Opinions on 44 mag loads and mould

[gtivan]

Haven't started casting or reloading for 44 mag, but plan on doing it this summer. I have a Smith 629 Mountain Gun. Looking for a mild velocity load.

What powder and mould gives you the best results?

Thanks
Greg

[pistolman44]

In my 4" 44mag I shoot 44 special ammo in it. The most accurate load in mine is with a 250gr Lswc with Unique powder in 44 spc. Or you can download a magnum case with the same powder with good results. The only time I use a 300gr full house load is when I'm walking in the woods where there are bear. Look in reloading manuals for a safe load.

[44man]

Haven't started casting or reloading for 44 mag, but plan on doing it this summer. I have a Smith 629 Mountain Gun. Looking for a mild velocity load.

What powder and mould gives you the best results?

Thanks
Greg
Stay with boolits from 240 to 265 gr in a S&W. 7 to 8 gr of Unique will be very good.

[Dale53]

+1 on 44man's suggestions.

My favorite bullet is from a Mihec mould, the clone of the H&G #503. A good copy of the Lyman 429421 will likely give just as good results. Using .44 Special cases, I commonly use the old "Skeeter" load of 7.5 grs of Unique. A number of us on here prefer to only use .44 Magnum cases due to build up of carbon at the mouth of the shorter cases. Using .44 Magnum cases, you will need a bit more powder for the same velocity. Try 8.5 or so of Unique or equivalent (Universal from Hodgdon's measures some better and burns cleaner than Unique).

Another good choice for the .44 Special or Magnum cases is Titegroup. It is much less position sensitive than other powders in the rather large cases and gives economical loads along with excellent measuring qualities and clean burning for mild to medium loads. 5.0 grs in the .44 Magnum case will give about 950 fps. The only downside of using a fast burning powder like Titegroup is that it doesn't take up much space in the case and it would be easy to get a double charge if you weren't paying attention.

Me, I pay attention...

Dale53

[oscarflytyer]

If you are going to load/shoot 44 SPC in it, look at Power Pistol. I have recently found good accuracy with it across a wide range of loads, using a 240 grn cast bullet.

The 7.5 grn Unique/240-250 44 SPC Skelton load is good too. Again - 44 SPC

[NHlever]

I have been playing with both the Lee 200 gr. RFN, and the Lyman 429215 gas checked 215 grain SWC in both my .44 Specials, and in my 5 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk. So far accuracy hasn't been quite as good as I get with the various 240 grain boolits, but I've just started working with them, and some loads look promising. I have been trying Red Dot, Unique, and TiteGroup so far for modest loads. The point of impact with the lighter boolits works better with the sights that came on my SBH, but I think I'm going to install a higher front sight anyway since the heavier boolits shoot so well, and I have lots of them.

[fredj338]

Yep, Unique in the 7-9gr range is a easy shooting load & @ the upper end, plenty for even hunting deer sized game. I like the 245-250grLSWC for plinking & 270grLHP for hunting.

[Sully]

+1 on 44man's suggestions.

My favorite bullet is from a Mihec mould, the clone of the H&G #503. A good copy of the Lyman 429421 will likely give just as good results. Using .44 Special cases, I commonly use the old "Skeeter" load of 7.5 grs of Unique. A number of us on here prefer to only use .44 Magnum cases due to build up of carbon at the mouth of the shorter cases. Using .44 Magnum cases, you will need a bit more powder for the same velocity. Try 8.5 or so of Unique or equivalent (Universal from Hodgdon's measures some better and burns cleaner than Unique).
Dale53

If I may quote Dale53....Im "stump killing" and "milk jug blasting" away with that same 7.5 gr of Unique over a 240 gr LSWC that I purchased from Dardas ( and will buy more also) but Im dieing to get my hands on a set of handles so I can fire up my new Night Owl mold and make some 240 HP's. I too use only the 44 mag casing

[T-Bird]

I like 10gr AA #5 with the Ly429421. About 950fps. Shoots straight, T-Bird

[gtivan]

It would be 44 mag cases. Have over 400 cases of mag, only 50 cases of special.

[rintinglen]

I'm a big fan of the 429-421 in 44 mag cases at about950. 8-9 grains of Unique or Herco have worked well for me, with the nod going to Unique by a faint margin.

[Three44s]

A Smith MG .... that's my baby too!

I would stay in the 240 to 265 wt's as well.

Clays is my light and clean powder. Unique when I want to "Skeeter up"!

HS-6 is just grand ....... around 25,000 psi

2400 and std primers make 'ole Briar bear a little less ominus.

My fav boolit is the RCBS 250K and my favorite load in my MG is HS-6 at 11.8 gr. and the Federal 155 primer.

Three 44s

[MtGun44]

Lyman 429421 or RCBS 44-250-K are excellent over 10 gr Unique with a std primer
for about 1050 fps, medium warm load. For a milder load try 8 gr W231, also very
accurate in my Mtn Guns. Air cooled wheel wts are plenty hard enough. Size to throat
diameter or +.001 or so.

