Lee 429-250-RF mold for .44 Mag is .429. Commercial cast are .430. What to do?

[Tallbald]

I've looked several places in the forum here seeking answers to this question but will just going to have to ask. And hope it's not something obvious I'm missing. Or that I annoy experienced folks who may think I'm not researching hard enough.
I want to make plans for buying a Lee 429-250-RF mold because it's a lighter weight slug, is touted as being pretty nicely accurate and I like the round nose flat point style in my .357 too. I may one day find an affordable Ruger 77/44 and the RF style feeds nicely. On Lee's website it appears all their .44 slug molds for .44 Magnum, .44 Special, etc throw a .429 slug. BUt the commercial cast .44 slugs I bought before taking up casting are labeled .430 diameter (Missouri Bullet Company and Magnus brands). What to do about the difference and why doesn't Lee make .430 molds in the first place? I would think .001 inch does matter. And I can of course size down, but have yet to see an upsizing tool (grin).No folks, I don't have a way right now to slug the bores of my Ruger Super Blackhawk and old frame Vaquero. I can come up with something though I reckon.
As I always say with meaning and sincerity, thank you folks. Don

[waco]

I have several Lee molds in 44 cal that drop at .430" with WW alloy and about 2% Tin added. There are ways to make the boolit bigger if your mold does not drop them the size you want. I say go ahead and get it. You won't know what it drops until you try!
Waco

[kenyerian]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?117331-Mould-Enlargement-%93beagling%94. Go ahead and ger the mold. It is easy to "beagle" it

[Blackwater]

The size listed on a mould is the APPROXIMATE size, but most usually cast a mite larger. As you note, users can always size down a mite if their guns or mood requires it. Also, variation in alloys used by various casters, they'd be foolish to send out moulds that cast undersized. Therefore, they usually make them so they cast just a thou or two oversize with the harder alloys, Then if they use a softer alloy, that shrinks more as it cools, it's still eminently usable, so go ahead and get the mould you want and don't worry about it. There's no way to tell what diameter they'll cast at unless and until you try it with your particular alloy. Occasionally you'll encounter a mould that'll cast a mite small, but it's pretty much a rarity.

[Tallbald]

Thanks. Kenyerian I had read the thread about "beagling" early in my membership here when I had no clue as to what it was. My concern is that I don't have a bottom pour pot, instead using a ladle dipper and 10 pound capacity pot on a Coleman stove. But I could adapt I think if I had to to avoid too high a pour pressure. Waco and Blackwater I tend to agree, and likely will buy the mold when I can. Thanks again. Don

[Tallbald]

Oh. I meant to ask this too. I'd be buying a lube and sizing die kit at the same time. So....... .429 or .430 diameter kit? Or is this a question that can only be answered by slugging bores on my two Ruger .44 Magnums? Don

[hanover67]

I don't know about Rugers' .44 diameters, but I have USFA and Uberti?Cimarrons that measure .429" and a Colt New Frontier that is .427" I use a .430" die for the USFA and Cimarron and a .428" die for the Colt, both in a RCBS lubrisizer.

[Lonegun1894]

I size to .430" for my SBH, but they can all be different.