Lee 430-310-RF in the .44 Special

[Swampman]

I'd like to get one of these molds for my .44 Special Ruger Flattop. Is it too much bullet?

[PacMan]

I vote that it is to much bullet.Not sure why you would need 300 grains in a special. Personally after working with a 280WFN , 250 Keith and a 265gr Noe i have settled on the 265. Really would be better served with the Keith but i cannot get the accuracy i want with it.
300 grains = higher recoil and a lot of velocity loss.
In the real world 300 grains is approching the useful weight for a 44mag.
Others will have their ideals as well.
Dwight

[Fishman]

Swampman, I think it is too much bullet for the special but it stomps the holy heck out of things from my super redhawk in 44 mag. I just don't see the 44 special in that role. But if you want a few to try I think I have some ready to go, just PM me.

[HammerMTB]

My experience is that the 310 Needs to be driven pretty hard to stabilize at any range at all. If you are talking 15 yds I s'pose it won't matter much, but I don't think you will have success (accuracy) at 50 yards. I zing those 310's at 1350FPS in a SRH. At that speed, they seem to work OK. At 1000FPS, not so much.

[EDK]

I'd start with MIHEC or MMA10MM clones of 429421...Uncle Elmer's classic. If that didn't suit, I'd play with various round nose flat points or full wadcutters of close to 250 grains. There ain't no flies on the NOE clone of the RANCH DOG TLC 432 265 in plain base in my assortment of 44 MAGNUM VAQUEROS, but I load mid range at about 900-to-1000 feet per second.

You might also try some of the various 200 grainers if you have sufficient sight adjustment.

A 44 SPECIAL is a refined item, capable of enough velocity and superb accuracy. A 44 MAGNUM in a hard hitting hammer....I run out of my comfort zone long before I hit maximum.

Save the heavy and hot stuff for a SUPER BLACKHAWK or some other big iron.

:redneck::cbpour::Fire:

[44man]

The boolit needs spun up more then a special is capable of. It really does need in the 1300 + range.

[Groo]

Groo here
44 man is most correct in that the bullet spin is more important with the heavy [ long bullet]
This is why the Fa 454 does not seem to work well with heavy bullets at lower speeds..
It has a slower twist in the barrel and the spin is depended on the speed.
Faster the speed the faster the spin.

[leadman]

I have shot the 310 gr boolit out of the 44 mag at just over 1000 fps and could consistenly hit 10" metal plates at 200 yards with it.
This boolit does increase the recoil tremendously.

Lyman's version of the 429421 at 250grs works great in the Special. This was the boolit designed by Elmer Keith.
If you want a gas check design the RCBS 225gr SWC is fantastic. Very accurate.

[redneckdan]

I have shot that bullet out of my 4 5/8" flat top. I hate to be the lone crazy here but I do recommend it's use for certain situations. I have been able to get an honest 1050-1100 fps in my bisley with that bullet and it would be a good short range bear blaster if you have need of that type of thing. My bisley shoots high with 250s and shoots way high with the 300s but at the distances i am talking about that is not all that important.

[rintinglen]

Your gun, your hand. My .44 Flat Top won't ever see that boolit. I am getting wonderful groups with the Lyman 429-421 loaded over a modest charge of unique. If I need more power, that is what the Magnum is for. But there is a distinct shortage of buffalo here abouts, so I stick with the Flat Top for fun shooting. BTW, this flat top is the most accurate 44 special I have ever owned. It makes both of my S&W's jealous and is much more accurate than the 624 I used to own, I heartily recommend it.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Swampman: the .44 spec can push a 300 gr bullet to 1000 fps easily. See Handlaoder #236 B Pearce's article on loading the .44 Special.

I don't see this bullet being something I'm going to shoot very much in my BH Bisley, however I would like some loaded anyway just in case. I do see it in my SBH Bisley and my .44 Rifles.

I am looking at asking Lyman for a 429244 stretched to 300-310 gr IE: addition of one driving band, but no change in the nose or crimp groove location. If they won't do it, then I bet Accurate can make it. I definately want the Thompson nose profile as it does feed better in the rifles.

I have 2 moulds I am looking at right now, and one is this one.

As far as the .44 Spec is concerned, having a few rounds like this loaded and actually with you, might save your bacon if you had to go up against something big with your little .44. LIke if you got treed by a bear? or a big pig or a Moose or something big that needed a big hole clear thru it.

Maybe even a pickup truck?

Randy

[x101airborne]

Well, I know that many have had luck with lyman and other off the shelf molds, but..... I am not one of them. I would contact Mihec or MP Molds, or any of the other custom makers. They can more closely monitor their quality and are usually very accomodating making a mold for someone.

[leadman]

When I was sighting in my Ruger SBH with this boolit I had to remove the cylinder, turn the elevation screw all the way down and file it off inside the cylinder opening of the frame. The screw would hit the cylinder preventing it from turning otherwise.

Filing off the screw did not cause any problems with sighting in with lighter boolits.

[singleshot]

I've had great success with that boolit out of my 7.5" RSBH running about 1100 fps. The boolit is accurate and stable out to a laser-range-verified 290 yards. And my sights are dead-on at that range with no adjustments :smile:

Sights are dead-on with full-house 240gr loads at 25 yards.

[white eagle]

don't know about the special but I can't wait to try them in my 44 mag [smilie=p::guntootsmiley::Bright idea:

[44man]

don't know about the special but I can't wait to try them in my 44 mag [smilie=p::guntootsmiley::Bright idea:
Super in the .44 mag. :bigsmyl2:
I tried downloading and it turns the gun into a 25 yard shooter. Be OK for close bears but I don't want one that close either.
Now if a .44 special had a 1 in 16" twist, it would be nice.

[white eagle]

my first black bear (435#)was 7 yds when I shot him
15 at the second shot