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Thread: Heaviest bullet you use in 44mag revolver?

  1. #21
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    Heaviest I "use" is the 270 gr 429640 HP. I have tested heavier but never had any need for them. Always felt if i needed a 300+ gr bullet I'd be carrying my 375 H&H or 450-400-70.....

    Truth is I shoot the Lee TL430-240-SWC in lighter 44 SPL loads or mostly the Lyman 429421 over 8.5 gr Unique for a mild mid-range load.
    Larry Gibson

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  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lloyd Smale View Post
    try the rcbs 240 swcgc or the lyman 429244. Either of those bullets cast at 12bhn or harder will shoot well in any 44 that shoots anything well. The 429215 is another good one but it only goes 225 grain. But still kills deer sized game well.
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  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    Heaviest I "use" is the 270 gr 429640 HP. I have tested heavier but never had any need for them. Always felt if i needed a 300+ gr bullet I'd be carrying my 375 H&H or 450-400-70.....

    Truth is I shoot the Lee TL430-240-SWC in lighter 44 SPL loads or mostly the Lyman 429421 over 8.5 gr Unique for a mild mid-range load.
    In the past I have shot the Speer .430" 240 grain swaged SWC's, and the Oregon Trail laser cast .431" 240 grain SWC's, but I now mostly shoot my Lee TL430-240 SWC's. With 6.8 grains of Unique the Lee cast runs 894 fps and is very more accurate.
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  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dom View Post
    All so interesting & informative. I find the heavies ( 280gr & above ) give me outstanding accuracy with velocity around 1100 fps . The heavies at moderate velocity deliver deeper penetration for me than a much more recoil producing 240 at a higher velocity. The cast , in my testing far out penetrate a jacketed style bullet. Having a 1/20 twist in my Ruger handguns & Win . 44 rifle stabilizes the heavies quite well .
    Very interesting. Will definitely try that out coming Winter.
    Thanks

  5. #25
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    The Lyman 429649 bullet weighs about 340 grains out of my alloy and my mold. It may be the single most accurate cast bullet I have ever used out of several .44 Magnums. I've used both 2400 and h110 to push it. I have been using it less in recent years, though, as lighter pills use less of my alloy and do anything that needs doing here on the farm.
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  6. #26
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    I had Veral make me a .433-350-LFN and it drops at 373gr with my alloy. I had it cut with 2 crimp grooves, one to fit my Super Blackhawk and one to set the bullet out farther for my Redhawk. It is punishing in the Blackhawk (3.75” barrel) but not too terrible in the 7.5” Redhawk. I had Veral make me another .433-250-LFN and it’s my all around 44 Mag boolit now.
    8500' Wet Mountain Valley, Colorado

  7. #27
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    LBT 350 gr. LFN

  8. #28
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    I had a nice outing today with my Super Blackhawk. 275 gr. boolit over 9.2 of Unique. Gave fine accuracy and burned clean. Not a barn burner but I'm sure it would punch right through a deer. Doubt I'll ever try a heavier boolit in my .44's.
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  9. #29
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    Also did 6.9 of Unique under that same 275 boolit in my 24-3 .44 special. Was maybe a touch warm but it put 6 into 1-1/2" at fifty feet off hand. Also burned clean.

  10. #30
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    310 here as well. Rear sight wouldn't go low enough so it went on a belt sander and a new notch got filed in the middle to regulate the load at tree stand distances, 25-40 yards. I think I used 17.0gr 2400 and it clocked right at 1180-1200fps. The modified Lee collet style FCD *really* sealed the deal with this load at the Chrony, it likes a heavy crimp which resists pulling crimp until enough of a flame front creates enough pressure, I am very happy with this load.

    Modified collet crimp on the left, heavy roll crimp on the right, night and day difference between the two crimps at the Chrony.. Who would have thunk it?

    Click image for larger version. 

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  11. #31
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by larry gibson View Post
    heaviest i "use" is the 270 gr 429640 hp. I have tested heavier but never had any need for them. Always felt if i needed a 300+ gr bullet i'd be carrying my 375 h&h or 450-400-70.....

    Truth is i shoot the lee tl430-240-swc in lighter 44 spl loads or mostly the lyman 429421 over 8.5 gr unique for a mild mid-range load.
    like!!!
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  12. #32
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    LBT 4 cavity mold made by Vernal, that cast a copy of bear tooth bullets WLN 355 grain cast bullet[ATTACH=CONFIG]289295[ use it in my Redhawk, Dan Wesson and Contender but it's not suitable for the model 29
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails BTB-44-355gWLNGCDCG2.jpg  
    Last edited by rrob692326; 09-27-2021 at 03:44 AM.

  13. #33
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    Standard 240-250 grain bullets are all I have used so far. Was I to go to a place with the big bears wandering around then no doubt I'd look into finding a heavy bullet load. Or maybe not.

  14. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by rrob692326 View Post
    LBT 4 cavity mold made by Vernal, that cast a copy of bear tooth bullets WLN 355 grain cast bullet[ATTACH=CONFIG]289295[ use it in my Redhawk, Dan Wesson and Contender but it's not suitable for the model 29
    Why not suitable for M29?

  15. #35
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Two hundred fifty grain bullets are all I need for the critters here . I use one of Veral Smith's LFN designs .

    Jack
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  16. #36
    Boolit Man dla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paul105 View Post
    Why not suitable for M29?
    I'd be surprised if a 355gr WLN would fit within the 1.7" S&W cylinder.

  17. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by dla View Post
    I'd be surprised if a 355gr WLN would fit within the 1.7" S&W cylinder.
    I've shot the Beartooth 355gr LFNGC in my 629. It has an OAL of 1.710. Also shot the 325gr LFNGC Beartooth in my M69 OAL 1.730". It's a tight fit, but doable. Need to make sure you have good neck tension and strong crimp to prevent bullet jump from tying up cylinder under recoil.

    Loaded 355gr Beartooth in .44 mag case shown seated in M69

    Last edited by Paul105; 09-30-2021 at 08:39 PM. Reason: Add picture

  18. #38
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    Lee 430-310-RNFP? In a Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk, 10” barreled .44 magnum. I doubt I’ll need anything heavier. Muzzle brake is a plus. Might get a whitetail with it this year.
    I firmly believe that you should only get treated by how you act, not by who or what you are!!

  19. #39
    Boolit Master Ithaca Gunner's Avatar
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    250gr. Keith boolit. If that doesn't do the job, I shoulda brought a rifle.

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShooterAZ View Post
    My heaviest boolit and load for the 44 Magnum is the LEE C430-310RF. My BHN is right @15 using a blend of 75% WW and 25% Lino, air cooled. I use 21.5 grains of W296, Federal F150 primer, in Starline 44 Mag cases. This is a pretty heavy load, so if you use this data start at 18.5 grains and work up! It's a thumper, and will put a major hurt on whatever it hits. I shoot it in a Ruger Super Blackhawk, and I don't recommend it in a S&W 29.
    I would not recommend downloading H-110 below the starting load in the book. Every reloading manual cautions against that.

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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