gr. makes a short 45-70 out of a belly gun if you put a big gulp of h110 in there ... also most accurate of several i tried.

thru the mirror, i have a 1956 herter's 240 gr that does nothing right, including accuracy ... guess some designs really are better than others ...

ken

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Ed Harris posted this 14 January 2015

I have found it difficult to get a good zero with standard factory sights with bullets heavier than about 260 grains in the .44 Mag. I use mostly the Accurate 43-230G with 7.2 grains of Bullseye in both. 44-40 and .44 Magnum, pleasant and accurate. Powerful enough.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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delmarskid1 posted this 15 January 2015

I'm liking the Seaco 260 flat point round nose over 8 to 10g of AA no.5. We like our new Hornady progressive here. Accurate molds has a few designs like this.

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Bongo Boy posted this 15 January 2015

Well guys, you know how the young'ns are...they may ask for your advice but they're just grinnin' ya. Seriously, I felt I had to make a choice in a hurry (which truthfully is complete BS), and I chose a much lighter bullet--a 240 in fact. Some day I will likely grow to learn about the benefits of the heavier ones.

I chose a bullet that has some mass up front, allows a bit of case capacity after seated, and has something on the nose to ride the barrel. Couldn't live with a tumble lube design, and wanted a fairly blunt, flat nose. We'll see how it goes.

Looks like this:

http://s182.photobucket.com/user/Bongo_Boy/media/43-240E_zpsa59b4eb2.jpg.html>

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delmarskid1 posted this 16 January 2015

I looked at self same bullet. I'm using the AA5 because I have a jug full. 800X has been used in the .44. I think the numbers looked pretty good.

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oscarflytyer posted this 16 January 2015

I like SWCs for my revolvers and 1911. Had/loaded cast for 3 SBHs over past 25+ yrs. Currently shooting a BH flattop in 44 SPC. Only bullet I have used that I like and always go back to is the Keith 429421. THE reason I finally started casting myself is because I couldn't buy the 429421 the way I wanted it. I have MiHecs 429412 mold. Second one I ever bought and love it.

If I were going with only one bullet for the 44 Mag, it would be a 429421 and shoot 2400 and be done. Always worked great for me.

PS - only 44 that wouldn't shoot the 429421 was a Ruger Redhawk. Reason I got rid of it. Many years later found out it was because Ruger made forcing cone and bbl mismatch in size. OK - never really cared for it anyway! Much fonder of the BH/SBH - I love the SAs!

PSS - If/when you get a 44, If you want some bullets to try, happy to send you a few of the 429421s I cast.  They are tumble lubed with 45/45/10, or catch me and I can send you some naked.  Cast of WW + 2% tin.  Push mine up to ~1000 no prob.  Also have a Lee RNFP FB that is supposed to be 200, but my mold drops WW + 2% at 217 grn.  I sue 220 grn data.  Again, welcome to some of those to try also.  I don't push them as fast as the 429421

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Bud Hyett posted this 16 January 2015

Many years go, there was an used Ohaus three-cavity copy of the Keith 240 grain SWC at a good price at the Monroe Gun Show and it went home with me. It casts at .431 with wheel-weight metal and shoots well with 8.8 grains of Unique for a medium load or 18.0 grains of 2400 for a heavier load.

I think your choice of a mold is similar and should provide a good bullet. I've got three Super Black Hawks and a Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum, this bullet and these loads work well in all of them.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Bongo Boy posted this 16 January 2015

Oh my goodness things just busted loose at Starline and they're actually taking orders for 44 Mag brass once again. Life is good.

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joeb33050 posted this 16 January 2015

There's the easy way, and the hard way.You can spend the money and time, and make the same mistakes we all made fooling around with custom molds and powders made in Transylvania. And lubes based on yak fat.Or, you can get a Lyman 2 cavity 429421, cast them out of anything that melts, size as little as possible, any reasonable lube, use 9 grains of Unique 98.7% of the time and 2400 when you're going to shoot a moose.The choice is yours.

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Bongo Boy posted this 16 January 2015

I'd like to wait for the 4-cavity to become available but, yes, that's definitely sounding like a proven bullet no question. As for lubes, I've only tried maybe 3 or 4 at the most, with Jake's Purple Ceresin being The One. Seems to work wonderfully for everything I've loaded (so far), and it's been a big favorite in no small part because it stays put.

The problem with powders is, obviously, there aren't any to be had. I'm still amazed--I can buy primers by the 1000s, brass and bullets by the ton...but no powder. It's hard to understand that, with all the time that's passed since the last crisis, supply can't put powder on the shelves for even a day. Crimping

This will be my first-ever roll crimp and I see my first-ever negative review of the Lee Factory Crimp die--reviewer says not so good for cast bullet crimping due to being overly 'aggressive'. Imagine also my surprise to get my set of dies for 44 Mag and the set of 3 doesn't include a crimp die...should have read a bit more carefully. Any recommendations for a crimp die--and especially one that will work well for both lead and jacketed, if possible? I'd prefer a die that just crimps, doesn't seat, size, decap, load powder, give me a warning or try to make me espresso.

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