44 Mag @ Magnum Velocity In Rifle

[MediumCore358]

The firearm is a new Rossi 92 in 44 Mag 16in barrel. From what I've read the bores can vary so I will be slugging it. Do I need a gas checked bullet for magnum velocity if the bullet is proper size/BHN/lube or powder coated? Any recommendations for Lee molds in this caliber ?

[DougGuy]

Lee C430-310-RF is my first pick. Cast in 50/50+2% with Felix lube. This is a gas checked design and with this you can run softer alloy which expands fairly well, I use this same boolit over 17.0gr 2400 in a 7 1/2" SBH with zero leading and great accuracy. Runs right at 1200fps it may do 1450 from a rifle barrel.

Not sure if it will feed in the Rossi unless crimped in the top groove which you would need to pay attention to the powder recommendations and COA and adjust accordingly. I crimp in the bottom groove.

There are also modified and improved versions of this same mold that can be found here on the forum, both with and without GC.

You may have to get one of the improved molds to get it to drop at .434" if your rifle needs bigger than a .432" boolit. As-dropped sizes on the Lee mold are all over the map it seems. Lee makes sizers in .432" as well or you can hone one out to whatever size you need.


Two on the left are crimped with a modified collet style crimp, two on right are roll crimped.


http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/DSC01964_zps17b81bf2.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/DSC01964_zps17b81bf2.jpg.html)

[runfiverun]

the rossi's will generally take a bit longer than saami lengths without issue.
you can't get crazy and go to 1.650 or anything like that, but .620 should be good to go.
I shoot plain base boolits [240-250gr] in my lever guns and have reached up over 1600 fps in them without any problems.
I never needed that much velocity for hunting or target shooting but it was nice to know I could get there if necessary.

good idea on slugging the taurossi barrel you never know what your gonna get from them anymore.
hopefully you can get away with 430 in them like I do in my older Rossi's.

[Digital Dan]

Gas check, no. An over powder card wad won't hurt you if considering a soft alloy. Check your twist before venturing to bullets in the 300 grain range.

Shooting 300 gr paper patch in a 77/44. 1600 fps w/ Lil Gun, 1.68" COAL and a card wad. Pure lead over a card wad = MOA +\- depending on how much coffee for breakfast. 20" twist FWIW

[10mmShooter]

In my Henry .44 I run BHN 12-13 alloy in a 240gr LRN-FP, sized to .432, at 1.600 coal. With a mild charge of AA#7 it runs right at 1500 fps. No leading at all(sizing is the key here). Now this is right at what I consider max velocity for 12-13 bhn alloy. My normal loads are in the 1350 fps range at that velocity I can without leading go down to 11 bhn with no issues.

[mdi]

My Puma has a .432"+ groove diameter and just loves Ranch Dog's design 265 gr. LRNFP (sized to a fat .433") lubed with 45-45-10...

I haven't tried his no check bullets, yet, but Beartooth 260 RNFPs w/plain base will do fine w/o leading with Magnum velocity loads of 2400...

[Indiana shooter]

My grandpa's micro grooved (90's) Marlin with a 20" pipe loves the 265gr RD boolit as cast and PCed at 434+ with a BHN of around 13 no GC. I load them for him with a very healthy dose of IMR 4227 that I've chronied at just under 1750 fps average. No leading at all and it'll shoot under 2" at 100 yards all day.

[MediumCore358]

Thanks for all the responses and picture gents. I slugged the bore a few min ago and came out with .432 dang! A few questions.... What's a "improved mold"? Is that beagling and/or lapping of the mold?... It's good to hear I can use a plain base boolit. What's an over powder card wad? I think I know what it is but what is it made of and how do I make them? How would I measure the ID of a Lee sizer if I needed to lapp it larger? Would it be better to purchase the custom size?
I appreciate the info in advance I'm soaking it up like a sponge. :bigsmyl2:

[Indiana shooter]

I have 3 lee molds for my 44 mag, all three drop boolits just a shade under .431 from factory. I lapped all three to .433, lee uses a soft aluminum in their molds so it is very easy and fairly quick to do. In my experience the lee 430-310 boolit will stabilize in a 1 in 38 twist barrel if you push it above 1400 fps but seems to begin destabilizing around 100 yards as accuracy falls off quickly past that. YMMV though.

To get the ID on a push through sizer I just mic a sized boolit. Lapping the lee sizer is easily done as well because they use a very mild steel to produce. I just lapped mine with a slotted dial peg and a strip of 1000 grit emry cloth a couple of spins and it went from .4305 to just shy of .432. I then had some boolits, that I cast from lyno and water dropped, filled their lube groves with a polishing compound and ran them through to "clean" it up to a mirror finish.

[Mal Paso]

Both NOE and MP offer molds at .434". Accurate is whatever size you want.

NOE is having an Year End Sale starting today for 1 week.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=37&osCsid=k5mrmkj94mjo8k3vpp09vc1391

.434" molds are at the end of the .432" section.

Oh yea, they have push through sizer dies too.