Bill

[Bret4207]

Another vote for the Skeeter load. I use 6.5 gr in the Special brass. 7.5 in Mag. Nice midrange loads.

[casterofboolits]

I used the Lyman 429421 in my S&W 6.5"Mod 29 and 10" Contender, 10 grains of Unique or 18.5 grains of 2400 and would stay under 3" at 25 yards off hand target stance. Off a rest they were minute of clay bird at 100 yards.

I actually would stuff 1" square of TP on top of the Unique load to keep the powder up against the primer. Heck, it was reccommended for 45 ACP Bullseye loads, so it should work with the 44. Right? My shooting buddy laughed at this the first time he saw me doing this, but since I out shot him every time we went to the range, he soon quit.

[keyhole]

Like others here, I have used Lyman 429421, cast from wheelweights. Accuracy has been outstanding in a Model 29 6 1/2" for over 35+ years. (best 5 shot group I've ever fired was with this bullet and revolver- measured 1.25" 25 yards, offhand) When I was younger I shot full house loads of H110. No more. The straight back recoil of the S&W is too much for my old body. What I shoot now is this same bullet but with Unique in the range others have described. Accuracy is still there but it is more fun to shoot.
Good luck

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I prefer heavier boolits in 44 Mag, 240 gr. and up
I like Blue dot, use the starting load in your manual and work up to what you want.
I'm not sure if that classifies as a mild load ?
but it's not a wrist buster either.
Jon

[gtivan]

Thanks,
Gun show this weekend and i wanted a list on what to look for.

[44magLeo]

I have shot the 44 for 33 years. Many boolits. Some store bought some home made.
I have settled on one boolit, two loads. Lyman's 429421.
ACWW with 8.5 grs Unique, Same boolit but WDWW over 21grs 2400. Most any case, any primer just not magnum's don't shoot as well.
If a 44 won't shoot these two loads well I trade it off. It's busted. Both loads in my handguns 1/2 inch at 25 yds off a good rest.
I have made powder dippers for those two powder charges out of cut down cases.
The hard cast 429421 loaded can punch through most any animal on this continent. It can stop an Elephant.
The light load is great on small game. Headshots at 75 yards on cottontails isn't hard, so no meat hurt.
Not to many boolits cut a cleaner hole in paper. Soda cans are no match. So it's even fun just plinking.

[44man]

I have shot the 44 for 33 years. Many boolits. Some store bought some home made.
I have settled on one boolit, two loads. Lyman's 429421.
ACWW with 8.5 grs Unique, Same boolit but WDWW over 21grs 2400. Most any case, any primer just not magnum's don't shoot as well.
If a 44 won't shoot these two loads well I trade it off. It's busted. Both loads in my handguns 1/2 inch at 25 yds off a good rest.
I have made powder dippers for those two powder charges out of cut down cases.
The hard cast 429421 loaded can punch through most any animal on this continent. It can stop an Elephant.
The light load is great on small game. Headshots at 75 yards on cottontails isn't hard, so no meat hurt.
Not to many boolits cut a cleaner hole in paper. Soda cans are no match. So it's even fun just plinking.
Even though I do not like a semi wad cutter today, my original mold for the 429421 back in 1956 was great. I shot that boolit many, many years and did some crazy things with it.
BUT, I will never shoot a cottontail with it again. I would wind up with only the back legs to eat! :veryconfu
Another super boolit back then was the 358156 HP for my .357.
I will never forget the time I was way above water standing on a log. Seen a turtle so I shot it with the 429421. I got soaked and the turtle went way above me so I caught it on the way down. There was just a rim of shell left. That boolit would just eat a rabbit! :mrgreen:

[Bass Ackward]

I will never forget the time I was way above water standing on a log. Seen a turtle so I shot it with the 429421. I got soaked and the turtle went way above me so I caught it on the way down. There was just a rim of shell left. That boolit would just eat a rabbit! :mrgreen:





What happened to the hat?

[44man]

What happened to the hat?
It got soaked too, never seen so much water in the air! :lovebooli

[gtivan]

found a 429421 at the gun show today. couldn't get him below $45 so that is what i paid. time to go out and start up the ol saeco.

thanks again

[EDK]

found a 429421 at the gun show today. couldn't get him below $45 so that is what i paid. time to go out and start up the ol saeco.

thanks again

You have a mould for THE 44 magnum boolit. I have MMA10MM's modified version in a LEE group buy mould and the aluminum MIHEC copy of 429421/H&G503 AND the brass MIHEC is somewhere in transit.

I shoot a lot of these in 5.5 inch barrel 44 VAQUEROS, sized to .431; 50/50 lube from LARS; anywhere from 5.5 to 7.5 of TITEGROUP or HP38...currently 6.5 of TITEGROUP. Find a lower end load for the S&W for general use and something hotter for really serious usage...the gun and your wrists will last a lot longer!

[azcruiser]

I have a 629 with 8 3/8 barrel don't shoot much cast through it mostly 180 gr hp with 2400 or 4227 since I came into 2200 new Win nickel cases and a case of 180 gr Win hp bullets.Still have 1000 new left