429244b

[imashooter2]

I just picked up the subject mold off of eBay. Not bad, needs a little work on the sprue plate... Box is marked 429244, but the mold is stamped 429244B. Cast a few from range scrap just to check size and such. Check shank is .402, bands are .433 x .432 out of round, no big deal there. But the weight with check and no lube is 280 grains!

Slughammer gave me a few from his 429244 when I got my new revolver. His are cast from WW and weigh 258 grains checked and lubed. I checked dimensions and his are .771 long. Mine are .799 (both with check installed). Nose to crimp is the same on both boolits.

My Lyman CBH lists the mold as 245 nominal, but I've seen other listings at 255.

Anyone else seen a 429244 that casts that heavy? Is there some significance to the "B"?

[Ricochet]

My CBH shows it at 245 grains, too. But my 429244HP puts out boolits that weigh about that, checked, with the hollow point.

[leftiye]

Wanna trade?

[imashooter2]

Not really, I haven't even seen if it'll shoot yet. I just thought it odd to be that far off of either of the published "nominal" figures.

[9.3X62AL]

Lyman nominal casting weights can be "poetic", let's call it. My version (4-banger) puts out 255 grain castings in 92/6/2 alloy, minus check and lube. If my moulds produce accuracy in my guns, it's all good. A 280 grain 44 caliber revolver of Thompson design would be a pretty desirable casting, I'd say--if it shot well.

[Southern Son]

What are you gonna lauch it out of?

[imashooter2]

What are you gonna lauch it out of?

I picked up a used 629 a month or so ago.

[jleneave]

I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but do all the Lyman molds that begin with 429xxx cast a .429" diameter bullet. If not how do you know what diameter the mold will cast at? I have a 429421 that cast at .429" and I really need it to cast at .431" or .432" would be even better. Any help or advice would be appreciated. I am new to casting and if this is a stupid questiion I appologize in advance. Thanks.

Jody

[lead_her_fly]

Jody,
Let me apologize for not answering this thread sooner, I just saw it in relation to the 429244B subject though.

You can get bigger bullets out of any mold by making the alloy harder. How much bigger depends, and to be honest, I'm not sure what it depends on! ;)

I do know though that one mold will cast lighter bigger bullets with harder alloys than it will with softer ones. Maybe enough to get what you need.

Depending on how you size your bullets, you may be able to "bump them up" in the sizing die.

FWIW

[Shuz]

imashooter2--Congratulations! Sounds like you have a custom Lyman mould. Let us know how it shoots outta your 629. Remember, your longer boolit is gonna stick inside the case farther than a "normal" 429244 if you use the same OAL as the manuals suggest for the 429244, therefore adjust your powder charges accordingly.

[Shuz]

I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but do all the Lyman molds that begin with 429xxx cast a .429" diameter bullet. If not how do you know what diameter the mold will cast at? I have a 429421 that cast at .429" and I really need it to cast at .431" or .432" would be even better. Any help or advice would be appreciated. I am new to casting and if this is a stupid questiion I appologize in advance. Thanks.

Jody

Jody, Based on my experience with many Lyman .44 moulds, the 429 first three numbers have no bearing whatsoever on the boolits final dimensions. The good news is that smaller diameter mould such as yours can be modified by "Beagleing". Do a "search" on Beagleing and you'll find out what it is, and most importantly, learn how to do it.

[462]

At the moment, don't have any lubed/checked, but my 429244BT -- cast of 100% wheel weights -- drops at 264.9 grains (average weight of 10 bullets), .429" in diameter, and .777" overall length.

[imashooter2]

imashooter2--Congratulations! Sounds like you have a custom Lyman mould. Let us know how it shoots outta your 629. Remember, your longer boolit is gonna stick inside the case farther than a "normal" 429244 if you use the same OAL as the manuals suggest for the 429244, therefore adjust your powder charges accordingly.


I started with data for a 300 grain Beartooth Bullet that had similar nose to crimp dimension. Worked up to 20 grains of Lil' Gun (1,272 fps average) and 18.3 of 2400 (1,210 fps average) before I stopped. The gun might take a little more, but the shooter figured that was plenty.

It is a good shooting boolit, every bit the equal of what I can hold. I've been shooting more 250 grain Keith's though. Plain base is faster to produce and cheaper to boot. Not sure what use I have for the heavy Thompson design except to torture my wrist.:)

And no, I'm still not ready to part with it.[smilie=1:

[454PB]

The letter following the mould number refers to the cherry used to cut the cavities.

My 429244 Lyman mould was purchased new in about 1971, and in those days, the lettering was not used.

What you have is one of the most accurate boolit designs made for .44's. Back when I owned a .444 Marlin, I used it exclusively and shot 2" groups at 100 yards.

[LAH]

Anyone else seen a 429244 that casts that heavy? Is there some significance to the "B"?

My 4 cavity does about 258 lubed and checked.

[burch]

My 429244B cast a 270 grainer. I have`nt shot any yet since I just bought it but if it don`t pan out i`ll move it along. I`m trying to do some research on different alloys to get it back down around the 255 gr. it`s suppose to be. I cast these with pure soft lead, no sizing and no GC. I wanted a soft cast bullet to shoot outta my S&W 696 which has a very thin forcing cone and can`t handle light fast bullets according to the boys at the S&W forum.

Burch :Fire: