44 Magnum Mold

[peter nap]

My 44;s are the only calibers I don't cast for and I just bought another one so I figured it was time to get a new mold.

Has anyone used this bullet?
LYMAN DOUBLE CAVITY PISTOL MOULD 44CAL BULLET # 429421 245GRAIN

I'll be shooting it out of a Super Blackhawk, A Rossie 44Spl and a Taurus Ultralite Titanium.

[oldhickory]

Most of us here who cast .44 boolits have either that mold, or the RCBS version...Yes, it's that good! Around 20gr. of 2400 with a standard lg. primer will usually do very well in about any .44mag. It also works well in a .44spl. with 13.5gr of 2400, or 7gr. of Unique. I'm sure you'll get a landslide of loads for this boolit!:cbpour:

[Blammer]

yes I have that mould and it's a good one

[cptinjeff]

yes I have that mould and it's a good one



+1 and a classic to boot

[peter nap]

Thanks Guys!
I just ordered it. Be here in 5 days.

[cuzinbruce]

429421 is Elmer Keith's classic design for the 44 Special, originally. All kinds of variations have been made. Round lube grooves, square grooves, hollow points, hollow bases, etc. It's a keeper.

[peter nap]

Good Lord!
I ordered that mold from MidSouth yesterday, didn't get an email verification and called them. The order hadn't registered so they took it on the phone.

I got the mold TODAY.

[RobS]

Well your choice is a good one that works for many. As for Lyman molds lately, my experiences in the last year has given me 4 or 5 that have all been undersized. I kept one as my bore on the particular firearm is actually undersized, but the rest went back to MidwayUSA and Midsouth Shooters Supply. I hope that your's cast out a slug that will work for your cylinder throats/groove diameter. MAKE SURE TO KEEP YOUR INVOICE. Should the Lyman not cast out well for you then the RCBS http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=744337 is another goodie and for me the latest RCBS molds have casted out at or a bit over advertised diameters.

[MtGun44]

Is that mold made with a square bottomed lube groove or a round (semicircle) lube
groove? Let us know the diam it casts, too. I'm trying to see how Lyman is
doing these days, attempting to learn from other's experience.

Bill

[Thumbcocker]

Just do a search for .44 Keith and you should get loads that cover ther entire spectrum of velocity and uses.

[warf73]

Great mold choice, other mold designs are fun but that one you will keep going back to.

[GLL]

I prefer the older IDEAL / LYMAN versions of the 429421 over the more recent variations from LYMAN !

The RCBS 44-250KT (no longer available) is another outstanding "Keith style" mould !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/230BBEA6EC040D5/standard.jpg

[Franklin Zeman]

My RCBS Keith 44 throws ww at 265. The Lyman goes 250. Easy loads for me are 7.5 Unique for the Spl and 8.5 in the Mag. The 20 grain 2400 is excellent if you need more oomph. Works in 629 and SBH.

[Mark]

Is that mold made with a square bottomed lube groove or a round (semicircle) lube
groove? Let us know the diam it casts, too. I'm trying to see how Lyman is
doing these days, attempting to learn from other's experience.

Bill

Bill,
I purchased my 429421 4 cavity about 8 months ago. My alloy (20lbs WW + .5lbs tin) drops a .431 bullet by my micrometer measurement and a .431 sizing die just touches the bands. I am not sure what you mean about "semicircle" lube groove but mine is square (like GLL's picture of the Ideal version). My version also has about a .280 meplat diameter which I thought was very small by what others have posted about their versions (I also recall Brian Pearce writting in Handloader that he has a .300 diameter version). Quality is usual modern Lyman. It took some effort but now casts a consistant bullet.
To answer the original question, I like the mold but I prefer the Lyman 429244 Thompson design. I would probably like RCBS's version but I can't get past their lack of a 4 cavity option. At the risk of getting kicked out of every board that I post on, I will complain about the Holy Grail 429421. In every gun I have tried, the 429244 shoots better. Some guns (mainly my 629-3) the difference is hardly measurable but nonetheless better with the 429244. This also applies with or without gas check. I see no accuracy difference without a gas check which is a big benefit for cost of shooting. The 429421 leads more than the 429244 without a gas check (no comparison with gas check). I don't know why but I can only guess it has to do with the smaller diameter first band. Also, in my opinion, the lube groove is way to generous on the 429421. I would bet it is double the size of the 429244 and, in my opinion, not a better idea. I am currently using LBT Blue but I am on my last tube before switching to Lars lube. Perhaps that will make a difference.
Penance for picking on one of Elmer's designs? 200 rounds of the 429421 over a full charge of 2400 in the 3 inch 629-4. Is that enough?
Mark

[9.3X62AL]

Penance for picking on one of Elmer's designs? 200 rounds of the 429421 over a full charge of 2400 in the 3 inch 629-4. Is that enough?

It's a good start. :)

I haven't had the troubles described herein with my version of the Lyman #429421. It does decent work in both 44 Special (S&W M-624 x 6.5") and 44 Magnum (Redhawk x 5.5"). I don't run it past 1100 FPS, though--any load of that strength or higher pressure gets Lyman #429244 with gas check in place. Both boolits shoot quite well sized at .431". I use a .429" expander spud to open and flare the case mouths--this might prevent size-down of boolits seated into case mouths expanded with the usual run of .425"-.426" expander spuds included with modern die sets--which "assume" the usage of jacketed bullets, given their critical dimensions.