Which 44 cal Lee mold should I get?

[Deep Six]

Help me decide on my next mold. I'm looking for something to make general 44 special plinking loads that I can assemble quick and cheap. I'll probably use both special and magnum brass, but don't intent to exceed 900 fps. I want to be able to tumble lube to keep production going fast. I'll be shooting these out of my Redhawk, Blackhawk, and Rossi 92 (I keep telling myself to buy a S&W too). I'm currently casting 250 Keiths and a 320 WFN-GC from an Accurate mold. While these bullets are excellent performers (especially at magnum levels), they take time to lubricate and assemble, and both make for heavy loads, even at special velocities. I'm just looking for a cheap load I can assemble fast for general plinking and gong-ringing. A Lee mold should do the trick and right now I'm thinking the 240 round nose, although I would prefer if it was 200 gr. Then again staying at 240 gr would mean I don't have to mess with the sights when I change loads. Opinions?

[rintinglen]

I ave one of their 429-200 RFN molds and it is pretty good. Although only a two cavity, I find that because I have to cast so fast to keep the mold good and hot, that I still end up with a pile of good boolits pretty swiftly. For plinking it is just fine, but it is not as accurate at 25 yards as the heavier boolits are. Be advised that any boolit can be tumble lubed, so don't let the lack of tiny grooves fool you. Pick the one that fits your needs and smile.

[Wally]

Have used the 200 RF and the 214 SWC...both are good. The 200 RF casts at about 210 grains w/ WW metal. In my Model 94 I find that GC bullets are better..I make my own aluminum GCs, so that's what I use in it. I use the 240 SWC-GC bullet most of the time in the Carbine. However the 200 RF and the 214 SWC also shoot well. I had the 240 SWC-TL as well..I never got used to the TL concept....just too messy.

[ultramag]

The Lee 200 RFN loaded TL'ed and unsized is one of the most accurate light loads I've come across in my Rugers so far. It drops 208-210 with my alloy as well and the best load so far has been 5.0 gr. of Clays in a magnum case. Very accurate for me and could be shot all day long.

[fredj338]

Well any of them will do, 200 or 240 or even 310, but plinking bullets don't need to be gc or 310gr. I have a 240grRN coming, going to cast some for shooting with speed loaders & nothing feeds slicker than RN.

[Wally]

I should mention that for plinking with light loads it is very hard to beat a WC bullet. I know it's not fair because try and find a bullet mold in the .44 Caliber for a WC. I have the Lyman 429358 (185 grain) and a Lee 208 grain. Both are accurate and take up more space in the case to give you a bit better load density with a light powder charge. Perhaps if you look around a bit you can locate one, as did I. The Lyman is goofy looking but it is very accurate both in the .44 Spl and magnum..with light loads. I wish I had tried them a lot sooner.

[Deep Six]

Well any of them will do, 200 or 240 or even 310, but plinking bullets don't need to be gc or 310gr. I have a 240grRN coming, going to cast some for shooting with speed loaders & nothing feeds slicker than RN.

That's a good point about speed loader use. I do plan to do some speed drills with the Redhawk and of course with a Smith if I ever get one.


I should mention that for plinking with light loads it is very hard to beat a WC bullet. I know it's not fair because try and find a bullet mold in the .44 Caliber for a WC. I have the Lyman 429358 (185 grain) and a Lee 208 grain. Both are accurate and take up more space in the case to give you a bit better load density with a light powder charge. Perhaps if you look around a bit you can locate one, as did I. The Lyman is goofy looking but it is very accurate both in the .44 Spl and magnum..with light loads. I wish I had tried them a lot sooner.

I would love a light wadcutter - it's just that Lee doesn't currently offer one and I don't want to pay for a custom mold for this application.

[theperfessor]

I can endorse both the 429-240 2R and the 429-200 RF as being good bullets for .44 Special level loads in either case. I haven't TLed them, I use regular soft Alox lube but I think both have enough bearing surface for TLing.

[BoolitBill]

I concur with theperfessor, I have a 429-240-2R in a six cavity mold and in no time I can have a pile of nice boolits. I have never tumble lubed them either but in a reasonable amount of time I can have that pile sized and lubed and ready to load. I am very happy with the accuracy I get in 44 Special loads with carnuba red lube, and you will probably get good accuracy with tumble lube. But the six cavity mold is the key to having a lot of boolits for plinking.