.44 Mold / cast question

[willlong9]

I have a handi rifle in .44mag. It slugs at .431. Should I order a mold at .431 or .432? New at casting so any info would be great.

[Bullwolf]

You can always size a boolit down.

You can't easily make a too small boolit, larger.

If casting for rifles, I would get the larger mould as long as it was available in the design I wanted, or even possibly go with a custom mould maker. Be sure to tell the mould maker what alloy you plan to use for your target cast diameter.

A larger mould will give you more wiggle room with lesser tin alloys and varying casting temps as well.


- Bullwolf

[dh2]

I am casting with a 44 cal. lee mold and a lyman mold both are sized .431 so I don't think you would have to order the mold any thing special.

[dkf]

I would get at least a .432".

I usually just get molds in .434" and size down. Though I do have molds that drop .432 and .433. If you get a gun in the future that needs something larger then than your mold drops you are either buying a new mold, lapping or messing with beagling. I size my bullets anyway so it is not an extra step.

[Bullwolf]

44 Magnum pistol spec is nominally .429
44 Magnum rifle spec is .431

I have encountered Rossi 44 Magnum rifles that slugged as large as .433

If you are casting for a rifle, I would get at least .432 if it's an easy option since you can always size a boolit down.

Your best results will often be found shooting an oversize (.001 -.002) lead boolit.


- Bullwolf

[triggerhappy243]

my ruger super blackhawk slugs at .431. bought a lyman 4 cavity it drops .4295. now I am looking at a custom mould.

[.429]

My Handi .44mag slugs at .4315 so I bought a .434 mold and size to .433 it shoots great and I've never had any leading at all

[Outpost75]

+1 on .433" in the Handi-Rifle. Use as large a bullet as will chamber and extract without resistance. Most accurate rifle load will be with 265-275 grain flatnose seated out to 1.70" OAL with a compressed case full of RL7, about 26 grains for 1400 fps.

[dkf]

I gage pinned my dads 80's Redhawk as I want to load some CB ammo for it. A .432" gage pin slipped in all of them but the .433 did not.

[willlong9]

I'll be casting with air cooled WW. I'm looking at getting a "Accurate" mold in .434 fn w/ gc, but don't know anything about them. Not looking to break the bank.

[willlong9]

Also, I was thinking about a 240-265 gr.

As for powder, I don't have any RL7....I do have 4227, H4198, H4895 and about 6 lb of SPP-210 I need to use somehow. Some others I can't think of right now (I'm not at home)

[Bullwolf]

Also, I was thinking about a 240-265 gr.

As for powder, I don't have any RL7....I do have 4227, H4198, H4895 and about 6 lb of SPP-210 I need to use somehow. Some others I can't think of right now (I'm not at home)

I shoot a few cast 240 grain SWC's over 22-23 grains of IMR 4227.
As well as one 260 grain RF over 21-22 grains of IMR4227.

Mostly in revolvers, but I have also used IMR4227 with a 20 Inch Henry lever action rifle.

I have no complaints with 4227 powder in 44 Magnum. I use it in 30 carbine as well.

4227 has been on the shelves off and on lately for some odd reason, when many other powders vanished completely.


- Bullwolf

[triggerhappy243]

some people do not regard 4227 as a pistol class powder.... til recent, I never did.

[ipijohn]

my ruger super blackhawk slugs at .431. bought a lyman 4 cavity it drops .4295. now I am looking at a custom mould.

Or you could up size your current boolits with powder coat aand loose the messy lube and leading.

[willlong9]

Thanks for the idea's...
PC sounds complicated.

Who makes a decent mold for under 100. Bucks? Aluminum is OK.
I'm using a Lee Alu 309-170-fn that seems to work pretty good.

[ipijohn]

Thanks for the idea's...
PC sounds complicated.

Who makes a decent mold for under 100. Bucks? Aluminum is OK.
I'm using a Lee Alu 309-170-fn that seems to work pretty good.


Try NOE he is a vendor here, makes good stuff has many in stock molds. I have many of his molds.

[willlong9]

Thanks.

[mdi]

Just a comment. Most molds I've encountered have a designated finished bullet diameter, but many times the diameter of the bullets doesn't match what the mfg. says the mold will drop. I have Lee molds that cast .001"-.003" over stated diameter, one Lee that casts right on, two Lyman/Ideal molds that drop bullets .001"-.002" over. Alloy, melt and mold temperatures and method can have an effect on the finished diameter of the bullets. So, ordering one in .001" increments (.431" vs .432") isn't really feasible. Just go with the larger and size to fit your gun...

[willlong9]

Roger that.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Slug the bore first. Then get a mold that drops at least .001 over size , handi rifles seem to run more to the .432-.434 size so you need a mold that is usually over sized from the fine list of {custom} mold makers ....or you can lap a smaller mold to what you need. IMHO[smilie=s::cbpour: