Desert Eagle 44 cast Q

[dmdracer]

I have had this gun for 17 years and have had some fun shooting it and I have taken 2 deer with it out of 2 times trying ! I must admit it was luck.

I recently took it to the range and shot it a 100yds, wow this thing was all over, hence my saying it was luck above, never did get it on paper.

Well I put it back in the safe with thoughts I "look into it later" closer to deer season.

I, with the help of you all on this forum, discovered casting about a year ago and have had great fun with .38/357 and 30-30 cast booltis and have got in on 3 group buys. tbtw. I had thought about using cast for this but have read that is not good because of the piston design, would lead up and cause problems.

Well I dug out the manual yesterday to remember how to break down and clean, etc.
There was a sheet recommending what ammo they tested and approved and I noticed an asterik by lead boolits ! it said they are ok to shoot if they are g/c but you will have to clean more often. Hummm, I don't mind that so it got me thinking of getting a mould, etc and have at it :-D

Any thoughts/experience with what I'm proposing ? also recommend a boolit/load for deer and plinking. there are some group buys going in .44 but I don't know if they would work in the DE ???

With the cost of factory ammo, I plan on handload some Jacketed ones also, just incase the cast will not work out. I need to get the dies.

sorry so long winded and thanks to all that respond, you guys and gals have been great with sharing knowledge. Help this old man out please !

Dave

[waksupi]

Hi Dave, and welcome to the group.
I've shot a friend's DE quite a bit, with some pretty stout cast bullet loads. We had good accuracy ( on a 12" target) out to 200 yards. I will say though, we both shoot longer range pistol quite a bit, and helped us judge what needed doing.
I hope someone here can give you some useful info. I'm off for the weekend for a shoot, and can't check on what the guy's loads were until I get back to work. I'm sure, it will boil down to, having the proper size bullet, and hardness, for the job.

Edit - Wel, maybe they don't shoot well. Maybe you should get rid of it. Maybe send it to me, for further testing, and load development. I'll let you know if it is a shooter. In a couple years. Or so.

[High Desert Hunter]

There is a gas checked version of the Keith bullet, 429244 if memory serves me correctly, and of course Lee makes a nice 300gr FNGC design.

Dave

[454PB]

I too have a D.E. in .44 magnum. I have not used cast boolits in it due to a warning my lifelong gun supplier gave me. He had sold a D.E. to one of his customers, and the guy returned the gun a few weeks later, it would no longer function. The gun went back for warranty repair, and the gas ports were solidly jammed with lead. I don't recall whether it was repaired or replaced, but it wasn't covered by warranty.

I used to own one of the Ruger .44 magum semi-auto rifles, and fired thousands of cast boolits through it with no problems, but then the gas system on the Ruger was much easier to clean.

[dmdracer]

Thanks for the replys, I was going to post a copy of the sheet I spoke of but b4 I did I just called MR and asked about that sheet and cast," Jeff" said he would not shoot lead in a DE, and they do not make barrels for them any longer, they still have some 10" ones,
I questioned him about that sheet and he said it must have been something old he was not aware of it. Apparently it is not so much the piston area but the barrel is a 3 piece pressed together at some 42K psi and has a tube inside which will clog with lead and they will not come apart without damage. hmmm...

Waksupi...hope you have a great weekend at your shoot. I am of course interested in the info you spoke of when you have an oppourtunity to dig into it more, especially after my conversation with Jeff at MR. :???:

I guess it is not the end of the world if I can't/should'nt use cast, but I think I could use jacketed and come up with some type of handload instead of buying $29.00 + a box factory loads.
btw, thanks for the welcome

any recommendations from anyone along this line ?

Appreciate you all's help

thanks Dave

[chunkum]

dmdracer,
I'd love to see a .jpg of that instruction sheet you have regarding the use of cast bullets in the DE. I suspect it is, indeed, very old. We have a DE 44 mag with a scope mounted on it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/PhilHarris/DEscan.jpg
I really need to get a better pic of it onlilne. This is a scan but they usually turn out better.

Actually it belongs to my wife. She has never allowed me to load any cast bullets for it and probably she is right on this. For her use in the DE I load 23gr W296, CCI MagLPP and the Hornady 240 gr XTP in new Starline brass. It chronos around 1300fps in her DE and my Ruger OMBH 7 1/2" give about 1400fps with the same load. It is accurate enough, though, since you own one, you know what I mean when I say the trigger takes a little getting used to. I've tried some lower velocity loads and some lighter bullets and the DE just doesn't like them It is reliable and accurate with the load I mention above. There is, the occasional stove pipe due to the scope, I think. She's not scored a whitetail with it yet but now has a good holster for it so maybe next season....
Best Regards,
chunkum

[dmdracer]

chunkum
If I did it right there should be an image thru imageshack {fingers crossed ].
look toward the bottom of page. I need to learn how to just copy and paste directly to the page I'm typing on.

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/2637/mr44sn4.th.jpg (http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mr44sn4.jpg)

I am looking at my receipt, I purchased it from Ashland Shooting Supplies on 10/17/89 for $734.95 + $3.48 shipping, total $738.45.. can't believe that shipping cost, they really stuck it to me huh :-D Says De 44 mag 6" MR4401SS.

I have a scope mount ordered thru MR, should be hear Monday and will mount a 2x or red dot and see if I can get it back on paper. What scope is that on your wifes ?

You mention good accuracy with your load, please give me an example like x " @ xx yds.

Thanks for sharing and good luck to you and your wife this deer season...she'll get one...don't forget to post a pic

regards,
Dave

[454PB]

That info pretty well matches the story I was told. The gas port is part of the barrel, and the one I heard the story about was jammed full.

Here's my D.E

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1850&d=1153536561

[chunkum]

dmdracer,
The scope is an old Simmons 2X that was on the pistol when we acquired it. It was an in-family transfer and I think the original purchase was in the 80's. I have the box but can't seem to locate the other papers just now. The mounts are simple Weaver rings and bases and did loosen up one time, but I think I've solved that now. It is a Mark VII. She was holding "minute of paper plate" groups from a sitting position at 65 - 70 yds when we got it sighted in. Thanks for the encouragement.
Best Regards,
chunkum

** 454PB, can't get your link to work for some reason?
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