Lee 44/310 RF bullet. Which crimp grooves do you guys use?

[Ole]

I have two Redhawk pistols (7.5" Redhawk/2.5" Alaskan) and a Marlin 1894 that I plan to shoot with this boolit.

Figuring I should just crimp in the shorter groove so my ammo could be used in both my pistols and my rifle, but that second (longer) groove is tempting to use in my pistols for the extra case capacity.

:veryconfu

Any input here guys?

I'm assuming the data in the Lyman #4 is to the short groove. Is there a place I could get safe load data using the longer groove?

[Ole]

BTW:

Thanks alot cast bullet hobby!

This bullet has me wanting to get a .444 Marlin now.

DOES IT EVER END???? :mrgreen:

[kelbro]

A full load of H110 in the last groove is quite a handful. Not sure I would be interested in 'increasing the capacity'.

[Tom W.]

I Crimp in the bottom groove, and use a stout load of H110. It shoots very well from my SRH.

[Dale53]

Frank Siefer and I designed this bullet mould (Lee C430-310-RF). It is designed to be used in revolvers with long cylinders (S&W .44 Magnums, Ruger Red Hawk, Ruger Super Red Hawk, and the various Ruger Black Hawks) with the bullet seated long (use crimp groove farthest from the nose). However, some rifles require the bullet seated short. You MUST reduce the powder charge if you are going to seat "short". I recommend reducing the powder charge two grains from an accepted "max" load when seated long.

I believe that Lyman in their new 4th Edition Cast Bullet Manual has pressure data with included overall length (I don't have that manual at hand at this moment).

This was designed as a performance bullet. Giving the most space possible for most performance with the least pressure possible is a feature of this bullet.

Ignore this advice at your own peril.

FWIW
Dale53

[Whistler]

I use it seated long for my Super Redhawk in .44 Mag and seated short for the Desert Eagle .44 Mag (so it will fit in the magazines). I also use it seated short in the .444 Marlin for my Magnum Research BFR.

It is a great performer in all three. I push it to 1450fps out the 9.5" SRH, to 1300fps in the 12" DEP and 1300 fps out of the 7.5" BFR.
I use all three of these handguns purely for target and plate competition. Accuracy is outstanding. Especially the SRH is amazing!

[bowfishn]

Well Dale53 you guys did a good job on the design, seems to shoot well and should hit harder than Thor's Hammer. I use the long groove, it also puts the front of the bullet well into the throat on the SRH. My sized bullets when loaded just fit the throat Diameter lining the round up well. a couple of my throats require mild pressure to fit all the way into the cylinder, the last 1/16 " that is. I am going to lightly polish those throats so they all drop into place.
Whistler I also shoot them out of a SRH with 9.5" barrel just over 1500 fps with reasonable accuracy 12 shots into a ragged hole .875" CtC. Was hoping for 1600 but that ain't happening.
Had an issue with the Lee FCD it was sizing the bullet after it was loaded, getting slight leading after 30 to 60 rounds. Will be trying them out again with out the FCD, I will use the crimp in the bullet seater until I get an extra expander die to switch out the crimper with.

[Dale53]

bowfishn;
Thanks for the kind words!

We have had excellent results (both accuracy and game takin' results) with this design. It has lots of SMASH with that large meplat as well as "adequate" penetration...

Dale53

[Whistler]

bowfishn: Get the Redding Profile Crimp. You will not regret it!

[bowfishn]

I am hoping to draw a Moose Permit this year, if I do I am going to try it out on a Moose.

I'll look into the Redding Profile Crimp

Thanks
Shane