Lee 215 SWC

[Lizard333]

I have recently bought this mold and I am having some issues with it. This is NOT a GC'd design, but all that data that pertains to this weight is on a GC'd boolet. I am getting leading when I push this round to same speads as the Gas Check design. I got this mold so I shoot a light load in 44 Redhawk for the wife to shoot, without the expense of adding a GC. Does anyone have some ideas for light loading (plinking) for this design.

Before you ask, I have shot many a load GC and not through my gun with this alloy and size.

WW alloy
Sized to .430
Carnuba Red Lube.

Thanks!!!

[MT Gianni]

I would substitute medium plinking data for a 240 gr boolit. You are then 10% lighter and picking a medium range load from the powders that you have will allow you to tweak it up or down,

[paul edward]

Been using this mold for many years for light loads in 44 Magnum and Special. Favorite load is 8 grains Unique.

These boolits drop from my mold at about 218 grains.

[kbstenberg]

Lizard If your bullets are sized to the gun an getting leading.
A question first. At lower velosity are you getting leading also? If you are there must be some problem between that bullet an the gun. If there is no leading at lower velosities I would think that you would have to increase the hardness of your bullets.
I just thought could your bullets be to hard an not fitting the barrel cylinders properly? Not Obturating (Sp).
Just my 2 cents

[Lizard333]

I didn't get any leading with other rounds at lower velocities. I currently load a RN 240 gn and get no leading but I'm only pushing it to about 950fps.

Looks like I might be buying some unique. I don't like how dirty that powder is but if that's what I need, I guess it's what I need.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I shoot that same boolit in my Smith 4 screw 44 mag. I like 7 grains of unique a very mild load and no leading your wife will love it. It's like shooting a 38 specials in a heavy revolver.
Sorry about that it is a 4 screw not a 5 screw.

[fecmech]

I load 7 grs/231 or same in Green Dot with that bullet. Runs around 900 fps out of my SBH and very accurate.

[jerryv]

I load 6gr trailboss in the 44 special and the 41 magnum and am satisfied

[x101airborne]

Blue dot, Trail Boss, Unique, are all good. Also I have had real good luck recently with IMR 4229 in the 44 special and a 2 inch barrel bulldog. SUPERB grouping, low recoil, no smoke / blackening, etc. It is my go to powder with Jim's custom swaged wadcutters.

[Lizard333]

Took a while to test my load but I finally got out today to put some lead down the barrel of my 44 redhawk. I loaded up the lee 215 gn boolits with 8.0 gns of unique, with an OAL of 1.580 and got excellent results. I had zero leading and was very happy with the accuracy. I think the wife will enjoy shooting this load. Thanks for the help here guys. You rock!

[Recluse]

Took a while to test my load but I finally got out today to put some lead down the barrel of my 44 redhawk. I loaded up the lee 215 gn boolits with 8.0 gns of unique, with an OAL of 1.580 and got excellent results. I had zero leading and was very happy with the accuracy. I think the wife will enjoy shooting this load. Thanks for the help here guys. You rock!

Glad it's working out for you.

I have that mold and love the boolit for my .44 Special loads.

Back when I first started reloading, Unique was made by Hercules powders and was widely considered not just a dirty powder, but an absolutely filthy one. I despised it, especially for revolver loads.

I still have a can of it from Hercules that is well over thirty years old.

However, the new (Alliant) Unique is a LOT cleaner, but even better for that boolit, caliber and load combination is AA#5. I'm running the AA#5 with that boolit through my S&W Model 29 with scary accuracy and zero leading. My lube is a custom blend, but it's not the lube so much as it is the combination of fit and charge.

I use standard wheelweight alloy for this boolit and do not water quench or heat treat.

:coffee:

[Larry Gibson]

With 215 gr PB'd commercial cast bullets I load them over 6 gr Bullseye for 950 fps or so out of my 6 & 6.5" barreled .44 Magnums. Accuracy is as good as it gets with such a commercial cast bullet. No leading but I relube them with Javelina or TL in LLA.

Larry Gibson