Suggestions for a new .44 Cal GC Mould

[Down South]

Hi folks, I’m interested in a GC mould for my S&W 629 Classic. Currently all that I have now is a 429421 which does well after Beagling . I’d like to get a couple more .44 moulds to try. I’m more interested in either a two or four cavity and would like to stay with steel blocks. What .44 GC moulds are you folks having the best luck with? I’m looking at a 429244. Do any of you that have this mould have any dislikes about it?

[Blammer]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/44NEWLINEUP.jpg

[Blammer]

the GC 429244 is really a good boolit for me and the heavier 429640 GC is also a fine shooter.

and I also have really good results with the plain base boolits too.

just curious, why do you want a GC boolit?

[MakeMineA10mm]

Hi Sam. 44s are my favorite calibers to cast for. So far, I've got about seven different designs in 44 moulds, with two more on order. I've also used two or three other designs to cast boolits for the 44.

I began my casting for the 44s with a Lyman sing. cav. 429244 HP mould that my casting, reloading, and shooting mentor had. It was SLOW and probably a bad mould to learn on, but it was exciting! The 244 boolit is a fine shooter. I was able to shoot some pretty decent 100 yard groups with it with my first S&W629. Probably shot three or four thousand of those boolits, and it was the only boolit my revolver knew, until I started buying my own moulds. My ideas on boolits for the 44 have changed over the years, and I don't have a real interest in that boolit design anymore, but there's nothing wrong with it either...

A boolit that many, including Lyman, proclaim as a very accurate GC boolit for the 44 is the 429215. I've seen this rated anywhere from 210grs to 225grs, but Lyman says it drops at 215grs from their #2 alloy. I would probably be easily talked into getting that mould, as that weight is an ideal light-weight for the 44s.

I've got the 429640 in both solid-nose and HP form. It's a great boolit, but it's not quite as utilitarian or comfortable to shoot as a lighter boolit, like the 215 would be.

[MT Gianni]

I have pared my 44 molds down to 429421, 429244 Buckshot HP [Thanks again Rick] and the Lee 310. The only dislike I have with the 244 is the check. I feel it's only needed out of a rifle and then only when pushed hard. Gianni

[skeet1]

Down South,
I have a 2 cavity and an old single cavity hollow point 429244 mould both shoot very well sized .431 from my Marlin Cowboy and my 4" Model 29 and were my favorite molds till I started looking at Ranch Dog moulds. Before you decide you might want to look at his web page. http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

Skeet1

[Down South]

Sorry guys, I’ve been trying to get back to New Orleans and I got stuck in a traffic jam between Baton Rouge and my apartment. I’ve had a few other things on my plate today that has taken my time too.

Blammer, that is a great picture. That gave me a great opportunity to look at many versions of .44 boolits. I was wondering if the 429244 was a GC version of the 429421 and I see that it is. I may very well go with the 429244.



just curious, why do you want a GC boolit?

Good question. I’ve experienced a little leading (Very little) with my current load. I’m not an expert in cast boolits and this is my first experience with a leading problem believe it or not and I cast for several calibers. I may be pushing it just a bit too hard, I don’t know yet. I still have a lot of work to do with this caliber/ revolver. I wanted a GC design boolit just to test plus just to shoot a few rounds after a day of target shooting just to clean the barrel out with. Heck, the GC boolit may be just the ticket I was looking for, I’ll have to see.

MakeMineA10MM

A boolit that many, including Lyman, proclaim as a very accurate GC boolit for the 44 is the 429215.
I will do some research on this boolit. I haven’t had time to look at it yet but I will.

Mt Gianni

I have pared my 44 molds down to 429421, 429244 Buckshot HP I was thinking about getting Buckshot to HP a mould for me. I may buy one for him to do. I would love to have a HP Boolit for the .44.

Thanks for the replies guys, DS

[Forester]

I have a 429244 and no gun to shoot them in just yet. I did cast a few just to give the mold a try though and it looks like a good boolit. If you are interested I could mail you a handfull to try out. They are unsized as of yet and cast of air cooled WW alloy.

[fatnhappy]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/44NEWLINEUP.jpg


Hard to believe you didn't even own a .44 mould when you joined here.

[Lloyd Smale]

best 44 mold ive found is the rcbs 240swcgc the 429424 is a good one too but for accuracy ive had better luck with the rcbs bullet. The 429215 is a sometimes overlooked bullet because of it only being 215 grain but its very accurate and does real well on deer sized game.

[Down South]

After mention of RCBS I looked at some of the RCBS Moulds. One that I looked at was the 82041 225SWCGC. Anybody have experience with this mould?



I've got the 429640 in both solid-nose and HP form. It's a great boolit, but it's not quite as utilitarian or comfortable to shoot as a lighter boolit, like the 215 would be.
MakeMineA10MM, I wonder how the Lyman single cavity HP moulds cast? I may be interested in this one too.

BTW, I'm on the MMA's 44 KEITH SWC Group buy but that mould will be a while in getting here.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=35193

[jlchucker]

A boolit that many, including Lyman, proclaim as a very accurate GC boolit for the 44 is the 429215. I've seen this rated anywhere from 210grs to 225grs, but Lyman says it drops at 215grs from their #2 alloy. I would probably be easily talked into getting that mould, as that weight is an ideal light-weight for the 44s.



the 429215 is an accurate, very much under-rated boolit. It is my mold of choice for a Winchester 94 trapper that I've shot for years. In that gun it is much more accurate than the heavier cast boolits that I've tried--both hand-cast and commercial ones. It also performs very well in an EMF Hartford rifle that I have had for a couple of years now, but in that particular piece the heavier cast boolits seem to work just a little bit better. I've never shot a deer with 429215, but would tend to agree with Lloyd Smale's assessment that it would be plenty good for deer. After all, out of a rifle it can be loaded a bit hotter than the old 44-40 factory loads were, and is a slightly heavier, semiwadcutter boolit. the old 200 grain 44-40 loads poking along at around 1200 fps killed lots of deer in the days before shortmagnumitis.

[Lloyd Smale]

nice thing about the 429215 and the rcbs 240 swcgc is they funtion well in about any lever gun too.

[Down South]

I have a 429244 and no gun to shoot them in just yet. I did cast a few just to give the mold a try though and it looks like a good boolit. If you are interested I could mail you a handfull to try out. They are unsized as of yet and cast of air cooled WW alloy.
Forester, Thanks for the offer. I'm now thinking of going with the RCBS mould in the 225 grain. I do appreciate the offer of mailing samples to me though.

[Down South]

I made a decision on a mould. I’ve had a $150 gift certificate burning a hole in my back pocket for a couple months so I bought a mould, new handles and a box of gas checks. I decided to go with a somewhat lighter boolit. I looked at the 429215 that MakeMineA10mm mentioned and almost went with it. I decided to give RCBS moulds another shot. I have a couple RCBS moulds for my 45-70 and they are nice, (pricey but nice). I already have the 429421 and I’m on the group buy for the MMA's 44 KEITH SWC. I decided to go with the RCBS 82041 225swcgc. That will give me three moulds for the .44. Somewhere down the road I’ll get Buckshot to HP a mould for me for the .44.

Thanks to all and Merry Christmas.