Wheel Weighs

[GDLT31]

A friend of mine just gave me a Ideal 429244 mould and was wondering if I could use wheel weight lead to cast these bullets to handle 1600fps with gas checks. The gun to handle this bullet is a Ruger.44 carbine. This is my go to hog gun. And will the cast bullet be able to stop a hog? I have been using Speer 4453 soft point bullets over some H110. I am running out of this bullet and Speer don't make them any more. Any help would be really appreciated.If you think any of this setup will work I will go ahead and get the equipment to set up making lots of bullets. Also I LOVE to hog hunt,at least once a week.

Thanks.

[Bookworm]

Ive got one of those Ruger Carbines. Love it. Compact. lightweight, quick-handling.

However, Ruger doesn't recommend using cast in it. They claim the lead particles will clog the gas port, stopping the carbine from functioning, requiring a break-down and thorough cleaning.

I have never fired cast in my Carbine, I just purchase soft-point jacketed, and reload full-power loads specifically for that firearm. Parts are difficult to find for that jewel, and I don't want to push my luck.

Having said that, I'm certain someone will come along and say they have been shooting cast in their carbine since 1964 with no problems. Ultimately, it's your firearm, and your decision.

As to your main question , I believe the 429244 will work fine as hog medicine. it'll certainly cure what ails 'em !

[Larry Gibson]

"was wondering if I could use wheel weight lead to cast these bullets to handle 1600fps with gas checks."

Yes, the 429244 w/GC cast of COWWs can be used at 1600 fps. However, I suggest adding 2% tin to your COWWs. That will give you a better alloy, will cast better bullets and will be more malleable instead of brittle on the terminal end.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

you may run into a few roadblocks.

First that gun probably has a barrel with a .431 groove and that Ideal mold may not cast large enough, theoretically, you should size to .432 (I wouldn't hesitate shooting cast in that gun, as long as the boolit is sized .001 over the groove size...If you shoot undersized boolits, you are likely to get lead fouling and have issues with the gas port.)

Second the twist rate is no doubt 1:38
and that may have a problem stabilizing a 255gr boolit, especially if you end up loading it to slow speeds.

Next 1600fps with cast? you should set your goal to more like 1300fps. and even then, you will be developing more chamber pressure that air cooled boolits that were cast with COWW, can handle. COWW is good for about 25Kpsi, and with a 255gr, you be more like the 900fps area. You can look into heat treating COWW and probably get to a hardness that can handle the 35Kpsi that will be developed when loading a round to go 1300fps.

[Larry Gibson]

Got to thinking back to many years ago (mid '70s) when I had a Ruger 44 Carbine, the original with the tube magazine. I shot a lot of 429421s and 429244s through it with out any problems. Of course that was before the internet so it and I didn't know we weren't supposed to use cast bullets in it. I also sized the bullets .429 because I hadn't been internet educated yet either and didn't know any better. Apparently the Ruger was also fine with that because it never leaded up. I used old COWW alloy back then and Javelina lube. I did have an Oehler M11 chronograph with M61 Skyscreens so I did chronograph the loads.

Digging out my old reload notes for that Ruger Carbine I found;

My Lyman 429421 mould dropped COWW bullets at 255 gr. I found accuracy suffered when the PB'd bullets were pushed over 1400 - 1500 fps. Best accuracy was with H4227; 21 - 23 gr.

The Lyman 429244 dropped bullets cast of COWW at 270 gr fully dressed. Accuracy was excellent up through 1650 fps. That was with 23 gr H110. If I recall correctly I had a Weaver 1.5x4.5 power scope on the Ruger. My notes give a 3" group at 100 yards with 5 shots.

Alas I was getting into IPSC competition and needed a new M1911 so the Ruger was sold off. That was one of my regretful sales......

If your Ruger is a new one that is magazine clip fed then you might have to adjust the cartridge OAL for feeding(?). The loads I used were crimped in the bullet crimp groove and functioned fine through the Ruger tube magazine.

[swheeler]

5 shot groups! oh my Larry

[Larry Gibson]

5 shot groups! oh my Larry

That was before I knew better....was just beginning to learn back then.....I'm still learning........

[swheeler]

How true, me too. Life is like a box of Remington ammo, you never know what you're going to get.

[GDLT31]

Thank you all for your replies. I knew I would get great answers here. I know that replacement parts are hard to find. And I want to take care of the very first rifle I ever bought at the age of 18,I'm 65 now and shoots as good the day I bought it.
Again Thanks Guys!!!