Lee TL430-240-SWC and Ruger Blackhawk Flat-top .44 Magnum 50th Anniversary Model

[Southern Shooter]

I am looking for experiences and opinions concerning the combination of the tumble lube mold Lee TL430-240-SWC and the Ruger Blackhawk Flat-top .44 Magnum 50th Anniversary Model with a 1 in 20" twist rate.

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-DC-TL430-240SWC.html

Among the things I am interested in learning about are:

Leading issues?
Powder loads?
Velocities?
Accuracy?
Etc., Etc.

Thanks

[Larry Gibson]

I use that bullet for my .44 special loads loaded in .44 special cases (I've accumulated 500+ over the years) in my 50th Aniiversary FTBH. I cast them with a 6 cavity mould out of range recovered lead + 2% tin or WWs + 2 % tin. I do not go to great lengths sorting these bullets. I only look for no wrinkles. I size them at .430 in my Lyman 450 and lube with Javelina or BAC. I have run a test with LLA and pushed through the Lee .430 sizer with equal results. I load them over 5 gr Bullseye in Special cases with WLPs on a Dillon SDB press.
Velocity is right at 800 fps. BTW; 5.5 gr Bullseye is pretty much the same load in a Magnum case.

Accuracy is sub 2" (12 shots; twice around the cylinder) at 25 yards with sand bag rest and sub 1.5" if I really bear down. My eyes aren't what the used to be with iron sights these days and I'm sure I could have done better several years back. I'm going to put a Burris Fast Fire II on my FTBH as I have on my .41 Bisley.

I've not pushed them harder as I got this mould for this purpose (.44 Special loads). They shoot equally well out of my 4" Colt Anaconda and 6" Hawes Western Marshall. Out of my 8.4" Contender barrel with a scope on it the shoot 2 -3" at 50 yards. That's the extent of my experience with this bullet as I use a Keith or Thompson cast bullet for medium and magnum level loads.

Larry Gibson

[Maven]

Southern Shooter, Look at this thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=108129. Also, as Larry mentioned, 5.5gr. Bullseye will work as will 7.5 - 8.0gr. Unique with the Lee TL-SWC in your SBH.

[targetshootr]

That model is one of my best shooters. As long as you use some kind of lube and size them right, hard to go wrong.

[44man]

The boolit should do fine but personally, I would use a good lube like I would use on a regular boolit.

[blackpowder man]

I size them .432 for 2 SBHs and they shoot great. Dad likes 6.0 grains of Unique in special cases in his 4 5/8" and I run 8.5 in magnum cases in my 7.5". 6.5 grains of unique is an accurate plinking load in mag cases as well. My 92 rossi and S&W 621 also like this bullet.