Spending Time with Elmer.......

[308w]

429421's...........

[mart]

Great bullet. I just spent some time Friday at the range with a new Ruger Bisley Flattop 44 Special and Elmer's three favorite loads; 5 grains of Bullseye, 7.5 grains of Unique and 17 grains of 2400 all behind his 429421. It shot great with all three loads. I'm anxious to get it into the Ransom Rest and see just how well it will shoot. Honestly, that bullet out of a 44 Special or 44 Magnum will suffice, for all the lower 48, if not Alaska as well. I'll be packing that 44 Special and the 2400 load this fall with no worries about whether I have enough gun. I have a goat hunt in August and if billy shows me a broadside at 50 yards or less, I'll lay down the rifle and take the shot with the Bisley and Elmer's favorite bullet.

[308w]

Sounds like a plan, let us see some pics of your hunt. Mine will be loaded ahead of 11.0 AA5, for a accurate and fun load. Enough to know its a 44 but not so much that a hundred or so at the time is doable, 1050 ish.

[buckwheatpaul]

I bought that Lyman mold in 1976 in a four cavity with the nutcracker handles....it is my favorite and has taken a number of animals with it.....It is just pure perfection! IMHO

[308w]

I hate those nutcracker handles, that made for some awkward mold opening and casting. I've been slowly converting my lyman 4 cavities and one new Accurate mould to the current Lyman 4 cavity handles, they are well made, look a lot like saeco's handles have always looked, much better than the nut cracker versions in mho.......

[buckwheatpaul]

308w I feel your pain....it is an old guy thing.....kind of cut my casting teeth on 'em...been thinking of converting as well.....Paul

[Thumbcocker]

.44 special+ 429421+ 8.0 of Power Pistol= Happiness

[308w]

429421 update, Got out to the range yesterday with a new to me 14" Contender Barrel in 44 Mag. Had fun sending these down range ahead of my 11.0 grain load of AA5 at ranges of 25 to 200 yards. Shot a couple of 3 shot groups at 200 yards in the 8 to 10 inch range, I'm sure the ammo firearm is capable of half that but I was pretty happy for a old eye glass wearing shooter to do this with iron sights. I love to hear those big ole 250 grain slugs ring steel, I like spending time doing that. I suppose the day will come when I have to go to optics, but as long as I can see my sights clear with reading glasses and put those clear sights in the middle of a fuzzy steel plate I'm going to keep on keeping on.....

[Larry Gibson]

Brings back memories.....back in '68 I started out with a Lyman single cavity 429421 mould, dipper, GI squad burner (Colman stove that uses gasoline), the small Lyman round bottom cast iron pot. a 450 sizer and a Lee loader for my .44 Magnum. I loaded 5,000+ of those with that over 22 gr 2400 or 23 gr H4227 before finally getting a loading press and standard dies. Also loaded 311359s and 311410HPs in my 30 Carbine that way........memories......still have both Lee Loaders.

Larry Gibson

[reloader28]

I like 21-22gr 2400, but for the fun you cant beat 5gr Bullseye.
Good enough to ping steel fence posts at 83yds with my Vaquero. I'm happy with that accuracy,
though the 2400 load is real close to it.

[44man]

You guys are pikers! I used that boolit in 56 and for years, yeah 22 gr of 2400. The best ever at the time and so was the 358156 HP in the .357. I don't remember what year but might have been shortly after Thompson designed it, long before the .44 mag came out. Model 27 with an 8-3/8" ribbed barrel, Bushnell Phantom after I had S&W change the barrel out. I hated the short nickle plated original. Darn nickle was peeling. Got it back with bright blue for $35.
I wish I still had it and the flat top Ruger. That was so long ago I paid with paper route money.
I ordered the flat top through the mail for $96 and had the 429421 and dies long before the gun came. Had to shoot factory loads for brass and you have never seen stronger loads. They put the hammer to the metal back then.

[Frank V]

The 429421 is a classic bullet. It was good then & is still great now. I've shot a lot of them & still use it, I think Lyman changed the lube groove from the original, but it's still a fantastic bullet.