Cast in .44 Mag Winchester Model 94

[NuJudge]

The rifle's tubular magazine does not like Kieth-type bullets. It likes deep-seated bullets of the sort one usually finds in jacketed factory .44 Magnum ammunition. Does anyone know of a mold such rifles like?

CDD

[Glen]

My experience is with a Marlin 1894, and while it balks at the original Keith design, it handles the Thompson GC-SWC (Lyman 429244) just fine (which has a slightly shorter nose). There are the various RN-FPs (like the 429640, which is currently a group buy) and the NEI version, which also feed smoothly in my Marlin, as does the the Saeco 240 grain truncated cone.

For details, as well as other bullets that work in .44 Mag leverguns, go to:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/marlin_1894.htm

[Larry Gibson]

I've had two M94 .44s over the years and both fed fine with Keiths 429429 and the 270 gr 429244. Both bullets were crimped in the regular crimp groove. You might have a gunsmith take a look at it if it's not feeding the Keith bullets as it should feed them. To anser the question though the Lee C429-240-SWC abd the TL430-240-SWC both have short snouts on them.

Larry Gibson

[Bass Ackward]

What's your rifle slug?

[MtGun44]

My M94 trapper in .44 mag feeds the Keith 429421 in normal crimp
groove just peachy. The M92 Browning will not, as the action
is too short. I suggest your M94 may have a problem.

Bill

[Lloyd Smale]

a good swc in the lever guns is the rcbs 240 swcgc bullet. Its not only about the most accurate 44 bullet ive found but it is short enough to feed in a lever gun and with a gas check can be pushed pretty hard out of one too.

[OBXPilgrim]

I've got a 1972 vintage Win M94 .44 Mag that slugs at .432", I've had some success with copper j-word clad boolits, but wanted to get into this casting stuff a little more (been doing .45 cast for a while). I wanted a heavy slug & jumped on the Group Buy listed below - photo of the slug on post #4.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=7753

It feeds fine & I've been crimping in the middle groove - O.A.L at 1.635" - the lower groove digs into the rifling. I haven't really ended up at a final load I like yet, but the last attempt got me in the 2.5"-3" at 75 yds with plenty more room for loading for more velocity (medium load).

While that buy is over, there's a couple more buys with similar nose shapes, if you aren't dedicated to the Keith style.

[lovedogs]

I use a Saeco #431 which is listed as a 250 gr. RNFPGC in my Marlin 1894 Cowboy. My mould drops them out at about 243 gr. using Lyman #2 alloy. That design was for the .444 Marlin so it feeds well with lever guns. I use Larsen's 50/50 lube and 23 gr. of H110 for 1840 FPS. Accuracy is good, even from the over-sized barrel. The bullets are sized at .430 and the Marlin has a .4315 tube. It still shoots in 2 in. at 100 and doesn't lead.

[trk]

I'd have to look to see what I'm shooting in .44 because it's never given a lick of trouble with anything I've tried. On the other hand my Trapper in .45 Colt has little oversized chamber and doesn't feed nearly as smoothly.

What I'm saying is, there are rifle-to-rifle differences.

[TCLouis]

I bet the tubular magazine could care less about the Keith style boolit.
What is more like the issue, is the longer nose on the true Keith boolit (funny since as I understand it, it i the one thing he felt was most important in the 429421s proper long range accuracy design). The RCBS design has a nose that is noticably shorter and fatter.
The issue is more likely the overall length of the loaded round with the true Keith boolit.
One would have to check to see for sure, but a little trim (possibly very little) on the part of the cartridge carrier that stops the rearward motion of the cartridge might fix the issue.
Will a taper crimp die hold the boolit tight enough to keep it from being "driven" in the case from recoil? IF so, then one may solve the problem by seating the boolit just slightly deeper and using a taper crimp rather than a roll crimp.

A dummy round could be used to test my "repair" SWAG fairly quickly and easily.

[MTWeatherman]

I've got a '94 trapper made in the early 80s...has a Microgroove barrel just like a Marlin.

Here's another vote for the Lyman 429244...used it for over 35 years in a SBH and since getting the '94, best bullet I've discovered for it. Works very well in it with full loads of either H110 or Lil'Gun. Excellent accuracy. Feeds well and the bullet runs close to 260 gr. with WW.

For a plain base, the Lyman 429667 is a good choice...has a decent meplat and FN design should work well in any lever. Since the price of gas checks went up...find I'm getting more use out of this one. The Lee FN 200 gr. works OK but expect to lap out the mould as Lee seems to run their .44 moulds at .429...I needed .431 for the Trapper. Haven't tried the Keith type simply because the Thompson works so well. Add the Lee SWC to the non-feed list also...I've got the gas check version and it hangs on the feed ramp.