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FlyfishermanMike
08-21-2016, 01:49 AM
I just picked up my first .44 magnum. Looking into bullet styles and weights, there are almost too many options. I bought a Lee 429-200-RF to plink and start of with. Down the line I'd like a Keith style 240-250 mold. I'm leaning towards finding a used Lyman 429421 but I'm open for suggestions. Lee's 429-240-SWC doesn't seem like an exact clone and uses gas checks.

As far as appropriate powder for lighter loads, I have Unique, Titegroup, CFE Pistol, WST, Bullseye and Power Pistol. I'm considering Unique as I don't often use it in the other calibers I load.

Thanks,

^^ike

runfiverun
08-21-2016, 01:59 AM
8.5-9.5 of the unique is a good spot.
it does well with 200 or 240-250gr boolits.
don't overlook a good 240gr round nose flat point boolit.
if you look closely at your revolver you'll see how it matches the curves and angle changes from the cylinder to the muzzle.

welcome aboard.
you'll hear about some mold makers with good swc type designs here shortly.

Tatume
08-21-2016, 07:12 AM
Hi Mike,

Welcome aboard.

Unique is a good place to start. Look at molds on http://www.accuratemolds.com/ and you may see something you like.

Take care, Tom

WFO2
08-21-2016, 07:19 AM
I'm pretty new and cast for 44 mag as well . I like the Lyman 429421 and the RCBS 44-250-KT . I have been using H110 with magnum primers .

44man
08-21-2016, 07:23 AM
You didn't say which .44. One of the best for all is the 265 RD. An LBT style or RNFP will be best from 240 to 250 gr, not a Keith.
Unique is the stand by for lighter recoil and even 7 gr is very good. 231 in that range shoots very well.
Best to mention the gun if you are going to hunt deer, etc. There are things you don't want to use in a S&W.

ironhead7544
08-21-2016, 10:01 AM
Lots of good bullet designs out there. Slug your barrel and cylinder for sizing.

I like the Keith 250 at 1200 fps or so for hunting. 10.0 gr Unique with that bullet is a good all around load for general shooting at less than full speed. WW296/H110 for full loads with the proper charge.

Got my first 44 Magnum in 1972.

fatelvis
08-21-2016, 10:14 AM
8.5-9.5 of the unique is a good spot.
it does well with 200 or 240-250gr boolits.
What hardness boolit would work well with a 429421 over 8.5grns Unique?

Tatume
08-21-2016, 10:17 AM
Wheel weight metal will work well, BHN 12. It is not critical.

FlyfishermanMike
08-21-2016, 11:37 AM
Ruger Redhawk, 5.5" barrel. I'll get to real magnum loads after I familiarize myself a little more. Thanks!

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NavyVet1959
08-21-2016, 11:45 AM
Ruger Redhawk, 5.5" barrel. I'll get to real magnum loads after I familiarize myself a little more. Thanks!


Keep some light loads on hand (maybe round ball loads) for when you want to introduce your wife / girlfriend to it.

daniel lawecki
08-21-2016, 11:55 AM
Welcome to our campfire first of all. Unique will serve you well I like the 250 SWC Keith. Serves my needs out to 100 yards I never had a deer complain.:D

white eagle
08-21-2016, 12:00 PM
I have had numerous 44's you are going to love this cal
mine really likes the 429244 copy or original bullet
marry that bullet with W296 and you have a winning combination

runfiverun
08-21-2016, 12:01 PM
I cut my ww's with soft lead.
ever since I noticed I was getting stick on ww's and clip on ww's in about a 1 to 3 ratio I just started sorting melting and blending them that way.
now that stick on ww's are harder to get I just use whatever soft but 'dunno for sure' lead I can get is used the same way.
last time it was a bunch of [bout 300 lbs] 22 lr lead a bud collected at an indoor range.
this gets my bhn into about the 10 range and since few of my loads are top end mud stompers anymore it does the trick.
I have even taken the alloy up to 19.5 grs of 2400 in both the 44 and 45 colt [1600-1650fps] and have had zero issues doing so.
BHN isn't all that important until it is and for loads like this harder is not a help.
if I were running my stuff on top of H-110 all the time I would explore a harder bhn by water dropping or other methods.
but the seemingly pedestrian velocity's and softer alloy do the trick on paper and in the field where I live.

nagantguy
08-21-2016, 12:16 PM
the .44 is easily loaded for, molds are just big enough to fill out nice and the boolit's just big enough that they are easy to hang onto for seating/sizing ect from mild to wild the 44 is about my all te favorite. bunnies, woodchucks, crows, deer, coyotes and hogs have all fallen to it in several platforms, red hawk blackhawk, lever guns. from 180gr going slow for bunnies and such to 320 going midling fast for deer and hogs to 250 go in very fast for everything it's one of the total package revolver calibers!

44man
08-21-2016, 12:24 PM
Ruger Redhawk, 5.5" barrel. I'll get to real magnum loads after I familiarize myself a little more. Thanks!

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk
Good gun, I don't like the grip or spring system but the gun handles recoil OK and the tank will shoot anything. Get back after getting used to it or PM me for loads.

fatelvis
08-21-2016, 02:23 PM
In light of this post, I went out and cast a couple hundred NOE 432258 boolits to load over 8.5grns Unique. It just makes me smile how beautifully those fell from a brand new mold. Seasoning? Lol, who needs seasoning?! Hats off to NOE's molds, gotta love 'em!

EDK
08-24-2016, 10:03 AM
I use a variety of different boolits in multiple 44 magnums, but for pistols I really like full wadcutters from 2 group buys here. OLD WEST BULLET MOULDS made a clone of LYMAN 429352 and MIHEC did a hollow base with removable/reversible pins.
They're great for freaking out RANGE NINJAS when they see the big sharp edged holes in your targets.

mdi
08-24-2016, 11:30 AM
The .44 Magnum is my most favorite cartridge. I have reloaded it with round balls over a dusting of Bullseye up to 265 gr. T-Rex killers. I cast and shot a lot Lyman's 429421 and 429244 bullets and purchased many different design bullets, none less than 225 gr. (it just didn't seem right to use a "light" bullet in my Magnums). I picked up a Puma in .44 and had feeding problems with SWCs and found Ranch Dog's excellent design bullets in 265 grain and 240 grain. It is a round nose flat point and very accurate in all my .44s (5). I can keep 2" at 25 yds in my Dan Wesson and 629, and around 3"-4" at 100 in my Puma (old eyes).

paul edward
08-24-2016, 01:13 PM
Ruger Redhawk, 5.5" barrel. I'll get to real magnum loads after I familiarize myself a little more. Thanks!

All of those powders will work. Unique and Power Pistol have similar burn rates. PP meters more smoothly. Eight grains of either is a good starting place with plain base bullets.

The Lee 200RNFP is a good one to start with.

More specific recommendations can wait for clarification of your intended application.

stubert
08-24-2016, 02:14 PM
No one is mentioning the Lee C430-310 mold? For $25.00 you will have a very accurate bullet that will go end to end through most anything in the lower 48. I seat mine to 1.71 over 20.8 grains of WW-296. My bhn is somewhere in the 12-14 range. These would be magnum loads.

FlyfishermanMike
08-24-2016, 03:23 PM
(it just didn't seem right to use a "light" bullet in my Magnums)

I know, right? I thought the same thing before I bought the 200 gr mold.


No one is mentioning the Lee C430-310 mold?

That's high on my list to try. I wanted to start with something lighter and work my way up to those big 310's.

Thanks everyone! The info is very helpful.

BBQJOE
08-25-2016, 10:11 AM
I use lee's 430 240 over 6gr of unique, and I find it to be a perfect plinking load. I hit everything I aim at, and can shoot it all day without googling wrist replacement.

44man
08-26-2016, 09:09 AM
I have my truths. The .357 can be a chore and the .41 is not a piece of cake either. The .44 just starts easy. More versatile then smaller with a wider range of weights.
But brass is the key. You must have even case tension on boolits. Then NO load in the .44 needs a mag primer. Go to the fed 150 or CCI 300. I don't care what powder from BE to H110 or 296, NO powder needs a mag primer.
Heavy boolits is where I live for deer but they do NOT shoot slow. The Lee 310 is amazing at 1300+ but 1100 is sick with 2' or better groups.
Pay attention to twist, velocity and your brass.
Light boolits shoot slow better and is the home of Unique, NOT 300+.
But your brass will be the biggest challenge. If each case holds a boolit different, throw rocks!
My experience with the .44 started in 1956 to find so much was wrong and even Elmer did not get it right. Then IHMSA in 1980 took me into experiments well beyond anything.
The .44 is just so good and a pleasure to shoot I will never be without. But it took years and years.

Bookworm
08-26-2016, 09:15 PM
I haven't the experience of 44man, but I agree that the 44 Mag is a pleasure to shoot, and easy to load.
I use that same Lee 429-200 with 7.5g Universal for an easy-shooting accurate load. Out of my 7.5" SBH HUNTER it's a pussycat. Still, I'm throwing a 200g boolitt at 1000fps, well beyond 45acp loads.
Universal is a midrange powder, similar burnrate to Unique or BE-86. Try 10-12 grains of HS-6 if you have any, another smooth shooter.

FlyfishermanMike
09-06-2016, 12:43 AM
Thanks everyone! From all the load data I've gathered, and there's so much of it, I'm thinking of trying:

240 gr. SWC - Unique 8-10 grs.
200 gr. RF - Unique 9-11 grs.
200 gr. RF - Bullseye 6-7 grs.

Other specific loads with a 240 SWC or 200 RF with the powders I have (Unique, Titegroup, CFE Pistol, WST, Bullseye, HP-38/W231 and Power Pistol) would be helpful.

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white eagle
09-06-2016, 11:39 PM
I have found the 429/244 or Miha's copy to be a very accurate boolit
22.5 gr.of W/296 and a win primer and its a match made in heaven
shoot at 50 and 100 yards very little drop between the two
a 250 gr Keith is another amazing boolit either flat point of hollow point
its a nice boolit
Enjoy :drinks:

murf205
09-07-2016, 10:23 PM
When you are looking for a Lyman 429421, don't hesitate to jump on a 429667 if you find one. I have some friends who are having a real love affair with this boolit in S&W and Ruger revolvers. It's a rn/fp that will run through a lever gun if you ever get a hankerin' for one of them. The flat point is not a big one and I would rather have a LFN or a WFN or a Keith style for hunting, but for a target or plinker, it is supposed to be hard to beat.