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Thread: Anybody use Lee C429-240-SWC in .44mag?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Anybody use Lee C429-240-SWC in .44mag?

    I recently bought this mold.... http://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-c429-240-swc.html



    Makes great bullets, but I need some load recipes/tips. Want to use this in my Winchester rifle, so I tried one test round at max load of 24 gr of IMR4227, according to my Lyman manual. This was so full, and had to be compressed so much, that the bullet seating plug mashed the bullet ogive completely round. Wasn't a SWC anymore!

    Yeah, ain't gonna shoot that one. Knocked the bullet out, but the gas check is still in the case, crammed down on the powder charge, and ain't interested in coming out. It's a souvenir now.

    Tried lighter charges of 4227 at 22gr and 21gr, both of those bullets also had the ogives deformed by the seating plug and the pressure to compress the powder. Hesitant to shoot those too, got 'em set aside.

    Looks like I need a different seating plug from Lee.

    What I'm asking for is any recipes for this bullet in .44 mag for rifles, that are safe and proven. I prefer 4227 because I have plenty, but I do have some H110 and Win296 too, but not much. I'm trying to find a cast load that this Winchester likes.

    Oh, these are supposed to be 240gr., but with the gas check they weigh around 253gr. (!)
    Last edited by rondog; 10-23-2015 at 10:11 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    In my Ruger Super Redhawk and T/C Contender I run 240 grain bullets with more IMR 4227 than that! I'm using SSP data from the Sierra manual and loading the cartridges 0.2" longer than spec. You may not have the option of seating your bullets out to make more room for powder.

    Also, I use a flat seating stem. It doesn't deform the bullets like a concave stem will.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Lee said they could make me a new seating plug for $8 plus shipping. No idea how long a COAL I can use in my Winchester though. Interesting thought, thanks! I tend to think only of the COAL listed in the books.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    I use that bullet in a 10" Contender and a Taurus Tracker. Good bullet.

  5. #5
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    You do need a flat seating plug for the Keith type LSWC and also for the RF boolit style as well but man, to be honest if you have to seat firmly enough to deform the nose of the boolit that bad, something is very wrong. That just rings of red flags.

    May I suggest using a different powder? 2400, H110, W296, AA#9, LilGun, or other slow burning magnum pistol powder.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    If you want to get the gas check out f the case, take a small diameter punch and push one side of the check(hammer if needed) down into the case. This will turn it so the other edge is up and you can get at it with a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out. (Don't ask me how I know this works)

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by DougGuy View Post
    You do need a flat seating plug for the Keith type LSWC and also for the RF boolit style as well but man, to be honest if you have to seat firmly enough to deform the nose of the boolit that bad, something is very wrong. That just rings of red flags.

    May I suggest using a different powder? 2400, H110, W296, AA#9, LilGun, or other slow burning magnum pistol powder.
    I fall here, your lead is way too soft for that heavy a load anyway.
    If you squash a boolit seating, imagine the pressure impact on it.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    You may be onto something about the hardness. I'm no metallurgist, and have no way to test hardness or alloy mix. I just melt wheel weights, pour into bars and store them, then use later.

    I do have some soft lead bars made from some big weights, I hope I didn't use those by mistake.

    I'm the kind of guy that should BUY my alloy from Rotometals, so I have a prayer of knowing what it may be. Lead just looks like lead to me. And mixing in tin and antimony and whatever else? Forget it..... I'm clueless.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tazman View Post
    If you want to get the gas check out f the case, take a small diameter punch and push one side of the check(hammer if needed) down into the case. This will turn it so the other edge is up and you can get at it with a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out. (Don't ask me how I know this works)
    I've thought of that, and will go that route. Although my "inner redneck" wants to just put it in my rifle and fire it down into the yard. The redneck must be suppressed.

    <edit> That worked very well tazman, thank you!
    Last edited by rondog; 10-23-2015 at 10:08 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Man
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    I use that boolit with hardball alloy h110 2500 lube. Get 3 inch groups at 100 yards in my pack rifle with peep sight.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dead dog View Post
    I use that boolit with hardball alloy h110 2500 lube. Get 3 inch groups at 100 yards in my pack rifle with peep sight.
    How much 110 you stuffin' in there?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by rondog View Post
    Lee said they could make me a new seating plug for $8 plus shipping. No idea how long a COAL I can use in my Winchester though. Interesting thought, thanks! I tend to think only of the COAL listed in the books.
    Modify the one you have with a small ball of epoxy putty. Clean the plug and push the ball of epoxy into the nose. You can fit the boolit to the nose by pressing it in or just fill the plug, let set and sand flat. After it cures you can seat any bullet with a flat nose.

    Gary

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub iraiam's Avatar
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    I use that boolit almost exclusively in 44 magnum revolver and carbine, cast with Lyman #2 alloy. I use H110 powder for both, recipes are listed in the "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook". I also have some loaded with surplus WC-820, but I was on my own with that load development.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gwpercle View Post
    Modify the one you have with a small ball of epoxy putty. Clean the plug and push the ball of epoxy into the nose. You can fit the boolit to the nose by pressing it in or just fill the plug, let set and sand flat. After it cures you can seat any bullet with a flat nose.

