Wadcutter Gascheck

[softpoint]

I have several .44 Magnum revolvers with barrels at 4 inches or less I like carrying for everyday around the farm. I also like full wadcutter boolits for 50 yards and under out of these guns. Although I cast a lot of my own bullets, I had been buying some plainbase full wadcutter boolits from Matt's Bullets in 250 grains for this use. Those boolits shot fine, and were of very good quality. However, having a stash of various alloys around, I decided I should get a mould. After a bit of correspondence with Tom at Accurate molds, we came up with the .44 250wg. I chose the gas check design because a lot of my alloy is a bit soft for magnum velocity without it.
I have now cast about 1k boolits with this mold. I have done limited shooting out to 50 yards with it, and it is as accurate out to that distance as any .44 mold I have, (I have a bunch!) Looks like my favorite load will be 22 grains of 2400 behind this one. 130186

[MtGun44]

I have not had any problems shooting as soft as 8BHN in .357 and 11 BHN in .44 Mag full power
loads with good accy and no leading. I find no need at all for GCs regardless of power
levels and alloys.
Give the straight designs with softer alloy a trial - with NRA 50-50 or LBT soft blue, both
soft lubes that work very well.

Bill

[softpoint]

I use Felix lube, other than a little smoke, which is not a concern, as I shoot outdoors, I have had excellent results with it, and I just cooked up about 10 lbs of it a couple of weeks ago:smile:

[Tatume]

It looks like your bullet was sized using a flat top punch that Tom makes. I have one too, but haven't tried it yet. How do you like yours?

[Wayne Smith]

Just for grins and giggles why don't you cast a few, size and lube without gas check, and load them upside down and let us know how they shoot that way.

[Shiloh]

Had light leading when pushing non GC boolits past 1325 in a .357. Backed it down and got less recoil, better accuracy and no leading.
IIRC about 1240 is as fast as I go.

Shiloh

[Blammer]

Nice! I like mine too!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/ruger/DSCN7436.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/ruger/DSCN7436.jpg.html)

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/ruger/DSCN7434.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/ruger/DSCN7434.jpg.html)

Doggone it if the mould maker escapes me now.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7424.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7424.jpg.html)

[bhn22]

Those aren't bullets. They're pistons!

[45 2.1]

Doggone it if the mould maker escapes me now.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7424.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7424.jpg.html)

Old West probably.............

[bstone5]

I also have several 44 caliber revolvers, a contender and a bolt action rifle all in 44 Mag.

I cast a round nose flat point bullet that I powder coat and install cola can gas checks on the plan base bullet.

The mold is from Magma since I have a Master Caster for casting pistol bullets.

With the powder coating and the gas checks these bullets can be pushed very fast but due to recoil I keep the velocity down so the pistol can be shot a lot when at the range.

The bullets still have a little lube on them from sizing and installing the gas check.

A Lee push thru sizing die is used to size and install the cola can gas check.

I use the same gas check on 45 ACP and 44 Mag bullets. I make the gas check makers and like the gas check pocket deep to insure the gas check grips the bullet base very well.

[softpoint]

I have had an opportunity to test these boolits a bit more, Every revolver I have tried them in so far, (4) has shot these as well as ANY boolit I have ever tried out to 25 yards. I also have shot some that I cast at 14BHN. that were powder coated with some of Smoke's blue powder, and shot with and without gas checks. The results so far show no leading at all, with any of the combinations I have tried. Powder charge remained the same, 22 grains of 2400.The best accuracy was with the checked Felix lubed boolits so far, with the powder coated gas checked boolits a close second, and the powder coated unchecked following that closely. Actually, the unchecked powder coated boolits are plenty accurate enough for any use out of a short barrel, and will be used in the Sheriff's Vaquero, and the Smith 696 , both .44 Special. The checked boolits may be used in the Ruger Alaskan, or the 4 inch Red hawk. I am going to experiment with seating the boolits with the gas check end up in .44 special, because that will allow deeper seating to take up more space on the small charges of powder I use in those guns. The long end of the boolit is actually a larger diameter than the gas check base is too!

[softpoint]

It looks like your bullet was sized using a flat top punch that Tom makes. I have one too, but haven't tried it yet. How do you like yours?
I used a punch that had a fairly thick outer wall, that was nearly the same outside diameter as the boolit. I didn't have a flat top punch, but I want to get one. ( or make one).
The boolits I use without the check installed will probably be powder coated, as it's easier, and don't have the hassle of lubing the boolits with regular lube without the check. And I will use a Lee push through with those after they are coated. (Have already done a few that way)