Size Matters!!

[Goatwhiskers]

Got yer attention, didn't? I Was working up some loads for my .444 Handi using some 429244, solid point, sized .427, and PP to .432, took what I had loaded to convince me the cheap chinese scope that was on the gun when I bought it was junk. Went ahead and sighted in with Hornady factory cartridges, 265gr, gun liked 'em just fine. This was for son to go primitive weapon on state land, more on that later. This was all I had of the cast PP so I decided to try my .445SM Handi with some 265gr RD style boolits cast at ,432 which this gun also likes. (Size I mean) What the heck? I have shot the above mentioned PP boolits in these cases no problem and acceptable accuracy. When I dug deep enough I finally found cases were squashing the boolits under the PP, the first ring next to the GC shoulder was .422, next ring was .425, then the last portion which would be covered with paper was still .427. The 265gr boolit, which was .432 was too solid to be deformed by the case, which apparently has a tapered thickness wall. Who'da thunk it? I have new 445SM cases ordered, should be here Tuesday, hope this solves the problem, think it will. Incidentally, my son got a nice 6 pointer, said that hard kickin' Hornady knocked the deer's feet right out from under him and ruined both shoulders. GW

 

[Ian]

Congratulations to your son for a nice deer deer.

I'd think a .425" core patched to .432" would be the way to go, with the appropriate expander of course. How about only running the cases into the sizer just enough to hold the PP bullets? .0015" interference fit should be plenty to keep the bullets in place when cartridges are in the magazine. Sounds like you're FL sizing the brass and the expanding spud is way too small/short to properly compensate. Do you use Supermag brass in the .444? Seems like it would be about a half inch too short.

 

[Goatwhiskers]

The PP boolits in the 445 worked well. The problem arose when I tried to seat a RD265gr as cast at .432 and it expands the case making chambering impossible. Puzzled me because the gun wants that size cast boolit being a Handi with their oversize bore. Also, can't help but figure case shouldn't be squeezing the core down so much when I'm using PP, also it's a tapered squeeze. All this gives me something to do, gonna go spend the day in the shop playing with ideas, SWMBO is away for the day and my 445brass won't be here till Tuesday. GW

 

[Goatwhiskers]

Well, I'll just set back and wait for the correct cases to show up. Using those converted 30/40 cases, I can seat a jacketed 180 Sierra HP at .429 and have no problem chambering, but I have no intention of shooting those. A cast boolit @ .432 swells the case such that it won't chamber at all. The gun wants .432 in the bore. Turns out the 30/40 cases cut down have a .006" increase in wall thickness from mouth to where the boolit base ends up. No wonder the cases swell. New cases should solve the problem. GW

 

[RBHarter]

Seems like a place for turn or ream to really pay off . The interior step would be a bonus for set back in the lever gun .

 

[3856imp]

The brass is thicker as it goes from the mouth to the head of the case. The neck on that case may be short, so when you seat heavier bullets it reaches a thicker part of the case. When you get there the ID gets smaller and it sizes your bullet. You just need to ream the brass so the Id is the same to the depth that your bullet is seated. Problem gone.

 

[3856imp]

It might not be a brass problem, those cartridges were designed for shorter jacketed bullets at high velocity for silhouette shooting so those bullets might not have been seated as deep. Adapting cartridges for other uses means the devil is in the details. Best of luck. Rodney

 

[3856imp]

If i recall correctly the bullets available when this was developed were like the Speer 240 jacketed silhouette, heavy jacketed FMJ bullets and case tension was important with W296 to work in a Dan wesson with no more than a 10 inch barrel. So the brass might have been made to have a short and tight neck by design.

 

[3856imp]

Sorry for the chaotic multiple posts but I was cooking, burnt the onions for my stuffed pork loin.

I think this one of Elgin Gates cartridges for the long cylinder Dan Wessons and was designed to work for that. If the throat on your Handi will allow just seat the bullet out farther. Coal is not an issue like in a revolver or lever gun