Correct diameter for .44 mag

[ChopperDoc]

I'm going to start casting for a S&W 629-1. I already have a .430 sizer die, it came with the sizer when I bought it used last year. Is the proper sizing die .429 or .430 ? Midway is out of the .429 so if it's not a big deal I'll use the .430 I already have. What do you experanced .44 guys think?

Thanks

Vic

[rodsvet]

.430 is the only size I've ever used for 30 years and has always been accurate!

[Blammer]

Use the .430 and see how it goes. Should do fine.

If anything you'd need to get a larger one, say .431 or so.

[ChopperDoc]

thanks guys!

[Dale53]

I agree completely with the .430" dimension. Of course, the "Proper" way is to slug the cylinder throats and size them accordingly. However, I have four different .44 Magnums (S&W and Ruger) and several .44 Specials and they ALL respond very well to my "standard" .430" diameter bullets.

Dale53

[Shuz]

Your .430 die should do fine if your boolits are larger than .430. If you experience leading,try a .431 die as long as your cast boolits are larger than .431. I have 10 ea .44 mag revolvers and use .431 diameter boolits from 173g to 325g and .431 works well in ALL of them. .429 works well in a couple, .430 works well in a couple, but again, .431 works well in all of them. Mine is not the "conventional" thinking in this matter, but it works for me.

[Char-Gar]

I have three 44 Magnum sixguns. Two Smiths of different vintages and one OM Ruger SBH. These sixguns run .430, 431 and .432 in the charge hole throats. The barrel groove diamters run .430, .431 and .430 respetively. I size all my bullets .432 and go on my merry way getting good accuracy from all of them with the same load.

I would size even larger, perhaps .433 but .432 is the largest die I own and have to have it custom made at that. I have some older Smith 44 specials that run .432 - .434 with bores of .429.

[beagle]

From my experiences, .430" is about right in most S & Ws. The Ruger family likes at least .431 or .432 bullets./beagle

[Freischütz]

I would slug the cylinder throats and the barrel. That will point out the correct bullet size. It may also point out dimensional incompatibilities that must be fixed.