Need some help casting .44-40 Cowboy boolits please

[paulsnapp]

I recently purchased a Puma Model 92 Bounty Hunter in .44-40 caliber. This is a replica of a cut down Winchester 1892 rifle and called a Mare's Leg. I would like to learn to cast my own bullets for Cowboy Loads. I have not slugged the bore but I did call Puma for the barrel specs. It is a pistol barrel 12 inches long, bore .423 and grooves .430 according to Puma.

My questions are, companies like RCBS offer two bullet molds for .44-40 CB. They are .428 and .430. They then offer two bullet sizers, one for .427 and another for .428. What advice can you give regarding selection of bullet molds and sizers? I am using 6.2 grains of Trail Boss powder and getting 952 fps muzzle velocity through my chronograph. RCBS also offer two different bullet lubes. Any advice on which one would be best? Thanks for the help!

[fredj338]

I don't know about the Rossi, but I sued to shoot 0.428 in my Uberti, very accurate, no appreciable leading. My model is the RCBS 200gr RNFP. They cast just about 0.428 so if you want bigger, you have to beagle.

[paulsnapp]

Thanks for the reply. I think Rossi used to manufacture for Puma but they changed to Chiappa which is marked on my model. I did load and shoot 100 rounds that I used .427 200 grain RNFPs from Hunters Supply (I think hardness for these is 15). Seemed to be fine. I was just wondering about shooting .427 or .428 in a barrel that the company says has grooves at .430. Will .427s or .428s obituate (spelling?) and seal behind the boolit? My loads are not very hot using Trail Boss powder and shooting at 952 fps.

[smlekid]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...0Gr-RF-(44-40)
how about this one works well in my '94 44/40

[Larry Gibson]

Suggest the Lee 429-200-RF and a .430 or .431 sizing. That's what I use in my 44-40 cowboy loads.

Larry Gibson

[eljefe]

I have a big lube mold from these folks...

http://www.biglube.com/Default.aspx

I have the Mav Dutchman 44 mold that
is a real pleasure to use. My mold drops
bullets at .431 with my alloy, and I have
shot them sized to .429 and larger.

[runfiverun]

hunters supply uses the magma engineering 44-200 mold designed for the older guns that took a 428 diameter boolit.
I use this same mold and size/lube them 428, then I bump swage them up to 430 in a swage die I have.
my rossi will shoot them at the smaller size, but really is more accurate with the 430 diameter.
I use a 45 colt seater die because my older die set won't allow me to seat the 430 boolit.
I would call rcbs about their cowboy die set for the larger boolit diameter.

[Mr Peabody]

I'm with Larry. My EMF saddle ring carbine will use a .430 slug and either WW or RP brass. My Uberti pistol will only chamber .430's with WW brass.

[paulsnapp]

I have an RCBS Lube-a-Matic 2 which requires a top punch. If I go with the Magma Engineering 44-200 mold, where do I get a top punch for it? It is my undestanding that Magma's Star Sizer does not use top punches so they do not make top punches for their molds? Thanks.

[runfiverun]

magma does not make or use top punches.
a 44 cal rnfp top punch would work well, the lyman 429667 top punch would leave a ring on the magma boolits, but I would bet an rcbs cowboy 44 mold would be pretty close.
just make sure when you call magma you get their 44 mag 200 cut to the larger size and not the smaller diameter 44-40 mold, you'll also need a pair of magma's handles.