Gallery loads for 44 Spl

[James Wisner]

Has any one used the old lyman mould #'s 429105 or 429239, 125 to 130 gr bullets for just plinking or ???. Interested in hearing from anyone with one of these moulds or simlar wieght mould.

For years we have used .433 round ball loads with 3.5 gr of Unique for grouse loads while big game hunting. This will knock them right over and you can not hear it a 100 yards away in timber. However they are a bear to get the dies set just right. Ran off a 100 round ball loads, on the Hornady Projector last week. Think I might have do some more since it is set up. Unless can find a conical bullet that may work better.

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

[Leftoverdj]

The .433 RBs are what I use, but I seat them flush and have no trouble setting the dies. I'm shooting them in a Marlin carbine and single loading so a crimp is not needed. Lightest mould I have ever tried is a 180 grain WC, and I have not been real happy with that.

[beagle]

I've fired a bunch of the 429106 loads in .44 Mag cases. #2 son has one of the moulds and I had to try it. Nothing to brag about.

I use .429" RBs cast of pure (from jacketed bullets). Before I load them, I drop them in the sizer and bump them to .431" using a flat top punch. Lyman's #348 is good. This seems to make them a bit more accurate.

Then, a dip in liquid alox cut with lighter fluid.

Seating is done with the mandrel on the M die and as a final gesture, I slightly roll crimp.

I load a lot of 2 ball .44 Magnum loads but I have also fired a lot of single ball loads. They're pretty accurate out to 50 yards.

Easy as RBs are to cast, don't know as I'd mess with the 429106 as they're collector's items and hard to find unless you have a handle on one./beagle

[James Wisner]

Leftoverdj, Beagle

Thanks for you input.
I have used the rb loads for some now 20 years or so. My goal is perhaps find a better shooting gallery load. We carry the first two chambers with the rb loads and then full house 44 mag loads for whatever comes along. Have killed a lot of grouse, a few rabbits and even a weasel with the rb load. I have thought it over for a while and wanted some more input before I decide which way to go.

Stay with the .433 rb.

Use .440 RB and swage them to a more conical shape, then alox them. I also have two 45 TC black powder rifles so have lots of rb's for them.

Grind a cherry and make my own mould for either the 429105 or the 429239, would want them to cast .432 dia to fit all three of my 44's. Since I know how hard it is to find these old lyman moulds I would rather make a new 4 cav mould than buying a single cav mould.

Jim Wisner

[beagle]

I've had pretty good luck bumping .451" RBs to a conical shape with a #374 TP for the .45 ACP. No doubt it would work as well with the .433 and a round TP of the .429" diameter or a turned down #374.

Then, maybe a cannelure tools could be rigged such as Corbin sells.

A little dip in thin alox and you'd be in business./beagle

[45 2.1]

I've had pretty good luck bumping .451" RBs to a conical shape with a #374 TP for the .45 ACP. No doubt it would work as well with the .433 and a round TP of the .429" diameter or a turned down #374.

Then, maybe a cannelure tools could be rigged such as Corbin sells.

A little dip in thin alox and you'd be in business./beagle

What would be really nice is a little swag die to turn round balls into a ballet, which is put out for muzzle loading rifles, it is a round nose with a little bearing surface and a hollow base. 32, 38, 41, 44, and 45 would work.

[Leftoverdj]

Grind a cherry and make my own mould for either the 429105 or the 429239, would want them to cast .432 dia to fit all three of my 44's. Since I know how hard it is to find these old lyman moulds I would rather make a new 4 cav mould than buying a single cav mould.

Jim Wisner

Have you considered shortening an existing mould? Lee has a few .44 WC six cavity left on their closeout page. Perhaps they or some other available design could be adapted?

[BD]

Try taking a WFN mold of the lightest weight you can find and seat it backwards over just enough Clays, Bullseye or Titegroup to get 650 fps or so at 15 yards. Leave off the gas check and seat it deep, the ogive will let you seat it deeper than a wad cutter. This will knock over stuff as big as dogs at 30 yards and you wouldn't know it as a gunshot 50 yards away through timber. I can't take credit for this. It's a Veral Smith idea as far as I know, but it works with a 265 grain WFN in my 6" DW. You have to learn the sight alignment, but I like it much better than the birdshot loads. BD

[bfoster]

James,

I have LY #429239. If you'd like some samples (in a suitably soft alloy) let me know, I'm willing to help a fellow shooter.

Bob

[James Wisner]

45 2.1
I plan on swaging conicals for my 32 S&W Long, from .315 R Balls.
Just want to try some of the older lyman bullets in my S&W M24, 44 spl.

Leftoverdj.
I got a used 6 cav Lee 429-208 WC mold three weeks ago on eBay.
I just won another auction and got a DC Lyman 429348 mould last Thursday.
So will be able to play some with some wad cutters also.

Bfoster. Hopefully you will get the pm I sent you if I got the hang of this site. If not please get back to me at, jwisner@quik.com

What I started a few years ago and got waylaid. Was to have three loads for the 44 spl.
One gallery load, one wadcutter load and a good full house 44 spl load with a Lyman 429360.
With the three different shapes of bullets you can tell at a glance which load you have.
Then I have two 44 Mag loads for the Ruger and other Smith Wesson.
Elmers old load with a lyman 429421 and RCBS 300 gr SWC with nickel cases to tell them apart.

Thanks for helping.

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

[bfoster]

Jim,

If you don't receive my reply to your PM you can e-mail me at bfoster@*remove*adacomp.net.

Bob

[TCLouis]

Use .429 RB, no use .433 RB, No swage .440 RB . . . Then is is one ball or two?
Hey I don't see any powder types or weights listed.

Right now I am seeing 2 .440 RBs with a pea sized piece of 50/50 or Felix between them in a Mag and single ball in the Spl case.

Now a reccomendation for nice dose of Red Dot or AA#5 or Unique would bee handy.