Got my 1894 to shoot (.44mag)

[doubledown]

I am new to the 1894 Marlin, I have been a bolt guy for ever. When I first got it i was reloading onlt J bullets from 240 grain up to 300. I loaded every brand bullet out there. The best that gun would do is 2" at 50 yards, and most groups were far worse than that.

I always wanted to cast my own boolits, and really that was the reason I bought that lever gun in the first place. Well after reading for a couple of months on this forum I made the leap. I have a Lee Mag 20, an RCBS ladle, and I ordered a accurate mould from Tom. http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-300B-D.png I had him cut it to .432 and use WW alloy. Its a TL boolit and I use Recluse's 45/45/10. I do not size them, ( i press the gas checks on with my thumb)

I chrono'ed those 300 grainers at 1425 fps, they plow through 10 inches of pine at 50 yards and mushroon to .646 and weigh 283 grains. I could'nt be happier! Oh I forgot to mention, they are printing right at an inch at 50 yards. I check my bore with a borescope after shooting, and I have shot 300 rounds in a single day with zero lead. The bore looks like it did when it came from the factory. (shiney and full of machining marks but no fouling!)

I just got my lee sizer in .432 in the mail today, I am going to size some boolits up and do a side by side comparison to the unsized. I will keep you posted. And thanks to all that contribute to this forum you are all a wealth of knowledge and got me started off on the right foot. DD

[bearcove]

Fit is king! J-word tend to run small. Lever gun chambers trend large...

[Bass Ackward]

I know someone that is on top of the world right now.

"I have been a bolt guy for ever"

Augh oh!

Caution: Casting can be hazardous to your wealth.

[doubledown]

[QUOTE=Bass Ackward "I know someone that is on top of the world right now."

I know it was beginners luck, but...to get it right the first time, right out of the gate will probably not happen again anytime soon. I had to tell someone!

[btroj]

Welcome to the addiction. Next thing you know you will own 5 lever guns and a big pile of moulds.

[doubledown]

just got back from the range , my theory of the barrel sizing the bullets did'nt hold up. My groups with the sized bullets was half the size of those that were'nt sized. Looks like i will be sizing from here on out.

[Ole]

I use the RD 265 in my 1894 and it runs good for a full power load.

I also use the Lee 200 grain RNFP over 10.0 grains of Unique and it runs good too.

I size all my .44 boolits @ .432" so you're doing everything right as far as I can tell.

[44 flattop]

I size all my .44's to .431. Have for 40 years with 100% positive results!

Of course, everyone has different criteria for accuracy and mine may not be as tight as others. 1 1/2" at 100 yards with a scope, 3" with a receiver sight (eyes gettin' old!) meets my needs.

44

[rhouser]

I use RD's 432 on his bullet for my 1894 but have to use a .430 sizer for my Ruger 44 Vaquero. The 432 is too big for the cylinder. A smart man would hone them out and shoot the same bullet in both. Guess I will slug the Vaquero barrel and see where I REALLY am. rc

[Hanzerik]

I use RD's 432 on his bullet for my 1894 but have to use a .430 sizer for my Ruger 44 Vaquero. The 432 is too big for the cylinder. A smart man would hone them out and shoot the same bullet in both. Guess I will slug the Vaquero barrel and see where I REALLY am. rc

Yep, my Ruger Blackhawk 44Mag will just pass a .430 jacketed bullet through the cylinder throats. No way a .432 cast boolit will fit through them without a good pounding. I'm kind of scared about shooting them through it due to pressure issues due to being so oversized for the throats. I have been thinking of getting a different mold (.430) just for my BH. Right now I'm having to size my RD 265s down a lot to get them an even .432 diameter. The seam area is fine and come out at .432, but the outer areas are coming out at about .437. Mold is clean, no fins on boolits, and held tightly, not sure why they are dropping out-of-round.

[rhouser]

Hanzerik, you could buy a second mold OR you could get the .430 lee passthough size from Midway or wherever and just run the RD's though the .430 for your Ruger and the .432 for your Marlin. On a small side note, my 1894 Will shoot the .430s pretty good, just NOT as good as the .432. The RD 265 grain at .430 is Very Good in my Vaqureo.
Just my 2 cents. rc

[Bret4207]

just got back from the range , my theory of the barrel sizing the bullets did'nt hold up. My groups with the sized bullets was half the size of those that were'nt sized. Looks like i will be sizing from here on out.

Glad you've found some success right off. I sure didn't! But I was too stubborn to stop.

On the part about "sizing from here on out", that's where dynamic fit comes in. IOW, unsized didn't work with that boolit in that gun with that load in that alloy, but in another they might be just the ticket. There are many roads to happiness with cast.

[robertbank]

There are many roads to happiness with cast.

Yup and I am beginning to think they drive us all to the bottom of a good bottle of Scotch.:)

My Lyman 429421 mold boolits cast from WW hardly get touched by my 431 sizing die. In this case I might as well describe them as cast. OTOH my Devastator boolits get sized completely when run through the die.

I haven't detected any difference in accuracy yet so I guess the Cast Gods are shinning down on me...for now.

Take Care

Bob

[Jeff H]

.......OTOH my Devastator boolits get sized completely when run through the die............Bob

Bob, do those devastators feed through your levers?

[robertbank]

Jeff I just loaded up 50 of them with an OAL of 1.675. Yes they cycle just fine. I'll know tomorrow how they work on milk jugs.

Take Care

Bob

[exile]

You guys have got me wanting an 1894 in .44 magnum. After years of looking I passed on a .357 magnum 1894 because it is not legal to hunt deer with them in Nebraska. For me, the 1894 in .44 magnum just makes more sense. Glad to hear you are having success with it.

exile

[EDK]

You guys have got me wanting an 1894 in .44 magnum...For me, the 1894 in .44 magnum just makes more sense. Glad to hear you are having success with it.

exile

The 357 is a better smaller game rifle than the 44 and has a lot of other good characteristics. My first rifle was a custom 1892 Winchester converted to 357, BUT the first 44 magnum rifle pushed the Winnie to the back of the safe and down the road. The 44 is that much better. Thankfully, the 44 is also a lot more available at a reasonable price new or used than the 357.

Skeeter Skelton made a comment about 357 versus 44 that "it's the case of a good big man beating the hell out of a good little man."


:cbpour::redneck:

[lcclower]

In a fit of frustration, I loaded some unsized Lee 275 gr. Keith bullets, plain base, cast from good clean WW, 10 gr. Unique and large pistol primers.
These bullets miked out at .435 as cast, zipped right through my 1894 and gave me 1" wide x 4" high 5 shot groups at 50 yards, the best this rifle has done to date. Won't do 6" x 6" at 50 with Hornady jacketed bullets (.430, 245 grain, 24 g. H110 & MLP primer).
New barrel time, methinks.