44 Special bullet choice

J

JustJim

Well-Known Member
Thanks again guys. No 44 carbine around here, so no concerns that way.

The last new Blackhawk I purchased was a .44 mag Bisley, right after they came out (1994?). Cylinder throats were undersize (.425"), but a slug driven through the bore measured .427". At the time, I had a business doing custom cast bullets, so measuring revolvers became habit.

I picked this one up at the local toy store. It didn't appear as it had been fired since it left the factory, sometime in 2013. When I got home I cleaned the revolver and got measurements. Barrel/cylinder gap is a little tight at just under .004". Cylinder throats measured .4311"-.4313". I slugged the bore, slug measured .4291". A .416" pin gauge passes the bore w/o pause, .417" won't enter the bore. Given those measurements, I should be good with a .432" mould.

Off to NOE to see what they have in stock.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Like Dale I use the NOE version of the 503. I run mine a bit slower with 4.5 gr of Titegroup. Does all I need or want.
 
W

Walks

Well-Known Member
I have a #429421 2cav from the mid 1970's. Bought used it has a pretty full front driving band.
The RCBS #44-250-K that I bought new about 1983 has a Very narrow front driving band. It will feed/fit in most lever guns without a hitch. The Lyman never liked the B92 or Rossi either, the Winchester 1894 is just fine.
The RNFP designs like the N.O.E. TL432-249-RF, Lyman #429667 and Lee #C430-310-RF all feed perfectly.

All that said, if only one bullet for a .44Spl SA, it would be a 240-250gr SWC of the Keith type.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
the 667 is my all around 44 bullet.
it doesn't need the lifter modified to feed in the lever rifles and shoots just fine in the revolvers.
unfortunately it being a lyman mold of recent manufacture they took the almost 429 thing seriously and I had to work it over some.

if I had to do it over again I'd talk to Tom.
then re-work the 667's nose just a scoch moving the meplat back a hair and living with the few grains of weight loss.[oh and get it at 431]
if I ever manage to work my way through the 7 gallon bucket of the ones I have lube sized now, i'll probably just powder coat the next batch.
 
Winelover

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I have the 667............mine drops at .431diameter and weighs 245 grains lubed.........50/50 combination of W/W and pure. Meplat is smaller than I like for hunting. I just loaded that bullet up in 44 Special cases, cut down to 44 Russian, to repurpose the split necks. Will try to go out back and touch them off this afternoon, if the weather ever gets into the 40's.
 
J

JustJim

Well-Known Member
Thanks again guys. I ordered NOE's HP version of the Keith bullet. I've not used one of their moulds before. This will be a good opportunity to try one out.
 
D

DHD

Active Member
Neither of the 44 Flattop's I shoot will accept a .432" bullet through the throats (well maybe if I pounded them through). I size .4305" and they will hang up if I drop them into each chamber. A light push a they'll drop. Maybe yours will be that large, IDK.

I have probably 8 different 44 molds now and none are a SWC design. Actually none of my molds are SWC as I'm a RNFP (or LFN style) kinda guy. I'm also a MP Molds kinda guy as those things throw bullets that just shoot well out of everything I shoot them from. A 432-640 would be my choice if I could only have one 44 mold and I'd use the small pins.

I just read the first page and didn't see where you'd already picked the revolver up and had already bought a mold.
 
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J

John

Active Member
My flat top passes a .432 pin die easily. I went to a NOE .433 235 gr bullet. The model 69 Smith, 44 Redhawk and contender bbl all get .430.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
My 624 wants a .430+ bullet, the SRH needs .431+.
Failure to feed them the right size leads to leading.
 
D

DHD

Active Member
Don't you just love Ruger's? One of the 2 44 Special's I'm referring to is from the first batch of blued 5 1/2" Flattop's and the other is a current SS 4 5/8" Bisley. Both of their throats are more or less the same and haven't been touched. Yet others have slightly different sizes (slightly is a bunch here isn't it).

I was an ignorant and happy revolver shooter when I didn't know or understand cast bullets/measuring/sizing. Now I'm not quite as ignorant and still happy. It's a never ending lesson and it's a blast.

My shooting partner is smarter than I as he doesn't touch the casting, PC, or sizing. Actually he doesn't care as long as I bring over bullets that fit. He understands what is going on perfectly, but let's me sweat the details. I love to shoot but I also love the casting process.
 
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fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
maybe if Ruger changed all of their chamber cutters at the same time [shrug]

my 2 ruger flat top specials are vastly different guns. [bought them on the same day]
the blued version has nice throats and the stainless has undersized cylinder throats, the stainless come with a nice transition into the barrel.
the blued one has some hang up's.
I just put the blue cylinder in the silver gun and shoot lead in that one, and the silver cylinder in the blued one and shoot copper wrappers in that one.
 
Missionary

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Fiver. We did a similar cylinder swap between a S&W 19-5 and a 13-3 .357 mags. They both shot better. Not a great difference but was worth the simple work of moving the cylinders with cranes about ....
 
D

DHD

Active Member
fiver said:
maybe if Ruger changed all of their chamber cutters at the same time [shrug]

my 2 ruger flat top specials are vastly different guns. [bought them on the same day]
the blued version has nice throats and the stainless has undersized cylinder throats, the stainless come with a nice transition into the barrel.
the blued one has some hang up's.
I just put the blue cylinder in the silver gun and shoot lead in that one, and the silver cylinder in the blued one and shoot copper wrappers in that one.
Click to expand...
Normally I'd agree with you about changing reamers at the same time, but I just can't. If they were to do that, then I wouldn't get to spend money on getting cylinders honed. I'm just wired for doing stuff to my toys it seems. I must love Ruger BH's because every one that comes home with me gets money thrown at it and likes it...
 
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J

JustJim

Well-Known Member
This is the first Ruger 44 I've had that didn't have dimensional headaches. Of the 5 (I think) Ruger 41s I've had, I never had dimension problems. And don't get me started on Ruger's 45 Blackhawks. . . but I wanted a .44 Special.

More than 20 years ago I picked up a 3-screw .357 Blackhawk with every intention of getting it converted to 44 Special. The problem was I screwed up and shot it--a lot--and I liked it. I finally got myself psyched up to send it off, and was looking for a 41 to take the place of the 357 as my utility revolver. I couldn't find one, but a friend showed me his Ruger flattop 44 and the search was on. I expected to have more time before I was trying to find 44 Special components. Under the current circumstances it may be spring before I have enough brass to be happy. But so far, the gun itself is doing fine.
 
D

DHD

Active Member
When joking (but not really) about sending off the Ruger's for honing, it was the 45's I was thinking about the most. But, I'd rather they be too small than too big!

Hope your Flattop shoots as well as mine. I've been real happy about that!
 
gman

gman

Well-Known Member
I believe the 45 Colts were probably the worse when it came to cylinder throat dimensions. My old Bisley measures .455 but shoots lights out when sized to fit. Another I have is .454. My Flat Top convertible was the opposite. It was under sized for cast at .450 but a quick trip to the shop fixed that right up.
 
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