Alloys for 44 special and mag

[brewer12345]

I ordered a couple Lee 6 bangers from Midway since they are having a sale on all things Lee. One is the 200 grain plain base, the other is the 240 grain gas checked. These will be fodder for a Marlin 1895 if they cast big enough and I can get them to shoot well. I suspect I will not have issues since I got MBC's 240 grain 44 specials to shoot well in it. The plain base will be for lighter loads akin to a 44 special, but in a rifle setting. I plan to work with Trail boss with this boolit. The gas checked will be for actual magnum loads, powder to be determined but quite possibly 2400. I am trying to decide on alloys. My thinking is that the modest pressure put on the plain base will do best with range scrap plus some tin, but the higher pressure of the gas checked will probably require more antimony in the form of COWW plus tin. Any obvious issues with these alloy choices?

[rockrat]

All I ever used in my 44's , rifle and pistol, was WW's.

[ShooterAZ]

I use 96/3/1 (from isotope cores), WW's + a little tin, and range scrap + a little tin. These all have worked fine for me. If I need to go a little harder I will add some linotype.

[Grmps]

I ordered a couple Lee 6 bangers from Midway since they are having a sale on all things Lee. One is the 200 grain plain base, the other is the 240 grain gas checked. These will be fodder for a Marlin 1895 if they cast big enough and I can get them to shoot well. I suspect I will not have issues since I got MBC's 240 grain 44 specials to shoot well in it. The plain base will be for lighter loads akin to a 44 special, but in a rifle setting. I plan to work with Trail boss with this boolit. The gas checked will be for actual magnum loads, powder to be determined but quite possibly 2400. I am trying to decide on alloys. My thinking is that the modest pressure put on the plain base will do best with range scrap plus some tin, but the higher pressure of the gas checked will probably require more antimony in the form of COWW plus tin. Any obvious issues with these alloy choices?

Lyman CB 4th edition recommend 90-5-5 = 15 bhn
I feel either of your alloys should be just fine with the proper sizing I don't think you really need a gascheck, Max Magnum loads for the 240gr are under 1300 fps,
if you do happen to get leadding with you gun, yu go harder on the alloy or throw a gas check on it.

If the mold does cast to small, Powder coating is a great solution.
With PC you can add 1 to ? thou thickness depending on how many coats you apply
It's easy to use/apply
the up front coast is minimal
AND you can get away from messy lube, limit lead contact (PC encapsulates the boolit) & add color to you reloading
with PC and HiTek coating, many of your molds that drop to small can now be used for a larger variety of guns.

I just recently added 3 thou to a bunch of 45/70's, friends gun slugged out @ 458 the mold was .457 and I needed to get to .460 :Luvcastboolits:

my 2¢ worth

[MaryB]

If a mold is dropping to small you can always Beagle it... use a cast boolit and some cutting compound. Add a screw shank to the base of the boolit, coat with compound, spin it in the mold using a drill. Detailed instruction are on the forum somewhere.

[lightman]

I expect your choice of alloys will work fine. Older wheel weights are all I've ever used.

[brewer12345]

I expect your choice of alloys will work fine. Older wheel weights are all I've ever used.


The supply of COWWs is quite finite, so I plan to only use them when it is necessary. I also find that softer alloys shoot better with lighter loads, probably because they obturate well at lower pressures. So I am becoming a big fan of range lead plus some pewter for 38 special and the like.

[dale2242]

My generic Lyman #2 in all my handguns.....dale

[kmrra]

90-5-5 is what I use on all pistol calibers , found that this works well in all

[Bookworm]

In my 44s, I do exactly as you plan on doing.

Range lead for moderate loads, range lead with gas check for heavier loads, CWW + GC for the screamers.

Four 44 Mags, and a 44Spl.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Clip on Wheel Weights has been my alloy of choice for many years!

This past Fall, I took two deer with a .444 bullet of 280gr that I cast for my son's triple four. Sized .431. Water quenched. Gas checked. Velocity 1750fps +/-. Tested as high as into the low 1900s. Both critters dead right there with complete pass through.

Firearm, RUGER 77/44.

Were I changing to the "Special" I'd have no reason to change the alloy. No gas check needed and might or might not water quench.

Typically I run multiple molds. Last Wed. I had a casting session with two Accurate Molds - 4 cavity. One a new .44 caliber 245gr gas check and the other a 175gr - .30 caliber. The other two molds were lee 6 cavity .38/357 for banger bullets. Everything was quenched.

Since I water quench most of my bullets, I'd not likely set up too not quench "Special" bullets.

So, the point is, something close to the percentages found in WW will very likely do you just fine. If you don't have a hardness tester, there are those of us that would gladly test a few samples for you.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot