44 mag / special mold recommendation

[atr]

I finally purchased a 44 mag and want to get a casting block
I have narrowed it down to two choices
Lyman 429421 / FN 245 gr
and
Lyman 429382 / RN 245 gr
both are plain base
does anyone have experience with either of these two molds ?
I noticed that 429421 has a wider lub groove and Im wondering if this would be and advantage
thanks
atr

[Reload3006]

Rcbs 255 kieth best 44 mold i ever owned.

[Forrest r]

Either bullet will is a good choice, I've used both of them in the past. I just bought a 429421 4-cavity mold to start using that bullet again. Why I ever quit using it is beyond me, must of had a brain fart moment that lasted a couple of years.

I like the huge lube groove on the 429421 bullet, that along with a good quality lube will allow you to run the bullets in a wider range of velocities with hard & soft bullets. I cast soft bullets, around 8 BHN & try to reload them in the 800fps to 1000fps range, target loads. I tried 20 of these soft bullets in a 10" contender bbl with 12g of herco (12.5g max load) pushing them to test the lube I was using for signs of leading. 20 shots later over a chonograph (1300fps AVG) the bbl cleaned up with a couple of wet patches & no leading. Like I said, I really like that huge lube groove, it makes for a bigger gasket to seal & protect the bore.

[stubshaft]

I have shot alot of 429421 in 44 mag and specials. It is a good boolit and you can't go wrong by getting this mold. My personal favorite is the discontinued RCBS 44-245-KT it looks very similar but gives me a little more accuracy in all of my 44's. By looking at them side by side I couldn't tell you why.

[GLL]

Take your pick !
All are good choices n .44Special and .44Magnum !

Jerry


http://www.fototime.com/663AE09580611F3/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/2CB4022C53F7A88/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/310E9313ECA8D59/standard.jpg

[DaveCampbell]

FWIW, I am somewhat ashamed that I have never cast or loaded anything but the 429421 in my .44 Specials and Magnums. Therefore, I cannot offer any comparisons. On the other hand, I have never found anything lacking in this bullet. It never broke, so why fix it?

Best,

Dave

[Shuz]

FWIW, I am somewhat ashamed that I have never cast or loaded anything but the 429421 in my .44 Specials and Magnums. Therefore, I cannot offer any comparisons. On the other hand, I have never found anything lacking in this bullet. It never broke, so why fix it?

Best,

Dave

Dave, you are a lot smarter than I. I've been shootin' the .44 mag for nearly 50 years now. I have accumulated, and bought and sold,dozens of different styles from 173g to 350g and have never found a design that shoots or casts any better than my 429421 round groove 4 cavity moulds. Some of the designs, like the Lee 200RNFP and Lyman's 429667 do feed better thru my lever action rifles, so i guess there is a "place" for them, but from my experience, a person can't go wrong with a 429421 or any of the clones shown in the other posts.

[Blammer]

I would go with the 429421. :)

or one of these.... :)


http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/44list-1.jpg

[stubshaft]

Nice collection you got there Blammer. I used to have the NEI 260 too but sold it in a moment of weakness.

[Snapping Twig]

I've been casting the Lyman 429215, 429421 & 429244 since the early 80's.

I've pretty much set the 429215 off to the side. Some day I'll use it again, but when you have the 429421 for the 44 Spl and the 429244 for the 44 Mag, what else do you really need?

I interchange them according to how many I have cast up in the bin, sometimes I run out of one or the other, but a 250g 429421 in the Spl is really nice @ 900fps and the 265g 429244 @ 1200fps in the magnum is all I need or want.

[saz]

Can never go wrong with the Lee 310 either.

[HeavyMetal]

If you own a 44, be it a mag or a special, and you don't own a 429421 mold your missing out.

I own other molds, several of them in Blammers picture, and use them all but for general make a bunch so everyone can shoot them a 4 cavity Lyman 429421 is real hard to beat!


