Starting loads for cast boolits.

[Nose Dive]

Mmmm Hogstir... My opinion buddy... time to 'study up' abit.

Your rifle is a fine piece. Henry doesn't make or offer any '****' firearm. I swear by them and swear by the family that makes them. ALL CALIBERS and ALL FIREARMS. But...YOU CAN SCREW THEM UP if you don't know what you are doing. Or..'you can wreck a CADILLAC if you drive it into a concrete pillar'!

So.. we need to get a good reloading manual and do some reading. SPEER..Hornady.. and Barnes offer excellent manuals on reloading for your rifle. Get one or two... go to the caliber and gun (rifle-pistol) and read what they say about powders, primers and loads. FOLLOW THEIR instructions and DO NOT UNDER LOAD OR OVER LOAD on any caliber or bullet weight. To do that would be stupid and put you and your firearm at risk of DISASTER. By that I mean..you can be hurt...your rifle can be damaged.

Now. Bullet lube is not covered in these manuals as LUBE is for lead boolits. I suggest, LUBE all lead boolits before loading and you should be fine. LUBE recipes are plentiful on this site. There is a whole section on this..and again.. GO AND READ AND LEARN....Right here!! You can learn about lubes...loads...lead alloys...reloading powders and primers for YOUR RIFLE...right here!!

Your are at the right place...with the right information.. Now...it is up to you to research and read and learn.

GOOD LUCK BUDDY. We are here to help you!!

Nose Dive

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[10mmShooter]

Hogstir,

I own two Henry's one in .44 and one in .357, when I shoot cast bullets(all the time), I have to run .432 in the .44 and .360 in .357, otherwise they will lead my barrel just in front of the chamber.

I can push the .44 to 1550 fps with AA#7 with no leading at all. For me that's the limit beyond 1500 fps, you getting into the range where gas check might be required. I don't like messing with the checks so 1550 fps is where I stop.

You did not mention what your .45 bullets are sized too ? This will be critical to good results out of your Henry, also just a suggestion my normal .44 target load in my Henry is only 1100 fps with a 240 L-RN bullet, it will go through most anything I would ever shot within the 100 yard range of the rifle. Just curious what are you shooting that you need to push right to the limit of .45 Colt rifle? Would hate to see you damage a fine rifle. I love my Henry's

[mdi]

SAAMI data for .44 Magnum barrels is .431" groove diameter. Normally, cast bullets are sized anywhere from .002" to .004" larger than groove diameter, so getting a leading free bullet would you'd prolly need be sized to .433" in a rifle barrel...

Leading "early" in the barrel is often from too small bullets...