Favorite 44Mag projectile?

[drew23]

New to 44Mag and looking for a good projectile for hunting Whitetail and just general shooting.

Shooting through a Winchester 94AE. I'll be measuring twist today.

Saw the WNFGC mentioned in other places, I don't cast so, where should I be looking to find some to get started with?

Any bullet that you all recommended over that style?

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[Bigslug]

I'm no lever action compatibility guru, but your .44 Mag bullets will generally fall into two categories:

1. Those with a roll crimp groove set to put the overall cartridge length at or near the 1.61" SAAMI spec

(Which is kind of weird because Lyman violates that in their own manual with a couple of 1.645" options in their rifle section for the .44 Mag, and one at 1.59" in their handgun section)

2. Those with crimp groove and nose profile designed to fit specifically within the length and chamber throat confines of a specific revolver cylinder (Redhawk, Blackhawk, Smith 29, etc...)

The revolver ammo needs only to plunk into the chamber. The carbines are more complex.

Others will chime in on what their lever actions can actually handle with regards to feeding up an angled ramp, but it's a safe bet that the manufacturers were working more with SAAMI cartridge geometry in mind.

Round nose flat point with meplats of about .30"-.32" with nose-forward-of-crimp lengths of about .325" to fit inside of SAAMI's box would be my gut instinct. Using .44 Special brass would let you play with roughly an eighth inch of extra bullet nose.

Fortunately, deer are not armor plated, and 240-250 grain .44 bullets have proved sufficient for critters larger than that.

[Tatume]

My favorite 44 Mag bullet is the Accurate 43-240K, hands down. Go to the URL below, click CATALOG, and then click page 16. It's about halfway down.

https://accuratemolds.com/

[lightman]

In revolvers I favor a Keith Type SWC but these probably will not ford well in a lever action. For those I use a partly round nose flat point RCBS mold. I think its 210 grain, maybe 220.

[fordwannabe]

I use the Keith 429421 in my Marlin but my favorite is the MP molds 434. It has multiple pins for the same mold that make a flat point, small hp, or BIG hp depending on which pin you use. Cast them softish, PC, size at 432 and enjoy the power.

[pworley1]

Another vote for the tried and true 429421.

[20:1]

Lyman 429244, 250gr. GC SWC, especially for a lever action. The nose on 429421 can be too long for some lever guns.

[HamGunner]

I love my Keith bullets for my revolvers, but they do not cycle through my 94 Win. For my 1969 vintage 94 Win. with it's fairly shallow 10 groove bore I have great accuracy and deer killing results with the Lyman 429215gc. sized around .431-.432 dia. I do not over harden them, but they are at least 12-13 BHN I think, if I remember correctly, and they work well without any issues. Clip on weights would work well with this gas check bullet.

I have settled on WC-842/AA-#9 powder, but H-110/296 or similar ball would be good and I reach about 1,900 fps. with this bullet. It drops closer to 220 gr. with my alloy than the 215gr. weight designated from Lyman's #2 alloy.

I am not familiar with the bore of the newer Win. rifles, but my bore is happier with bullets larger than .430 dia., like most of the Marlins. It never really done great with jacketed bullets, that mostly measure .429 dia.

As for twist rate, I believe my older Win. 94 has the slower 1:38 twist, so it prefers the shorter bullet like the Lyman 429215gc. at a fast velocity. I think many of the Marlins had that same slow twist. Some of the newer rifles used faster twists and they would likely shoot the longer and heavier bullets just fine.

[Bazoo]

I really like the Ranch Dog CTL432-265-RF (https://bulletmatch.com/bullets/ranch-dog-ctl432-265-rf) in my Winchester 92 44 Magnum.

https://i.postimg.cc/mk69PLXz/lee-ranch-dog-ctl432-265-rf-693.jpg (https://bulletmatch.com/bullets/ranch-dog-ctl432-265-rf)

[725]

Ranch Dog, Lee 310, or 429421. I like 'em all. I probably shoot more Lee 310's and have used it more for hunting than the others. I works wicked good.

[drew23]

Thanks everyone so far. It had the micro groove rifling of that matters on bullet selection.

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[drew23]

So I've feel down the rabbit hole of looking at the ranchdog designs and the NOE version of it. Not yet ready to start casting, anywhere that sells those in a ready to go bullet?

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[Bass Ackward]

Favorite? Hmmm, I’d have to say, the one’s I have molded. I load them with the perfect powder, the one I can get ahold of. Did I happen to mention that I'm very picky about primers. ( yea, right )

[Three44s]

Revolvers: The RCBS 250K for all around shooting

My brother owns a Henry lever in 44 mag so I will likely get a taste of what cycles and works best there but until then I do not have any experience there.

Three44s

[drew23]

Favorite? Hmmm, I’d have to say, the one’s I have molded. I load them with the perfect powder, the one I can get ahold of. Did I happen to mention that I'm very picky about primers. ( yea, right )I hear ya... I can dream. Hahaha

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[Bazoo]

BTW, welcome to cb.gl forum drew23!

I've not used them, since I rarely purchase bullets, but I'd give these a go if I was looking to purchase cast bullets. Not exactly a WFN, but it'd be a good start down the 44 cast bullet road.

https://www.mattsbullets.com/255-Grain-Round-Flat-Gas-Check-430_p_184.html

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

RCBS 44-250K followed by the Lyman 429421 for me. Just casted some earlier.

[HamGunner]

Thanks everyone so far. It had the micro groove rifling of that matters on bullet selection.

In that case, whatever you end up with that will feed well, it needs to be a fat bullet of at least .431 and .432 would be even better.

[Tatume]

So I've feel down the rabbit hole of looking at the ranchdog designs and the NOE version of it. Not yet ready to start casting, anywhere that sells those in a ready to go bullet?

Check out the selection at Montana Bullet Works.

https://www.montanabulletworks.com/

[yeahbub]

i've had very good results over the years with pretty much any 200 - 220gr boolit going 1000 - 1200 fps. My favorite for accuracy is the Lyman 429215 cast at 8-10 BHN. Commercial cast 200gr SWC's or RNFP's have served well when I couldn't cast my own. With carbines, an RNFP may be more appropriate due to feed issues, but the mentioned weight/velocity range will bring down whitetails reliably. I don't recall ever failing to get an exit wound.

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

A couple others that I own and work great are the MP WFN and the MP Larsen designs.

[P Flados]

For a lever gun, RNFP and TC shapes are generally a safer choice with respect to feeding.

For general shooting, a 200 gr to 220 gr is a good choice.

For hunting, I would move up to the 220 gr to 240 gr range.

Here is a powder coat 240 RNFP. This vendor has lots of other choices. Prices are pretty good.

https://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=263&category=5&secondary=12&keywords=

Here is another 240 available in 0.428" or 0.430" with traditional lube at $70 + ~$20 (S&H) for 500.

https://cowboybullets.com/44-cal-240-grain_p_22.html

[Iwsbull]

This is my preferred option an MP 640 hp mold and my second choice is a swc with a good sized meplate. 321356

[Scrumbag]

For me I like the Lyman / Thompson SWC Gas Check 255gr. Works well with 44 special cases (length feeds well) and the Handloader 44 Special +P data. I like 2400.

[fredj338]

RCBS 44-250K followed by the Lyman 429421 for me. Just casted some earlier.

^^THIS^^ Though I uhave a Lyman Dev mold with diff pins which is a fav for hunting.