.44 special mould

[RidgerunnerAk]

Picked up an unfired Colt SAA in .44 special and would like to make some cast boolits for it. I've casted boolits for 40yrs so am not a newbie. Someone gave me a box of 750fps reloads that look like a Lyman 427666 cowboy action boolit. I like the bullet and would like to find a mould in the 200gr range so I can make light and pleasant loads for killing cans and such. The Lyman 427666 seems to maybe be intended for the .44-40. Do folks use that mould for the .44 special also? If they come out a bit undersized I'm sure I could play with my alloy and load them without sizing if need be.

[bangerjim]

I use this in 44 SPL loads in my Redhawk 7½" for plinking.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/790...rain-flat-nose

I PC everything.

banger

[Tatume]

Check the throats. Colt throats are often very large.

[Dframe]

For light fun loads I've used 200 grain round nose flat points and Trail Boss for years.

[RidgerunnerAk]

Thanks everyone. I like that Lee mould, especially the price and the 6-cav. I've always gotten excellent boolits out of my aluminum 400gr .45 Lee mould for the .45-70. Pure lead boolits out of that have a very beefy nose and make some very cool artistic patterns when you "splat" them on steel at 200+ yds with a vintage long-bbld Winchester Hi Wall. I see on Buffalo Arms that RCBS has a .429 200gr CA mould also. The reloads I was given actually look more like that than the Lyman. I think I have the info that I need to proceed.

[W.R.Buchanan]

If the gun shoots high, which it probably will, try a regular Lyman 429421 240 gr Keith boolit. The difference between a 200 and 240 gr boolit in weight has little effect on the recoil. How fast you run them has a big effect. The heavier boolit ran at slower speeds is mild to say the least.

With the .44 Special I use 6.0 gr of W231 with a Mihec Version of the 429421 boolit, about 700 fps from a 3" bbl. It shoots to the sights from my S&W 696. 5.0 gr of W231 with 190 gr boolits shot 12" high, due to the longer amount of time the boolit was in the barrel during Recoil.

A bigger boolit ran a little faster didn't increase the recoil any significant amount but it made a huge difference in POI. With no sight adjustment it printed right at POA. IE; the gun was kind of meant to use that boolit. So's yours.

The 696 is much lighter than your Colt SAA, and would show recoil much more as well.

In the 700-750 fps range you wouldn't notice the difference.

Tin cans won't know the difference either,,, but anything else you shot with the bigger boolits would.

Randy

[HeavyMetal]

I found Lyman's 429348 to be just the ticket for what you want, used it a long time in a Charter Arms Target Bulldog with a 4 inch barrel.

Later I bought into a group buy here and got a 4 cav 240 grain full wad cutter from Mountain Molds, as I recall, this to would be a great one for you to try out in that Colt!

I believe it was added to the catalog after the group buy you may want to check it out.

[shoot-n-lead]

The gun will probably shoot LOWER with light bullets...never had a bigbore, 44 or 45, that shot higher with a light bullet. With the Colt being fixed sights...you will need the bullet to hit as close to POA as possible.

I would use the 429421 and load'em light...very little recoil.

[GabbyM]

I don't adjust my sights from 240, 215 or 200 grain bullets.
7.5 grains of Unique under a 200 grain bullet will kill any can.
Any mold numbered 427 will be for a 44-40. As long as it cast large enough it's OK in a 44 Special larger bore.
For some light loads. Just look a page back at the 44 Russian. Start with the max load. Less powder will increase dwell time in bore thus raising impact point.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Less powder will increase dwell time in bore thus raising impact point.

This is what I was talking about.

Randy

[45-70 Chevroner]

Lee makes a nice 215 gr PB, SWC mold. I have shot it for years and it shoots great.

[unique]

This is what I was talking about.

Randy

Sorry, I do not mean to hijack but...

If you have less powder you will increase dwell time but you will also have decrease recoil and they will exactly cancel. Boolit weight dominates the POI.

[Patrick L]

I have used the Lee 200 gr RF boolit for several years, over 3.5 gr Bullseye. It is a wonderful light load.