What mold for a 44 Magnum 329PD ?

[Cntrmass]

I was thinking the Kieth with no gas check, I won't be pushing it too hard as the 329 Pd jumps a little.

Whats everyone think ? TIA

[mooman76]

Great bullet for the 44. I don't think you could go wrong with that style bullet.

[beagle]

Shuz is off hunting elk but he'll probably weight in here about the weekend.

He's been doning a lot of shooting with that critter and I scalped the GC shank off a 429215HP for him and also let him have a 427098HP that we'd opened to .432".

He swears by both of these and says there's no problem with bullet setback and they're pleasant to shoot being lighter than the normal .44 Mag offerings.

[EDK]

Good idea on 429421 or a clone. A classic boolit.

Better idea...go to group buys and see if you can still get on the 250 grain full wad cutter mould from BLAMMER. You're not using that light weight pocket rocket for long distance...using a full wadcutter on targets looks like you were using a hole punch....nice square cut holes.

If you think you're going to reload with a speed loader, maybe the RANCH DOG boolit in 265 grains....nice wide meplat, but rounded for feeding in rifles and should work in a speed loader.

Carry it loaded with the full wadcutters and speed loader or two with something with a better contour for a reload. You need to develop a load with enough velocity to do some damage, but not so much as to eliminate control. You might want a similar 629 for load development and limit the use on the 329. Me, I'd buy either a 629 or a Mountain Gun AND a Milt Sparks holster and belt.

[Cntrmass]

I will probably just work up a load I can shoot fair with.
Any 44 mag hardcast ought to be enough for anything around here.
we get an occasional Grizzly but mostly I worry about moose and black bears.

so far so good but its a good excuse to get a new peestol right?

[MtGun44]

RCBS 44-250 K is one of the more consistent Keith designs, and current
production Lyman molds are the most like Elmer's original that they have
been in decades.

I'd recommend the current Lyman 429421 or RCBS 44-250-K as excellent
first choices.

What diameter are your cylinder throats? I would bet that they are right
at .430". Plug gages are the most accurate, if you have a machinist friend
he will have a set and can measure the throats in a couple minutes.

Bill

[HeavyMetal]

EDK suggested Blammer's full 44 wadcutter and I'll second that vote!

This is going to be full weight ( 250 grain) and should seat the same as a Kieth with a full flat meplat! If your worried about something getting close these will be the ticket!

I would think a 250 full wadcutter at 1100/1150 would be enough to deter a critterparticularly if you wait for them to get close enough to score serious hits!

Now I know Blammer has said he can add additional buyers without an issue or adding any delay so at least check out the thread.

I also like the Kieth 250 so if the 44 Blammer's got in GB doesn't work for you go with the Kieth!

[Lloyd Smale]

Im not a fan of the wfns but this gun would be an ideal platform for them. Id run about a 280 grain wfn at 1000-1100 fps. Should put the slap on about anything and recoil wont be to severe

[Shuz]

Shuz is off hunting elk but he'll probably weight in here about the weekend.

He's been doning a lot of shooting with that critter and I scalped the GC shank off a 429215HP for him and also let him have a 427098HP that we'd opened to .432".

He swears by both of these and says there's no problem with bullet setback and they're pleasant to shoot being lighter than the normal .44 Mag offerings.

I'm back! No elks! didn't see anything I could shoot(legally).

John got it right. I've found the need for boolits lighter than 250g in the 329PD to keep the boolits from jumping crimp. He scalped a 429244HP for me that weighs exactly the same as the standard 429215 that he machined the gas check groove off, that is now a PB boolit. Both boolits weigh 223 to 225g from ww+1%. The 429215 is loaded to 1.650 OAL and the 429244HP is 1.690 OAL. load is 18.0g 2400. When I want to do a lot of plinking with that 329PD, I use the 429215PB as they come from a 4 banger. When I feel the need for a HP, I use the 429244HP as they cast a great deal slower in a SC mould! Works great!

[bobthenailer]

i have a saeco 200 gr tc bullet #420 that will serve your purpose well ! i shoot it out of 4 different 44 mags with excellent results with loads from 800 to 1350 fps , thats all the hotter i have loaded them as they are plane base. not quite as accurate at 50 yards as the 240 + bullets but a inch or better at 25 yards should work well ! if you want i could sell you some bullets to try ? i also have a saeco# 944 a 44 wadcutter mould a 200 grainer thats very accurate at 25 yards but is lousy at 50 yards the group size goes to 3 inches or larger
bob

[crabo]

Im not a fan of the wfns but this gun would be an ideal platform for them. Id run about a 280 grain wfn at 1000-1100 fps. Should put the slap on about anything and recoil wont be to severe

I'd agree with an LBT 260 or 280 wfn.

[Blammer]

Here is a visual of some boolits

[klw]

I like SAECO's #420.

[krag35]

I had a Taurus 44 spcl. I really liked the Lee 200 gr RF. It shot to the fixed sights and was easy to cast. In my Redhawk I have had very good results with Lyman's 429667, same metaplat as the 429421, but with a WAY lower reject rate. Though it be considered heresy, I wouldn't wish a 429421 on my ex wife.

[TCLouis]

I did not see what function you would like the loading to perform.

If it is just shooting paper and people, the Lee 200 RNFP might be nice. One nice boolit out there is 45-2.1's 250 RNFP and it seems like it is going to be a performer out of my RH and SBH. The load in the SBH is 18.0 2400 which should be about as much fun as one would want in the 329 for a full session of shooting.
I always like to have two loadings in each of the 44s, one that I can shoot a couple of hundred of during a range day and a full bore hunting load that starts to tire me after 20-30 and I am fully tired after a box.

[EDK]

Right now, there's a LEE two cavity 44 208 Wad Cutter mould on e*** with low bids. This would be a pretty good option if you want a lighter weight boolit, but the terminal effect of a full wadcutter. I had one...sold it to a member here when I got the six cavity GLL group buy 44 wadcutter...and was pretty satisfied except for low production speeds. Like most pistol shooters, I want the volume of a 4 or 6 cavity mould.

You could use the LEE 200 grain Round Nose Flat Point (or the LYMAN) for similar weight in a speed loader. The only problem I have with the 200 grainers is that I am shooting several Original Size VAQUEROS/BISLEY VAQUEROS in 44 and don't want to file the front sights to adjust elevation. (I tried the 44 SLIMS group buy mould and those little guys really hit low in the VAQUEROS!)

Your 329 is a "carry a lot; don't shoot a lot!" Elmer Keith was quoted as saying he used 600 rounds of 44 magnums in the first year. That would be an idea to consider for this type of carry gun.