Just getting into reloading, and I figured why not start with the caliber that uses a ton of powder!

Anyways, I need to reload for .44 and was hoping there was a resource you knew that was good quality and good on price.

Thanks in advance.

Best,

TH

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Rather be outdoors

250 Grain Wadcutter (.430) [430-250-WC] - $18.00 : Matts Bullets

Does it have to be full on wadcutters? Because cast wadcutters seem to be scarce as hen's teeth in 44 caliber. Semi wadcutters are extremely easy to find however, in both 200 grain and 240 grain variants. Plated bullets are also easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

^^^ Sorry, Semi wadcutters, please.

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Rather be outdoors

Not only are 44WCs hard to come by, the molds are worse unless
you want to settle for a Lee Mold. Revolver bullseye shooting is
a thing of the past. 44sp were the main users of WC, and they
are in thin supply in Target versions.

I've been happy with cheycast's bullets

I use these for 44spl and 44magnum

I buy 2000 bullets at a time for the USPS flat rate shipping of $14.00

I get my orders in 3 days.

.44

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

I like the quality/cost from mastercastbullets.com
mastercastbullets.com : .44 CALIBER 240 GRAIN SWC $94.00 PER M .430
Penn Bullets : .44 Caliber 240 Grain Semi-Wadcutter Bevel Base
Standard Sizing - .431 $105/1000

I've had very good luck with the Bayou Bullets 240 coated SWC bullets myself. <<<Link to them.>>> I've run them from mild to wild with no leading problems in either my 629 Classic or my Browning B92 rifle. And with them being Hi Tek coated instead of having lube in the lube grooves, a lot less smoke too.

I can't help you on this one since I'm not located in USA.But I can say that .44WC(I cast my own) over a light charge of quick burning powder(6.0gr of Bullseye or 700X or Titegroup,Red Dot Promo and I could keep going on...)is a joy to shoot and they are very accurate!One hole group at 20 yds is the norm rather than the exception.
Qc

Penn Bullets makes an actual full wadcutter that weighs 185gr and you can specify diameter. They also offer coated version of all bullets.

Pistol Archives - Montana Bullet Works

Check Western Bullets.
Three choices for .44 wadcutters.
180 grain:

200 grain:

215 grain:

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I'll second this one. Summer's Enterprises has the best price on hard cast I have found anywhere. 500 of them cost about the same as 200 of Matt's. I've never tried Matt's but I can't imagine them being 2-1/2 times better than Summer's - since the quality on the Summer's bullets has been great for me.

I get a club discount with Missouri bullet co. and like their 240gr. coated SWC. I've also used SnS and Bayou coated with no complaints.

Rimrock Bullets has true .44 Wadcutters for a reasonable cost.

I have used the Rim Rock 200gr full wadcutter in my 29. $48.00 for 500. Saw a published load using this bullet with 5.0 gr. Titegroup. I have used this Titegroup load and it works well. They also have semi-wadcutters. I have had good luck with their bullets, and they ship fast.

Wondering about those numbers. I make that to be just under 70 pounds, which is the limit for UPS Ground, I think, and probably way over what the PO would handle.

Just FYI, UPS will take packages up to 150 pounds but there is an extra charge for packages that weigh more than 70 pounds. However, that is immaterial since Summers doesn't ship UPS.

What they use is the USPS $14 flat rate box - and it has no weight restrictions. Lots of bullet suppliers use that method and they usually try to make the box hold up to the weight by using fiberglass-reinforced strapping tape - though that doesn't always work as well as one might hope. I recently recieved one with 1500 158gr 38 cal projectiles where the box was all soft and floppy, and even split open. Fortunately the heavy bag inside wasn't split so the bullets were all still in there.

So, bottom line, the $14 shipping number quoted above is in fact correct.

USPS has a weight restriction of 70 lbs max. Filament tape helps but I have found that going to a 275lb test interior bullet box has worked much much better. I charge a couple of extra bucks to offset the increased cost of the boxes and the large amount of filament tape on everything.

For wadcutters I use Rim Rock 200 grain WC.

For semi WC, pretty much everyone has some variation available. I do like the Bayou Bullets Hi-Tek 240 grain SWC as well as the Western Bullets 250 grain Keith SWC and the 260 grain Rim Rock SWC

Really? Seems to me it would be pretty easy to fit more than 70 pounds of bullets in one of the $14 flat rate boxes. So the USPS advertisement that says "If it FITS it SHIPS" is all just a big lie?

A government run agency lying to us? Imagine my surprise...

None of the carriers at my post office would handle more than 500 bullets without leaving it behind for me to pick up. That much lead in one small spot, no handles, is incredibly difficult to handle. It's no wonder the packages arrive appearing abused. The real pros in my experience are X-treme with nice packaging that arrives in perfect condition. Shipping UPS with 500-1000 bullets at a time is more realistic for all concerned. It's not about weight limits but how well the package will be handled at a certain density.

No "lying" involved it states so right on the USPS website

Priority Mail Flat Rate is a 1 to 3 day shipping service provided by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) that features one flat rate for delivery of a package or envelope to its destination. The service allows a maximum weight of 70 lbs. or less for each envelope or package.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I got 2000 44caliber 240gr LSWC from Summers Enterprises Bullets 2 weeks ago in 4 boxes of 500 inside the USPS medium flat rate box.

My cost was $154,$140 for the 2000 bullets and $14 for the shipping.

