Lee, 44 cal. 200 gr. RF

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
My grandson's Handi rifle, 44 Mag. has to have a .4320" cast bullet to be accurate. I bought a Lee 200 gr. , 2 cav. mould knowing that it would cast small for my needs. I cleaned the mould and did my usual Lee Mould " tune up " .
The 1st bullets from the mould were .429" nice and round.
So, I did what I fully expected to have to do with the mould.

I lapped it.

Ben



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If you go slow and cast and measure often, this system has always worked well
for me with moulds that throw " sub - sized " cast bullets.

I'm where I need to be now ( with this particular rifle ).

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The finished product, sized, lubed and ready to load weighs 215 grs.

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Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Those will work well.
Any idea what kind of loads are on the bench? I would expect a mid range load with Unique for starters.
Is this going to be a hunting season for him?
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Most likely not for hunting.
The last time out he shot 6.8 grs. of Red Dot with a 200 gr. cast.
At 40 yards, he was " chewing a hole out " of the target.

I may go back with the Red Dot load ? ? ?

Ben
 
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Spindrift

Well-Known Member
I also have that mould, mine is dropping .431 bullets. I will use them in a .44 auto mag barrel in a rem 700 rifle (which I pick up on monday!).
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
hah! have one of those molds. Did you lap one and send it back?!? Mine casts .430 and 217 grns. use it for 44-40 revolver and 44 SPC.
 
All three of my 44 spl flattops love that bullet sized to 430 atop some Hodgdons HS-6. I started at 7 grs and when we got to 8 1/2 grs they all go in the same ragged hole. Felt recoil is easily handled by my grandkids and their mother.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
It is one of Lee's better bullet designs, for certain. I used the bullet in my first attempts at loading for my 1897-vintage Win 73 in 44/40 WCF. Its crimp groove works well for keeping bullets secure during the shunting trip down a tubular levergun magazine, and its lube capacity is adequate for smokeless powder loadings in rifle-length barrels. Using The Holy Black, though......not so much. An aggravating factor may have been the use of Goex Flaming Dirt as the fuel rather than a better grade of BP, but the Lee bullet's grooves didn't hold enough SPG to keep the fouling soft. Within 6 rounds, the bore was fouled out and the 30/1 bullets were tumbling in flight. My mold casts a few tenths over .429", which is well-nigh perfect for my 44/40 arms.
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
I've got an old 2cav that drops .430 with 50/50 COWW/#2. I only shoot them in Colt SAA .44Spl or .44WCF, Sized to .428dia, I don't shoot 200gr bullets in my .44Mag Rifles, just 240gr.
It'll shoot 2" groups at 50ft out of a S&W M624-3" bbl. Just 4.0grs of TiteGroup under it, My. 44Spl load for My Colts & Spaghetti clones.
Just the thing for ringing steel at 7yds. Fast and sloppy.
Great plinking load.

But I still like the 429-214-1R that preceded it better.
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
Accurate Molds makes at least 2 Great styles that would suit for Black Powder.

43-205M & 43-210G

Designed for Black Powder these Bullets hold a lot of Lube. And Accurate make a Superior Mold, and they use Lee handles.
 
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oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Have the same one Ben has - Lee 429-200. Mine drops fat and big. Mine .430 irrc, and at 217 grns. My go to for the 44-40s and also for light 44 SPC (I REALLY prefer the 250 Keith in my 44 SPCs).
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I would pay that if it was available where I live. (inland southern California)

It is harder to find than small pistol primers, and has been for several years.