Expanding cases

[justinhip]

What would be the optimum expander die diameter for a 44 magnum with a bullet sized to 431? Is it .002 under dia or not that simple? Its also a gas check bullet, fairly soft with a lyman devistator mold.

[randyrat]

You don't need as much bullet pull for a lead boolit as you do a jacket....I use .429 expander button

[randyrat]

You might even get by with a .001 under but I think a .429 in optimum..It does not squeeze too much and I've never had a revolver lock up from a boolit backing out, even with some real heavy knock down loads

[dromia]

It would also be useful to know the inside diameter of the sized cases you are using.

[bobthenailer]

The normal difference is from .002 to .004 smaller than bullet dia however you could go to as small as .006 for jacketed bullets with handguns with heavy reciol if there is a problem with bullets jumping the crimp.

[44man]

I just will not give measurements because I don't know them. I use Hornady dies for the .44 and the expander is short so the boolit must expand the brass when I seat. Make the boolit tough enough to expand the brass.
Soft boolits just don't work, you can't get tension, the .44 thrives with water dropped WW lead. You need no hollow points, just a decent meplat like an LBT WLN or a Lee RNFP. The .44 is just perfect as is and I have a ton of deer to prove that.
Just why do you want a soft HP? Varmints maybe?
The day I talk thousandths of an inch is when you can kick my butt!