Ranchdog 265 grain and Marlin 44 mag. load

[smkummer]

I just lucked out and found this 6 cavity mold. It sure casts some nice bullets. I don't have any 44 gas checks yet so can someone tell me what would be a accurate load without a gas check out of my 1894 marlin with microgroove? I have several powders. thanks

[Doc65]

I'm envious, would love to find one of his molds to feed my Rossi/Puma 92 clone in 44 Mag. Wish he was still building them.

[Shuz]

I shot at 2" 5 shot group at 100 yds with this boolit with a gas check using 17.0g of WC820(lot#47320). Velocity was 1371 fps with an SD of 20, but the gun was a Winchester Trapper. Hardness was Bhn 11, but again they were checked.

[Nobade]

I size them to .427", paper patch to .433", and load them over all the IMR 4227 I can get into the case. Shoots lights out in my Marlin 1894.

[longbow]

I picked up a two cavity RD mould in 265 gr. a while ago but also didn't have .44 gas checks. I wanted to try it anyway so loaded some up on the light side but accuracy was poor. Can't recall what load I used but I normally load IMR4227 in the .44 with good results so without doing a lengthy search to see if I kept the targets, I would have to guess I went to a starting load of IMR4227.

I was not able to recover any boolits to look for gas cutting but I am pretty sure that's what was happening.

Also, my mould cast a little undersize so I had to lap it. my groove diameter runs just under 0.432".

I have so many moulds for the .44, and normally shoot PB, that I have not yet tried that boolit with a gas check though they enjoy a good reputation for accuracy.

Longbow

[Keyston44]

I have that mold. When I bought it I had it cut 3x3. When I shoot the plain base I load 8gr of Unique. That load works great out of my Marlin and Blackhawk.

Key

[smkummer]

Thanks, Keystone44, I will try a few of those this week while I wait for some gas checks to arrive. I also have WC820 for when they arrive.

[6pt-sika]

The best load I ever had for the RD 432-265GC in a 44 MAG was 23 grains of H110 . Matter of fact Ranch Dog told me to try that load a number of years ago !

Sorry I didn't read your entire post , the load I give is most certainly for gascheck bullets . To be honest I have no need for plain base bullets in any of my lever rifles .

[TCFAN]

I have 2 of these molds both 6 cavity. One I bought from RD marked 432-265GC and the other is from Lee's close out page sold as a 432-285GC.Both boolits shoot very good in my Marlin Cowboy Limited over 20grs of IMR 4227 using a .0145 aluminum gas check......Terry

[6pt-sika]

I have 2 of these molds both 6 cavity. One I bought from RD marked 432-265GC and the other is from Lee's close out page sold as a 432-285GC.Both boolits shoot very good in my Marlin Cowboy Limited over 20grs of IMR 4227 using a .0145 aluminum gas check......Terry

FWIW , RD's first try was actually called a 432-285GC and I happen to have a two cavity from the test molds . Later he redid or whatever you care to call it and he called those the 432-265GC .