Anybody use Lee C429-240-SWC in .44mag?

[mac266]

I use that bullet in a 5" S&W model 629. I have three loads for it. In .44 magnum brass, my kill-anything-in-front-of-me load is over 11.5 grains of Unique. My let's-shoot-all-day load is over 9 grains of Unique.

I have one more load in .44 Special brass, but it escapes me at the moment.

[rondog]

So, I have 18 test rounds made up for my rifle. OAL is 1.60. Using H110, 6@22.5gr, 6@23, & 6@23.5. I haven't fired any yet.

Thoughts? Too much H110 or seated too deep? I'd much rather pull them apart now than find out the hard way. I was just using a book recipe and seating to the crimp groove. Not looking to make bear killers, just accurate target loads for my rifle.

[slohunter]

Been using this mold since the 80's with approx 18 grains of 2400. No problem.

[Win94ae]

So, I have 18 test rounds made up for my rifle. OAL is 1.60. Using H110, 6@22.5gr, 6@23, & 6@23.5. I haven't fired any yet.

Thoughts? Too much H110 or seated too deep? I'd much rather pull them apart now than find out the hard way. I was just using a book recipe and seating to the crimp groove. Not looking to make bear killers, just accurate target loads for my rifle.

The 44mag load I use for my Marlin 1894 S and Ruger Super Blackhawk use that bullet and H110 in those amounts.
Good luck.

[rondog]

Went and shot the 6 rounds with 22.5 of H110 today, and they seemed bodaciously hot. Really hammered me, flat primers too. Think I'm gonna pull the others down and start over.

[redgum]

Interesting Thread, I am using the same LEE 240g GC-LSWC with Nobels No.1 Revolver (similar to 296, h110 etc).... even at 20.0gns they are sharp in my Redhawk. so much so that the hammer link hook has bounced off the pin on the spring driven lever
This boolit does seat deeper in the case than most, I think I might have to pull them and reduce the load further ?
http://s141.photobucket.com/user/red...6verc.jpg.html

[nitro-express]

I realize this is an old thread, but I've been working with this same bullet and I think i can shed some light on this issue.

First, I'm glad you could get nice bullets out of your mold, I have about a 50% rejection rate and have had to use some pretty hot lead to get even that. The bullets I selected do look nice and I size with a 430 sizer. It mostly just touches the shank, no sizing other than for the gas check.

This bullet has a very minimalistic nose and a rather long shank, compared to a 429421 Lyman Keith. In fact, with the LEE bullet seated in a W-W Magnum case, the internal volume is just about the same as for a 429421 seated in a Starline 44 Spl case.

Any data you use, first compare it to 44 Spl data first.

I worked out a near 900 fps load with Tin Star powder. This bullet runs clean even in my slightly larger bore/groove. It will feed through a lever gun as the OAL is under 1.6". You have to load the 429421 in a 44 Spl case to be able to feed it in a lever gun.

Thanks, and sorry if resurrecting this old a thread offends you.

Nitro

I recently bought this mold.... http://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-c429-240-swc.html



Makes great bullets, but I need some load recipes/tips. Want to use this in my Winchester rifle, so I tried one test round at max load of 24 gr of IMR4227, according to my Lyman manual. This was so full, and had to be compressed so much, that the bullet seating plug mashed the bullet ogive completely round. Wasn't a SWC anymore!

Yeah, ain't gonna shoot that one. Knocked the bullet out, but the gas check is still in the case, crammed down on the powder charge, and ain't interested in coming out. It's a souvenir now.

Tried lighter charges of 4227 at 22gr and 21gr, both of those bullets also had the ogives deformed by the seating plug and the pressure to compress the powder. Hesitant to shoot those too, got 'em set aside.

Looks like I need a different seating plug from Lee.

What I'm asking for is any recipes for this bullet in .44 mag for rifles, that are safe and proven. I prefer 4227 because I have plenty, but I do have some H110 and Win296 too, but not much. I'm trying to find a cast load that this Winchester likes.

Oh, these are supposed to be 240gr., but with the gas check they weigh around 253gr. (!)

[gwpercle]

Went and shot the 6 rounds with 22.5 of H110 today, and they seemed bodaciously hot. Really hammered me, flat primers too. Think I'm gonna pull the others down and start over.

Don't forget the old reloading adage ... Start Low and work up slowly .
Flat primers may be a warning ... sticky extraction , Yes ... that's a sure sign .

[TurnipEaterDown]

30 Years ago (when I knew a lot less...) I cast the Lee 240 HP GC out of wheel weight, loaded over 24 gr of W296, and shot in a 1894 Marlin. Primer failed, case head blackened, and (if my memory is good, as I didn't keep the record) 1880 fps velocity. 24gr W296 far too much w/ the LEE 240 as it protrudes too far into the case. Just because it weighs 240 gr doesn't mean that you can pick any 240 gr data and load it up, nor should word of mouth historical data (44 Mag, 240 LSC, 24 of 296) be used...