BTW,the 240gr .430" LSWC is there most expensive bullet @ $35.00/500

Some bullets are packaged over the 500 count so look at the amounts and cost per bullet.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

I think part of your report should be the condition the box was in when you received it. Bound to be okay in some instances, but imagine how heavy that is and how it could burst if dropped from any height.

You should also report whether the package was delivered to your residence or whether you had to pick it up at the PO.

It's hard to get your fingers under a box that dense, let alone to pick it up. I have two 70 lb shipments of lead ingots each in an ammo can, and each is just crazy heavy, so much that I don't trust the handles on the cans. There would be no way to pick up the cans without the handles, barring some young gorilla available to help. I weighed one at 75 pounds and only had to pick it up a few inches for the shipping scales. I think shipping that weight/density through the post office is abuse of the system. UPS seems far better equipped for that, and in fact may be the contractor for most of the movement. The problem would be at each end, where personnel are not prepared for such things.

On several occasions I've ordered from Xtreme and had the shipment delayed in transit according to tracking info. When the packages did arrive, they were all taped up, can only assume they broke open during in transit handling.One delivery I was home waiting for it and I saw the driver pull up and when I went to meet him at the door he was leaving a trail of .44s behind him.

"I think part of your report should be the condition the box was in when you received it. Bound to be okay in some instances, but imagine how heavy that is and how it could burst if dropped from any height".


That's a fair question.

The flat rate box was completely covered in the USPS priority mail tape and completely intact when I lifted it out of the mail box.

About 2 months ago I got 1000 bullets from Xtreme Bullets sent via UPS that had a big gash in the outer box when left at my door and one of the 2 inner boxes of 500 was open with the bullets from it floating around.I told Xtreme Bullets CS about it and they sent me 72 free bullets.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

I've never seen wadcutters for 44. But it's easy to find lead semi-wadcutters. At MidwayUSA you'll find:
Oregon Trail Laser-Cast Bullets
Meister Hard Cast Bullets
Hornady Bullets
Hunters Supply Hard Cast Bullets

This bullet, along with 800x, has been my go-to target load for a couple years now.

During the powder shortage several years back, I tried out a few powders that happened to be available, and discovered 700x and 800x. I got excellent results with both.

It may spell that out on the website, but they certainly don't mention it in the ad. They emphatically (and deceptively IMO) say "If it FITS, it SHIPS!" in the commercials.

Like I said, it would be pretty easy to FIT more than 70 pounds of lead bullets in one of those boxes, so if they won't then allow you to SHIP it because it is over 70 pounds then the commercial is making false statements.

Parse it in any way you like (I guess "It depends on what your definition of IS is" - right?) but in my book, that is a LIE.

2000 240gr LSWC bullets weigh approx 68.5 lbs so it meets the 70lb limit and they fit in the medium flat rat box.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

A lot of people will say here that Missouri bullets are a great outfit. I've also been satisfied with Bayou Bullets. I you want really good plated bullets, Xtreme can fix you up.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Fine, interpret it how you want, If it fits, but doesn't weigh over 70 lbs, it ships. Plus you must account for the weight of the cardboard box which is FREE. Along with basic insurance

Take it up with them.

It is what it is and still a great deal on shipping

Don't use it, Use UPS or Fed EX and see what they charge.

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Still Running Against the Wind

You can also try The Bulletworks and American Reloading. Both Companies don't always have what you want in stock but when they do they usually have great sales.

You sound like you might be a current or retired postal employee?

You're missing the point. I never said that the flat rate boxes aren't a good deal on shipping. I've ordered bullets from Summers too, and they put as many as they could in the box based on weight. But there was room for more in the box - however they couldn't put more in the box - due to the weight restriction.

The fact is if UPS or FedEx made commercials with deceptive claims like the post office's "If it fits it ships", and then put restrictions on it the government would slap a charge of false advertising on them so fast it would make your head swim. But because it is the Post Office - a government run entity - they get a pass.

On top of that they have a GOVERNMENT protected monopoly (postal mail) and use the revenue from that to subsidize their parcel shipping business - while supposedly "competing" with private businesses like UPS and FedEx. That is WHY they can undercut the rates of the private businesses that they are "competing" with.

You may not like my idea, but if I was going to use commercial cast bullets, I'd buy a minimum quantity (probably 100 bullets) from several recommended manufacturers. I would also try .431" bullets in addition to what I guess is more common ,.430". This would a one time expense and it would tell you what you need to know.

I have several S&W .44 Special and magnum revolvers and cast my own bullets. Nowadays, I size everything to .431". Seems just a little more accurate than .430". However, if you get a soft enough commercial .430" bullet, it may shoot quite accurately. I have heard (but have not verified) that most commercial bullets are considerably harder than necessary. Good luck-

Sorry, I gotta keep this flame war going.

To the general public, "If it fits, it ships" is probably more than sufficient advertising; as most people do not mail lead to each other on a regular basis.

And I highly doubt the USPS will change the slogan to "If it fits, it ships, except for bullets, because you can fit more than 70 pounds in a medium Flat Rate Box."

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an actual conservative

No flames here. Just a difference of opinion.
It boils down to don't make claims that aren't true. Pretty simple IMO.

It wouldn't be acceptable for them to advertise and claim that "mailing a letter only costs 40 cents" (which is the current bulk rate I believe) when a postage stamp is 46 cents. Likewise it is deceptive to claim that ANYTHING you can fit in the box will ship for the same rate - when that obviously isn't true.

It makes for a nice jingoistic ad slogan, but if it isn't completely true then it is deceptive and false advertising. Plain and simple IMO.