44 mag lead bullet question

[PennsyPlinker]

Last year a friend of mine gave me a box of about 500 .44 mag lead bullets. I am getting ready to load them up. I've got the proper sizer, etc, and decided to start looking at loads tonight. But in order for that, I needed to know the weight. To make a long story short, I ended up weighing 10 randomly chosen bullets. The weights ranged from 228 - 235 gr (rounded to the nearest full grain). I have two manuals, Speer #13 and Lyman's 49th edition. I found three cast bullets with similar profiles. Speer shows a 225 gr bullet, and Lyman shows 210 and 255 gr bullets. Of the three, the profile looks closest to the 255 gr bullet in the Lyman manual. How should I treat these bullets? I am going to weigh a few more, but assuming they are all going to fall in the same range, do I load them as a heavier bullet, or a lighter one? Am I obsessing about the grain difference? Below is a picture of one from the box I have in my possession.

[saleen322]

I have a RCBS 240 SWCGC bullet mold that looks about the same. The bullet weights are calculated with a Lyman #2 alloy. If the mix has more antimony in the alloy for example, it will be lighter but harder. If you use data for a 240, you will be fine. The bullet base does look to me like it is a gas check design which would be right for 44 mag velocities. You can lube the bullet and use them without a gas check but you want to keep the velocity down some. After the bullet is lubed and a gas check seated, it would weigh a little more maybe approaching 240 with your heavier ones. Hope this helps.

[PennsyPlinker]

I have a RCBS 240 SWCGC bullet mold that looks about the same. The bullet weights are calculated with a Lyman #2 alloy. If the mix has more antimony in the alloy for example, it will be lighter but harder. If you use data for a 240, you will be fine. The bullet base does look to me like it is a gas check design which would be right for 44 mag velocities. You can lube the bullet and use them without a gas check but you want to keep the velocity down some. After the bullet is lubed and a gas check seated, it would weigh a little more maybe approaching 240 with your heavier ones. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the quick reply. I should have mentioned I have a big ole box full of gas checks for them. Now, where might I go looking for data on a 240 gr lead bullet? Am I right in assuming it would be somewhat different than a 240 gr JHP? I have some of them too, but I don't want to waste them all punching paper, if you know what I mean.

[mongo]

Looks like they came from a Lyman mold. The lighter weight could because of the alloy mix. Most people make bullets molded for a magnum a little harder and these will have more tin in the mix and thus lighter. Also it looks like you can use a gas check. This will allow a little hotter load without leading. If you do not use a gas check it is best to load them with a 44 Special load. Generally full house loads in a 44 Mag with lead bullets will lead the barrel.

[workingmanjeff]

Go here

http://www.wwpowder.com/

hit the "reloading data center" box

they have all the loads for Hodgdon, Winchester, and IMR

Plenty of Cast Bullet data for .44 Mag

Good Luck

Jeff

[dk99358]

Split the difference between the 210 and 255 data. Your bullets are pretty close to half way (255-210= 45, 45/2= 22.5, 210+ 22.= 232.5) between those weights. Just split the difference listed for the powder charges. Start low and work up.

Dale

[dc dalton]

Not to stir the pot too much but you might be better served by getting a copy of the latest Hornady reloading book. Not a big fan of the two you are using.

[kimbershooter]

This may be a stupid question but I am gonna ask anyway. Have these already been sized? And if so why is there no lube on the bullet? If they have not been sized maybe that will even out the difference in weights a bit? I have gotten into making my own bullets so I really don't know the answers to any of these questions, but thought I would throw it it out there. If I am completely of base please disregard this post.

[PennsyPlinker]

Thanks for all the answers so far everyone. I've got some directions to check out now.

This may be a stupid question but I am gonna ask anyway. Have these already been sized? And if so why is there no lube on the bullet? If they have not been sized maybe that will even out the difference in weights a bit? I have gotten into making my own bullets so I really don't know the answers to any of these questions, but thought I would throw it it out there. If I am completely of base please disregard this post.

No, they have not been sized yet. I just lubed up a batch with Lee Liquid Alox tonight, and they are drying. This one was not part of that batch. I suspect that sizing them may bring the weights closer in line towards the lighter end, although you can be sure none of the lighter ones will be getting any heavier. Also, with the Lee lube, you won't see wax in the rings like you will with other lubes.

[bob308]

treat them like a 240 gr bullet. that way you will get a safer load then treating them like a lighter bullet.
i have used nothing but cast bullets in fullhouse .44 and .357 loads and never had a leading problem.

that bullet looks like it is a gas check bullet.