Need recommendation for a Lee mold for 44mag marlin rifle for deer and hog hunting
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Need recommendation for a Lee mold for 44mag marlin rifle for deer and hog hunting
Food is overrated. A nice rifle is way more important.
Rob
You want a .431 or .432 boolit for a Marlin 44 mag.
I've owned many Lee molds, and none of the 44 cal Lee molds made a large enough boolit.
Look to another maker, like NOE or MP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/prod...34-298-fn-av2/ is the one I have. You have to seat it above the crimp groove but it is an accurate bullet and hits hard over a load of 4227, 2400 or H110
Odd... My 310 gr GC from Lee is being sized with my .431 Lyman H&I.. fairly hard alloy...harder than most others I produce..Maybe I try it with softer stuff and see...Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe
Beagle and/or powder coat up to size.
That 310 gr one have 2 different crimp groves that is used for wheel gun or rifle . I have that mold and like it and cast it on the soft side.
Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA
Just looked at the Lee offerings - can't say any of them thrill me. The overall shape of the 310 grainer is good - just too dang heavy IMO.
Accurate Molds has a couple listed with a .325" long nose for the stated purpose of fitting lever guns. Sticking with that model:
The 43-251P would be a good gas check design; fits the nose length profile; fairly rounded ogive for feeding from the magazine; a good compromise between "hammer face" and aerodynamics on the meplat.
Same story on the 43-255GC - just a little more aggressive meplat
43-255M - no gas check.
43-249MG - tumble lube, so you have to be careful when you specify your diameter. I personally would request this bullet made as a plain base with no gas check shank. You have to run it through a die to crimp a gas check anyway, which to my thinking defeats a lot of the purpose of a tumble lube design.
WWJMBD?
In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.
Still dropping out over .431?? or close?? Yes the two crimp groove one.. I am considering softer alloy for that one Too...so will maybe get down to Only the 7mm Boolit being Hard Alloy..
Both the Lee 310gr molds I had dropped smaller than .431 when using 94-3-3, my prefered alloy for Mag pistol loads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
Gotta agree 100%
Having shot deer in Texas and else where with numerous cartridges in lever actions including the 44 magnum I see no need for a 300+ gr bullet. Unless, of course, PETA is issuing the deer body armor...... Before I get a lot of "well I use....." responses I said "need". What is needed is not to be confused with what one wants to use. Shooting deer in Texas with a 44 Magnum rifle is not Ross Seigfreid shooting water buffalo in Australia with a customized Ruger 45 Colt revolver ...... No need for a 300+ gr bullet for deer, also IMO.
With Lee's offerings I'd select the C429-240-SWC, cast it of 16-1 alloy, GC with Hornady's and lube with a good lube such as 2500 or NRA 50/50. If you tumble lube then a couple very light coats of straight LLA, letting each coat dry thoroughly. Load over 2400, Blue Dot or H110/296 to 1500 - 1600 fps. Put that bullet in the heart/lung area and it will kill any deer quite effectively.
Larry Gibson
“Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
― Nikola Tesla
Plus..IMHO that 240 gr Lee is one of the most consistently accurate boolits in every 44 I ever shot it in. I have shot it in over a dozen revolvers and 1 rifle, a H&R Handi Rifle, and it out shined the Lyman 429421 in over 1/2 of them. Will it feed through your Marlin, only you can tell. If you buy a Lee mold and it doesn't work out, your not out a ton of $
IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!
Since the original question was about Lee molds, my Lee C429-240-SWC would work for medium size game. Gas checks allow a bit higher velocity without leading. I have a Lee mold that I haven't seen available for years, a Lee Ranch Dog design 240 gr. or 264 gr RNFPGC. I have both and they both are accurate in each of my 5, 44 Magnums, and were designed for hunting. I have about 14 Lee molds , (plus one Lachmiller, two Lyman and one ???) and have very little trouble casting good bullets and there are more things that affect finished bullet size than mold cavity dimensions.(alloys, temps. etc). My first mold was a Lee TL430-240-SWC. I pan lubed with some red stuff that came with my used Lee Pan Lube Sizing Kit. Neat tool but long discontinued. Kept my Ruger SBH and my S&W 629 happy for a bit over a year before I got a C429-240-SWC.
BTW, handgun or rifle? SAAMI specs state rifle's barrel groove diameter is .431" while handgun is .429". I wound up sizing my cast bullets to .433" for my Puma...
Last edited by mdi; 03-23-2023 at 01:19 PM.
My Anchor is holding fast!
The OP said Marlin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
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