I have used several variations of this mold over the years, the Nephew has the BIL's sq groove 429421 4 banger and I have a round groove HP mold and I actually can't tell the difference in performance on paper.

Sure can during production!

If you buy a 4 banger get ahold of Red River Rick and ask him about his Lee style sprue plate for the 4 cav Lyman molds! This will be designed like Lee's 6 banger sprue plate with the cam lever but made out of steel!

Two of these just hit the mail box Thursday and are they awesome! I paid a touch more and got these set up with the H&G style "trough" connecting all the sprue holes.

Plan to convert a 358477 today and try them out!

Shameless plug for Rick now over!

[RKJ]

I just recently started casting and only have a small group of moulds but I do have a Lyman 429421 2 cavity and it works like a charm. It drops gorgeous bullets (I know they don't have to be perfect but they sure are purty) :) and heats up after 3 casts. I'm sure the others are as good but I sure do like mine and can't see getting any other, well maybe a 4 cav so I can make more at the same time.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I've used both the Lyman 429421 and the RCBS 44-250-K and find the RCBS superior. The Lyman has a tiny little driving band and less of a grease groove. In my SBH 3 screw the Lyman can be loaded by crimping in the crimping groove. The RCBS when crimped in the crimping groove will not chamber. The RCBS has to be seated below the crimping groove to chamber in my 3-screw SBH. Both of these bullets are slower to cast as my molds are 2 cavity, and the sharp shoulder and square base makes them stick to the mold requiring a little more tapping to fall out. The Lyman 429667 comes in 4 cavity and provides adequate performance in the field for most of my plinking. 429667 has a beveled base and I can make a pile of these in much less time than it takes to make the wonderful RCBS 44-25-K.

[looseprojectile]

Blammer doesn't have a Ranch Dog 432 265.
I do. Along with several of the other ones shown.
I got the RD mould for my rifle. The same ammo works so well in the Super Blackhawk I need nor want any other. Fifty years ago those semi-wadcutters were all we had. I use a modern boolit now. The Lee sizer and Alox/wax work super and suit my new found laziness.

Try it you'll like it too. [smilie=p:

Life is good

[MT Gianni]

Can never go wrong with the Lee 310 either.

Its only faults are a little too heavy and the GC as I see it. The same lead for 5 300 gr boolits will get you 6 429421.

[Blammer]

Blammer doesn't have a Ranch Dog 432 265.
I do. Along with several of the other ones shown.
I got the RD mould for my rifle. The same ammo works so well in the Super Blackhawk I need nor want any other. Fifty years ago those semi-wadcutters were all we had. I use a modern boolit now. The Lee sizer and Alox/wax work super and suit my new found laziness.

Try it you'll like it too. [smilie=p:

Life is good

I do too have the RD 432 265. :D it's the one NOE ran with the square lube grooves, I just havn't updated my picture lately. Acutally I have about 6 more that are NOT in that pic. Man I'm falling behind. :D

the RD one is a great boolit too!

[Tom Herman]

I use the 429421 exclusively in all my revolvers and long guns.
The only caveat I have is that the shape of the 429421 won't feed properly in .44 Mags in my Henry rifle.
I ran into similar difficulties with my Taurus Thunderbolt, and the .45 LC 255 gr. SWC and near maximum length cartridges.
As it is, I mostly load .44 SPL, and that feeds GREAT throught all my .44 long guns.
I don't think I caught what gun you are using.
If it were me, and you wanted to shoot full house .44 mags, I would probably invest in a RNFP mould in addition to a 429421.
I have found the 429421 four banger Lyman mould spits out beautiful bullets all day long! It's a wicked casting machine, and my absolute easiest mould to use.
I personally wouldn't trade it for anything!
Best of Luck,

-Tom

[CBH]

I'm very happy with my Lyman 429667. Mold is easy to use and the bullet is the most accurate in my various .44's (so far). The finish inside the cavities could be much better tho. My beautiful Mihec mold in 429421 casts great and shoots great too.