.44mag & 444 and Lee molds

[7.62Man]

Hi all,

Anyone ever use the Lee 429-200-RF and Lee C430-310-RF for a 44 mag and 444 levergun (marlin both)? I am just wondering if they would work well in the leverguns (OAL ok?). I was planning to use the 200ish boolit for deer and the 310 for bear in the 44mag and the 300 in the 444 for moose.

[Johnch]

I helped a freind load up some C430-310-RF for his Marlin ,OAL works in his and my rifles
He used some top end loads and got good ( his words , have not seen the targets yeat ) groups out to 100 yds

I just got done loading/testing it in my Marlin 44 mag , I got some keyholing at 75 yards with moderate loads
But when I pushed it close to max , but then it shot quite well to my self imposed 125 yards for that rifle ( deer loads )
I could get sub 2" groups at 75 yards
Not great , but my eyes and iron sights don't work well togeather
I am going to retested the loads , when I installed a reddot on the rifle


I have never tryed the 200 gr bullet in the Marlin
So can't help you there
I normaly shoot a 250 gr bullet

John

[MT Gianni]

Lee 310 chambers and shoots in a Rossi Puma 92 44 Mag. It kicks like a mule also at 1650 fps. Gianni

[Newtire]

Hi all,

Anyone ever use the Lee 429-200-RF and Lee C430-310-RF for a 44 mag and 444 levergun (marlin both)? I am just wondering if they would work well in the leverguns (OAL ok?). I was planning to use the 200ish boolit for deer and the 310 for bear in the 44mag and the 300 in the 444 for moose.

That little 200 gr. RF is my favorite plinker load in the .444 Marlin I have. I use either 14 grains of BlueDot or 12 grains of Unique with equal great results. I seat it right in the crimp groove and it is accurate as all get out at 50 yds. No recoil to speak of either. I tried driving it faster but groups open up. A better boolit for more powerful loads is the Lyman 429244. I used the Lyman 429244 seated to 2.545" with either 20.5 gr. BlueDot or 23.5 gr. 2400. those loads are real tackdrivers-under 1" @ 50 yds. I have used up to 46 gr H-4198 with that bullet and no leading and accuracy out to about 1-1/2" at 50 yds.

The 300 grain Lee works well in my .444 also and real nice in .44 mag Ruger rifle I have. .444 makes 1" clusters at 50 yds.

I've used 45 gr. RX-7 and 41 grains H-4198 with the Lee 310RF in the .444. It kills at both ends!

I think a better all around bullet is the Ranch Dog Design at about 277 grains-maybe better for my rifling twist of 1-38". Both those Lee bullets work faboulous in the .444.

You will get alot of use out of either of those molds. I think I'd stick with the 245-250 gr SWC boolits at least for deer. I'm sure the 200 grainer would put the hurts to a deer but I haven't been able to push that one too hard-just real accurate at 50 yds. though.

[HCL]

The C430-310-RF cycles just fine and shoots great in my Marlin, would suggest pushing it hard for best results.
Mike

[dubber123]

You'll have to try the 310 Lee in your rifle, it WILL NOT work in my Marlin, which burns me to no end. The fix for the feeding problem is supposedly easy if encountered, but I really hate sending my guns away. Good luck.

[Newtire]

You'll have to try the 310 Lee in your rifle, it WILL NOT work in my Marlin, which burns me to no end. The fix for the feeding problem is supposedly easy if encountered, but I really hate sending my guns away. Good luck.

HI Dubber,

If it fits, it fits. If not then it don't I realize but just checking. I seat mine 2.500"OAL and they function perfect. Mine is the 444P.

[VTDW]

Try this website and e-mail Ranch Dog (one of our members) and he will get you set right up with all the info you need. He IS a Marlin man all the way.

www.ranchdogmolds.com

Dave

[rhead]

The Lee 310 will not feed in my Winchester 44 mag if seated in the top crimp groove but works fine seated in the bottom groove. It feeds fine seated long in a friends Winchester when seated long. There are no accuracy problems with either rifle using it. The lyman 250 swc also works well.

[richbug]

the 310 feed OK in my Marlin, maybe 1 round in 10 will require jiggling the lever to get it to drop down and line up with the chamber. This problem only presents itself when working the action quickly. They feed fine if you work it slowly.

The 200 feeds like greased lightning at any speed.

[JDL]

The Lee 430-310 works in my Marlin 1894 seated to the lower crimp groove( one closest to the base) and when pushed with H-110 shoots about 2" MOA at 1535 fps. I had some stability problems when started at 1350 fps past 50 yards. -JDL

[IcerUSA]

So far the Lee 310 is shooting fine for me, but I'm pushing it at the starting load and it does kick like a mule, (see my post: I messed up) :) Had to cast up some more boolits last night to get enough to try again at 50yds this comeing weekend, so far I am pleased with the way the rifle is shooting.
I just took an empty case with a boolit loaded long and tried to cycle it , if it din't go I just set the boolit a little deeper till it cycled well and that is it's OAL, of corse check that against the data avallable so as not to have pressure problems. I think you will like the 310 in the rifle.


Keith

[nicholst55]

Has anyone tried the 310s in a wheelgun? I'm looking for something heavier than a 240 grain for GP use, including occasional hunting. I've got a mess of .44s - two Super Blackhawks, two S&Ws and a Winchester. I like the design of that boolit with the dual crimp grooves and that big, flat meplat.:Fire:

[black44hawk]

What a coincidence: I have used and enjoyed both molds for my Super Blackhawk. The 310 gr is exceptionally accurate when loaded with 20.5-22 grains of H110 (start low). I can connect with a beer can at a 100 yards pretty regularly with this bullet and it will absolutely smash a hole through both sides of anything that walks in Kentucky. The 200 RF is my plinking round, and, though it does not match the accuracy of the forementioned round, it is fun and reasonably accurate with around 9 grains of Unique. However, I think it may prove itself more accurate with another powder. I just can't divorce myself from the versatility of Unique.

[454PB]

I use this and the .45 cal. version in multiple revolvers and a Puma .454 Casull. The Puma requires seating and crimping in the front groove to feed properly. The other guns accept it crimped in the rear groove. Using that front crimp groove eats up a lot of case capacity

Be very careful using the deeper seating. I have to reduce the charge by about 10% when changing from the rear crimp groove to the front crimp groove.