Favorite boolit for 44-40?

[armoredman]

It appears I will be loading for this caliber now, picked up this beauty. Any suggestions?

303107

[HWooldridge]

My favorite is the Accurate Mold 43-215C, which was designed by John Kort. Works for both smokeless and BP.

[Outpost75]

The Kort bullet is best all around in revolver, rifle, either smokeless or black.

[armoredman]

Never went to that website before - very detailed info required to order a mold.

[nuclearcricket]

Yes for those not used to ordering things made to size it can be a bit intimidating. But you will get just what you ask for. I have one mold from him and I asked for several changes to a mold he all ready had listed. What I got was exactly what I had asked for. The turn around at that time was very quick but as I understand things now he has a bit of a back log and it can take up to a few weeks to get a mold from him. If you do have any questions about his molds and such just send him an email and he will get back to you.
Sam

[armoredman]

I wouldn't have the first clue what to ask for...

[HWooldridge]

You’ll need to know what alloy you plan to use. A single or double cavity, to drop .429 diameter, cast from wheel weights is a good start for ordering instructions - if that suits your casting plans.

[Outpost75]

I wouldn't have the first clue what to ask for...

Happy to help. First measure your cylinder throats with gage pins. Order the mold 0.001" smaller in diameter than the gage pin which enters all six charge holes from the front. Normal mold tolerance is up to +0.002. max. or +/- 0.001 if you specify " tolerance centered." Depending upon your alloy and casting technique bullets should drop about +0.001 from specified diameter which you ordered.

A .430 diameter works best in most. .44-40s. So, if you order the mold at .429 it should drop close to .430 using a drop-pour with bottom-pour pot and in max case probably won't exceed .4305"so bullets so can be pan lubed and loaded as-cast and unsized.

For .44-40 you don't want or need hard alloy. A 50-50 mix of wheeleeights and plumber's lead with 1% tin added to improve fill-out is economical and approximates 10 Bhn. A simple lube of good consistency for pan lubing, which works with either smokeless or black powder is 50-50 beeswax and olive oil. In desert climates over 90 degs F use 60 beeswax to 40 olive oil. If unable to get beeswax blend Gulf canning wax and Bag Balm 50-50 and substitute this for the beeswax.

Smokeless charges approximating factory loads which are safe in older pre-1920 Colts and original 1873 Winchesters are 6 grains of Bullseye or TiteGroup, 6.5 grains of 231, WST, 452AA or Red Dot, 8 grains of Unique or 8.5 grains of Herco or Autocomp. Velocity will be about 880 fps revolver or 1050 fps in 20" carbine.

[Hick]

Lee 429-200RF with tumble lube. Drops close to 0.430, shoots like a champ in My Cimarron 44-40

[Walks]

I like both the #42798 & #429478(disc). Have the Lee #428-200-RF, it shoots very well too.
While I haven't tried the John Kort bullet, I sure would like to. With that flat nose and Big grease groove it would be a Great Black Powder bullet.
I powder coat everything now, but you can still add BP lube to a PC bullet.

Don't be intimated by the Accurate ordering process. Just take a few minutes to write down the mold # and the alloy you're using.

[prs]

No shame in that. The Kort boolit is excellent, but I suggest you begin with a less expensive mold that will also serve well in black powder cartridge or smokeless rounds. The MavDutchman boolit is or was available from a fellow "Dick Dastardly" at BigLubebullets.com and such being a downsized version of a 45 Colt bullet I designed and from which John Kort got "the bug" to improve for long range accuracy and historic accuracy. The molds Dick Dastardly sells in that 44-40 version are Lee 6 Cavity types.

prs

[barnabus]

i use the rcbs cowboy bullet in my Schofield

[armoredman]

Great Scott, now that is some detailed information!

[Savvy Jack]

Great Scott, now that is some detailed information!

Follow Outpost's advise....however, if you ever desire a smaller diameter, you can always get a resizing die. You can size down but ya can never add to, unless you order another mold.!!!!

If ever in doubt, get .428" and use soft lead. The soft lead will always expand out and fill the grooves, hard lead will not. If the bore is too small, the soft lead will squeeze in, size down...and not create very high pressures. Oversized hard lead will definitely increase chamber pressures if shoved down a small bore..

[lightman]

I shoot the RCBS 44-200FN cast from clip-on wheelweights.