New Guy...

[Iron_Marshal]

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Hello folks,

I'm a member at Leverguns and had some technical questions because I bought a pistol to make a "pair."

I am looking to cast my own bullets. Seemed like a logical step to join up here.

I want to make one or two rounds (plinking and hunting/personal protection) that are compatible in both rifle and revolver.

I own a Marlin 1894SS in .44 mag and Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag.

Are there existing posts that I can research to avoid bothering you with sophomoric questions?

OT- before I buy a campstove to melt the wheel weights I've bought, do you like white fuel or propane? Should I spend the money on ingot molds or just use muffin tins?

I have not bought a mold yet and would like suggestions on your favorites.

If I understand, (lots of luck) 240-250 gr bullets are the bread and butter of matched weapons in .44 mag. I know the revolver will handle larger (300 gr) loads, but, for now at least, I am looking for compatibility between the two weapons.

Have I bored ya'll yet?

[jack19512]

You can find a lot of info in the "Wheelguns, Pistols and Handcannons" section also.

[chris in va]

The only thing I can contribute is mini muffin tins work great, no need to run out and buy some expensive mold.

[kbstenberg]

Hello Iron marshal an welcome to the brotherhood of the silver stream. Never forget there is never a dumb question. With all the casters here, all mistakes have been made multiple time. But the fix for most problems can be answered here if asked.
My biggest sugestion is to read the past threads. Very informative!!
Kevin

[Iron_Marshal]

I have been reading the older threads and have found them very helpful. I have already found that I should separate the sticky, flat lead weights from the other steel clip weights. Good info for 15 minutes of reading.


Great site!

[badgeredd]

I have been reading the older threads and have found them very helpful. I have already found that I should separate the sticky, flat lead weights from the other steel clip weights. Good info for 15 minutes of reading.


Great site!

First, welcome aboard.

In your reading, pay attention to the posts about boolit fit in your revolver. Hard boolits aren't necessary in most cases in a handgun. A mix of 50/50 clip-on WW / pure lead or stick on wheel weight makes a good general use alloy for hunting because the boolit is more malleable, IMO. If you find you want or need a harder boolit in your rifle, you CAN water drop or oven heat treat the same alloy to bring your hardness up.

I am working with a 300 grain plain base in both my handgun and my rifles along with Lee's 310 GC boolit. There is also a 265 grain available that you may like to try. Lee molds are inexpensive and once you've learned how to cast with them you'll have a pretty decent availability of molds for not much money.

Look in the Leverguns section too for loads and info for your lever gun.

Have fun.

Edd

[Iron_Marshal]

Edd,

At the levergun sight I have been discouraged from loading 300gr bullets. Comments were abundant that if I wanted to shoot 300 gr bullets that I should buy a larger rifle/revolver (ie. .454 or 45LC) Have you loaded 300 gr that work in both revolver and rifle?

I may not NEED 300 gr boolits, but I know I LIKE them. I shoot 300gr out of my .50 cal muzzle loader and like the performance. If I am expecting unrealistic results please tell me. 240-250 gr was what I was led to believe was "IT" in a .44 mag.... at least in the rifle if I wanted ONE round to switch back and forth.

[geargnasher]

I don't own a .44 mag rifle, so I can't comment on the 300-grain boolit, but I will say that a 229 grain 429421 hp packs a lot of smack even in midrange loads from a pistol and I think most will agree you don't need the extra weight even out to 100 yards in a hunting load. IME the .44 Mag needs speed to perform, if you want to shoot multi-gun heavies go to .45 Colt and shoot 300 to 340 grainers in both with much less recoil and pressure, kinda like lobbing huge rocks. Just find a powder and boolit they both like (I would work up a revolver load first and get the fit/seating issues fixed and use a powder on the slower end of the spectrum for the cartridge). Then try it in the rifle and see how it works. My .02, I'm no expert.

