Anyone Have Success PaperPatching 44 Magnum Rifle?

[Themoose]

As the title states, I'm hoping to learn from folks that have experience(good or bad) with paperpatching cast bullets for 44 magnum rifles... I have a Rem 788 and a Ruger 77 that I have been working with using 270 and 280 gr. LFN's cast from LBT moulds...I have had great success in paperpatching for my muzzleloaders, but have not tried to patch any smokeless cartridges... your information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Kindest regards,

TheMoose

[Nobade]

Yes, I have had very good results paper patching for 44 mag rifles. As a bonus, Lee makes a .427" sizing die and with bullets sized in it you can use thin paper and make them .433" which is perfect for most 44 mag rifles. Watch your powder selection though, most of the time you'll find you have the bullets seated way out to engage the rifling and that makes the case volume a whole lot bigger than normal. Regular 44 mag powders will need filler on top, the only powder I found is safe with a full case is IMR4227. Using that I get 445 Supermag ballistics out of my Marlin 1894. The 240gr. bullet is only barely in the case. It will all come down to what your particular rifle is throated like - that will determine your loads.

-Nobade

[longbow]

Yup! I went the PP route many years ago using a home made smooth 300 gr. TC mould in an attempt to shoot heavy boolits in my Marlin. They shot well 50 yards and not bad to about 75 yards or so but were sideway by 100 yards.

However, they did feed, chamber and shoot well without leading so that was all good. In the end I decided that paper patching was more work than I wanted to do for a gun that really didn't need it. I get no leading shooting PB boolits either.

In any case, I played with boolit weights and as with GG boolits found that around 270 gr. was as heavy as would stabilize for me over both H110 and IMR4227 at max or near max loads.

Now, I said in another recent thread that as far as I can remember I could not seat boolits out farther than normal but still have not checked to confirm that. Regardless, I did not seat boolits out to increase powder volume whether I could or not so basically just .44 mag. max loads in my gun.

So yes, it can work with no problems if you want to try it.

In fact I got the idea from a Pederson's Guns (?) magazine that I think I still have in a pile where both .45 long Colt and .44 mag rifles and handguns were tested with PP boolits with very good results.

I better get to checking that PP boolit seating depth!

Longbow

[Themoose]

I am limited on seating depth by the clips for both rifles... no way I can seat the bullets long unless I use them as single shot... the max length IIRC is 1.610... Thank you both for your responses... did you patch wet, dry and then run thru sizer?

[Nobade]

In this rifle they were wet patched, tailless. Loaded over a 7/16" card wad. I not only have to use it as a single shot but can't eject a loaded round without pulling the extractor over the rim with a screwdriver. Loaded to a length to work through the magazine, they're so far from the rifling they don't have a chance of shooting well. But as we've learned from Longbow's rifle, not all 44 mag throats are the same and only your rifle will tell you what it needs.

-Nobade

[longbow]

I wet patched as well with twisted tail then clipped when dry. I did not size at all.

The boolits cast at 0.421" and were patched to 0.433". Normally it is recommended to have the boolit sized to about a thou over bore diameter then patch to groove but that is difficult with microgroove rifling without VERY thin paper. I tried larger boolits but no success there so went with a diameter that could be double wrapped with 0.003" paper (or maybe a bit thicker but about 0.012" total after wrapping and drying).

I really do have to dig out the old gun and check that throat length for seating PP boolits. I keep getting busy doing other stuff but as I recall it was a short throat... except sometimes my old memory plays tricks on me.

Longbow

PS: No crimp.

[mongoosesnipe]

i paper patch the lee 310 for use in 41 swiss and my 44 mag contender many 44 mag rifles have very long throats more akin to a forcing cone... you will need to seat the bullet very long my 310r are barely in the case so don't expect to run them through the mag i alio use 4227 quite extensively i prefer it for rifle barrel pistol loads as it is a little on the slow side

[Digital Dan]

77/44 w/300 gr. MPS seats at 1.68" and functions perfectly. Bullet is .422", twice wrapped 9# onionskin (wet) w/o tail and a full charge of Li'l Gun. Finishes at .430" when dry, shoots MOA most days. Lubed with 50/50 beeswax/Vaseline, 1600 fps out the muzzle. .015-.030" card wad is your friend.

[OverMax]

Never gave it a thought. Paper Patching for my long barrel 44 shooter?_ It requires jacketed only.

[Digital Dan]

Not deer friendly: