Which is better.....the 429421 or 429244 in the .44 Magnum?

[Wallyl]

I have both and have done quite a bit of testing in a M-29 & a Ruger SBHK and frankly I have not found much difference when it comes to one being more accurate than the other with loads in the 1,000 to 1,250 Velocity range. I was wondering if anyone else has tried both and what their results have been. One would think the 429244 would be noticeably better because it has a Gas Check.

 

[fiver]

I don't have the 244 but I do have the RCBS equivalent.
I love the mold, I'm not a fan of buying 44 cal gas checks, it rarely gets used.

 

[Wallyl]

Yes, .44 Cal Hornady GCs run $45. 00 a box....I make my own aluminum GCs so that's not an issue for me, I bought the 429244 to make bullets for my .444 Marlin. A GC bullet works better in it.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have both Lyman moulds, the 421 won't feed in the Win 92 very well but the 244 feeds without a bobble crimped into the topmost groove. In handguns and the rifle, I can't see that either one has an advantage over the other accuracy-wise. Most of my 44 Magnum rifle stuff gets done using an Accurate 250 grain round flatnose with a gas check, its number escapes me at the moment. Most of my 44 Mag rifle castings wear a gas check; most of my 44 revolver castings do not. I also have a SAECO #446 (200 grain plain-base flatnose) that sees use in 44/40 WCF and in 44 Mag loads that imitate 44/40 ballistics in both short and long guns.

 

[Brad]

I like the 244 but the only one I have access to casts a nice .429 bullet which is worthless in my .432 throated SRH.

 

[Sandspider500]

Anything .454 is better

 

[abj]

I do not have the molds you listed but I do have a round flat in both plain and gas check. For me the gas check lessened the the accuracy at below 1000 fps. As the velocity climbed both bullets were equal until around 1200 and the gas check was best at full throttle. I use Gator checks so your softer al. checks should be better on the low end I would think.
Tony

 

[KeithB]

I've used them both in several different handguns. Don't have a .44 rifle of any sort. In pistols I couldn't tell any difference. The extra cost and hassle of using a GC for no perceivable benefit helped me make my mind up to use the 421 or one of several clones.

 

[Bret4207]

As far as accuracy goes, FIT IS KING! If you have those moulds and the 421 fits your particular gun/load combo better, the GC isn't going to be the deal breaker.

 

[Ian]

19.6 grains of 2400 and a plain-based Ideal 429421HP cast of 16:1, sparked with Federal LPP and about .003" neck tension is good for 2" at 100 yards from a good revolver IME. That's close to full-throttle and no gas check. YMMV.

 

[fiver]

that's my upper level lever gun load ^^^ [minus like .3grs]
it's also good for the 1-1/2-2" range day in and out no matter which one of the bullets I use.
I did modify the 92's lifter slightly to deal with the longer 421's nose though.
the 429667 I normally use doesn't need the extra effort so become my default bucket of ammo bullet.
kind of wish I hadn't of went through the trouble of lapping that one out and just went straight to powder coat now [shrug] and probably will just go that route for the next bucket of bullets,,, in like 10 years.

 

[Walks]

I have both.
Used them in silhouette shooting in 10" Contender and SBH W/ 7.5" & 10.5" bbl.
Couldn't tell the difference until I got out to the Rams. The #429244GC gave me one more hit on an average of 20. Don't understand why, couldn't figure out the difference on paper.

As far as feeding in a Lever Gun, the Thompson Gas Check has it all over the Keith design.
Just the narrow front band, I guess. I have or have had all 4 Thompson/Lyman designs, plus the RCBS #44-225-SWC.

I prefer the GC designs for Hot Loads in Rifles.
Just seem to fit easier, accuracy might be a bit better. But I couldn't swear to it.
I've never done a definitive side by side accuracy test.

 

[Ian]

Actually I should correct that, Fiver, it's 19.6 with the HP at about 225 grains and 19.2 with the solid (~235 grains with 16:1). I'll edit the post.

 

[fiver]

I knew we somehow come out close on both our 2400 and Unique loads.
it's funny how many times you see guys state 5grs of red-dot or 7.5/8.5 or 9.3grs of unique etc.
I don't know if it's because powder dumps just kind of gravitate to those numbers or if they really are balanced for some reason.

 

[dale2242]

I have never used the 429244.
I have used the 429421 in a number of revolvers.
I haven`t tried it in lever guns.
It is the most accurate bullet in most all the 44s I`ve tried it in.
I cast it from my generic Lyman #2 alloy.
I have pushed this plain based bullet to the max in my 44s and have never had a leading issue.
I use NRA 50/50 lube exclusively.
I personally see no need for a GC bullet in a revolver.
A GC may be more appropriate in a rifle...dale

 

[MW65]

Have used a commercial cast variant of 429421 (bevel based), which worked great in my 1894 Marlin. Appears that it was sized large .4315, and moly coated. With plinking loads, accurate to minute of silhouette when offhand. I still need to run some noe 277gr & my own 429421 thru the caster.

Andy