Gear

[sagacious]

Yes, 300grs will work fine in both revolver and rifle. That's my 'standard' weight in 44mag. It's not out of ego or masochism, it's just what I enjoy shooting. That weight is perhaps not what I might recommend for a newbie shooter, since the 44mag can be handful as it is. I do not load 'hot' and am not out for max velocity, but you can easily get enough for realistic use in the revolver, and the carbine load will probably give you a few hundred more fps, depending on powder and recipe choice.

The LEE 310GC is a good one to start with-- you can buy a lubrisizer, or simply use a LEE push-through sizer to seat the gas-check and then lube with alox. The six cavity version is the way to go if you budget allows. Eventually you may wish to also get a 200-240gr mold, to conserve on lead for plinking and informal use. The 310 grainers use up lead fast. As stated by others above, really hard lead is certainly not always required for 44mag loads.

Both white gas and propane work fine. When you assemble your casting gear, don't forget eye protection.

A cheap muffin pan works as good as anything for molding ingots.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[Cord]

Welcome, spend some time and read the current
and older threads, there is so much here to learn....

You can visit the Swappin' and Sellin' area and find
boolit trading threads where you can get 100 or so of
many different styles of cast boolits from members who
are glad to share....trade for them or buy them cheap.

Then you can try 'em before you spring for moulds your pair
don't like.

Lots of interesting boolits are here you won't find anywhere else.

[Crash_Corrigan]

May I a suggest a vist to Bass Pro Shops wherin they have a neato cast iron ashtry in the shape of a frying pan. I casts a dandy ingot of about 2 lbs. It is round and stacks easily and fits well into most furnaces.

I bought 8 at once and I have never regretted it. I also use them as ash trays between casting sessions.

I have found straight ww's to be more than adequate for most casting applications. Since I recently delved into the Holy Black I bought some 40-1 alloy from rotometals. Very nice stuff. Casts really well and is accurate as all get out.

MIHEC recently did a group buy on a 430-256 gr SWC Lead boolit. I got one. I is the finest mold I have. ( I have over 60 molds) and it casts perfrect boolits in WW and they fall like rain. Loaded over 6.4 gr of Unique in my Charter Arms Bulldog they work great. The recoil is really nasty and since my chrono elected to go mammaries up during the shoot I really do not know the FPS the babies travelled at. Whatever the FPS I intend to tone it down to somewhere in the neighborhood of of 5 gr of Unigue since I do not enjoy major pain and recoil.

Those loads at 256 gr and 6.4 gr of Unigue are probably right on for social engagements but painful at best. But by the 30th round fired I kinda got used to it and using a solid two hand grip I was hitting the bullseye with regularity but it is a very STOUT LOAD.

I believe that this mold is one that you should inquire into. It is a six banger and the boolits fall like rain. In straight WW's they come out at .431 and are perfect for use in your .44 mag. Fat metplat and two decent grease grooves. The price is less than $100 and you will not find a nicer mold.

[rob45]

Iron Marshal,

Welcome!
Jump on in and git yer feet wet! Doing it this time of year guarantees membership in the polar bear club!

[Mk42gunner]

Iron Marshall,

My only concern about using 300 grain projectiles in your Marlin would be twist rate; I know some calibers that Marlin built rifles for had seriously slow twists, .444 Marlin comes to mind. As long as the twist will stabilize it, shoot whatever you want. The Lee mold will be your least expensive to try.

For your heat source, I recommend using a propane fish/ turkey fryer for melting wheel weights; there are a lot of options for ingots, (I like long angle iron molds, they slip into a pot better). Then for actually casting your bullets; it is a lot more comfortable for me to use an electric pot rather than a Coleman stove.

Robert

[jack19512]

I may not NEED 300 gr boolits, but I know I LIKE them.

I have a Marlin 1894 44 mag and a Ruger SBH 44 mag and for the most part get better accuracy when using the Lee 310 gr. boolits.

[WHITETAIL]

Iron Marshal, Welcome to the forum!