    Gary
    Hmm, good idea! I have lots of JB Weld.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iraiam View Post
    I use that boolit almost exclusively in 44 magnum revolver and carbine, cast with Lyman #2 alloy. I use H110 powder for both, recipes are listed in the "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook". I also have some loaded with surplus WC-820, but I was on my own with that load development.
    Man, I have that book somewhere around this dump......

  16. #16
    Boolit Mold
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    I shoot this bullet out of my Marlin 1894, cast from wheelweights, air cooled and lubed with Alox. With 19-20 grains of Lil Gun they shoot into one hole at 50 yards. I don't shoot a lot of them because I shoot mostly paper, cans, bottles etc. and by shooting 200 grain loads I save on powder and lead. However, This is my hunting load and it has served me well. Nothing fancy and for some reason, I have never thought to crono them because they shoot so good, who cares. If I could see out to 100 yds, I am sure they would do well, but my 77year old eyes are not what they used to be and trying to keep that front bead on a 100 yd target is not an easy feat at my age. And for me, a scope on a Marlin seems like blasphemy, maybe it wil get so bad on day I may have to do it. I think you will like what the Lil Gun does. I have 110 and it works as well but seems to be a bit hotter than the Lil Gun. Good shooting.

    Beekeeper

  17. #17
    Boolit Man
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    24 grains lapped my sizer to .433 water drop seemed to help some.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    rondog, that boolit is my favorite in a S&W 24 classic 6 1/2 with Skeeters load of 7.5 grs of Unique. Plenty of punch from a 44 spl at around 950-1000fps and very comfortable to shoot out of an N frame Smith or any other 44 for that matter. It is the best shooter out of my 44 Hand Ejector (1929) and the new model 24 and is a close second to a 429421 Lyman out if my 4" 629. It will makem all touch out of my 9" SRH Ruger , but it thinks its a rifle with anything I stuff in it. Lee made a good one with that mold. It has a great crimp groove to boot. Now if they would only "deepen" the crimp groove on their 300 gr 45 boolit maybe I could shoot it in a 454 Cassull without jumping crimp.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  19. #19
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    I'm just gonna ask a silly question... To just what COAL are you seating that and is it a COAL that is at all similar to other boolits of that style? The classic Keith boolit which that is NOT is loaded to an overall length of 1.710. This is right at 1/16" longer than a "standard" length of 1.650. What one must remember is that the Keith boolit (Lyman 429421) was originally designed to maximize case capacity of a 44 Special case in S&W "N" frame revolvers (they were not called "N" frames in those days) Loaded in a magnum case, one gets an OAL of 1,710 which is just about all the length most 44 revolvers will handle and many carbine users report troubles with the nose hanging up on feeding. I'd suggest that you look into the COAL of the data you are trying to use, seat a boolit in an empty case to the crimp groove, measure that and adjust the load accordingly. All 44 SWC are not created equal and can leave more boolit in the case than a particular load was designed for. The Keith design leaves about half or a tad over of the boolits length hanging out of the case. The picture you ost of the boolit you are using does not appear to do this. That boolit looks nothing like the Keith design. I believe you will find you need to reduce that charge, and I believe you will find it has a shorter COAL, more in line with 1.60-1.65 or so. The only way to know for sure is to seat one in an empty case and measure. Good Shootin'

  20. #20
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnH View Post
    I'm just gonna ask a silly question... To just what COAL are you seating that and is it a COAL that is at all similar to other boolits of that style? The classic Keith boolit which that is NOT is loaded to an overall length of 1.710. This is right at 1/16" longer than a "standard" length of 1.650. What one must remember is that the Keith boolit (Lyman 429421) was originally designed to maximize case capacity of a 44 Special case in S&W "N" frame revolvers (they were not called "N" frames in those days) Loaded in a magnum case, one gets an OAL of 1,710 which is just about all the length most 44 revolvers will handle and many carbine users report troubles with the nose hanging up on feeding. I'd suggest that you look into the COAL of the data you are trying to use, seat a boolit in an empty case to the crimp groove, measure that and adjust the load accordingly. All 44 SWC are not created equal and can leave more boolit in the case than a particular load was designed for. The Keith design leaves about half or a tad over of the boolits length hanging out of the case. The picture you ost of the boolit you are using does not appear to do this. That boolit looks nothing like the Keith design. I believe you will find you need to reduce that charge, and I believe you will find it has a shorter COAL, more in line with 1.60-1.65 or so. The only way to know for sure is to seat one in an empty case and measure. Good Shootin'
    Mine are right at 1.60, which is a good .125" below the cylinder face of my Dragoon. My primary desire is to get these to work in my Winchester Trapper. I've only loaded up about 20 rounds of different charges, and haven't fired any of them, so I can break them down and start over if I need to.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check