215gr SWC 44 Special loads for my 44 Magnum pair?

[cowboy4evr]

And I thought I was the only one that sized my 44 bullets to .431 or even .432 . I size all my 45 Colt cast bullets .454 . I have found it very beneficial to take the time to do my homework when checking / measuring a revolver to shoot cast . " Fit is King " .

 

[Newtire]

Cast and micro-groove

If your 1894 Marlin is stamped "Micro Groove Rifling" on the barrel, you are wasting time, money, powder, primers and cast bullets trying to find an accurate load. My 1894 could not hit a 5 gallon bucket at 50 yards with lead bullets -- I tried as a joke. It would shoot clover leafs with 240 grain jacketed semi-wadcutters at 50 yards. EDIT: Bullet diameter was 0.430" and bullet weight was 215 gr, 232 gr, or 255 gr.

If it has standard rifling, the load that works in your handgun will be excellent in your rifle.

Not to stir things up but the thing with micro-groove not shooting cast is just a wives tale. I shoot plenty of cast in my .444 and it does just fine. In fact, all of my Marlin micro-groove .22's shoot lead OK.

 

[rockquarry]

Not to stir things up but the thing with micro-groove not shooting cast is just a wives tale. I shoot plenty of cast in my .444 and it does just fine. In fact, all of my Marlin micro-groove .22's shoot lead OK.

This may be an ancient thread, but it contains at least a bit of good information. The only Micro-Groove barrel I've had experience with in shooting cast bullets was a .45-70. They will shoot cast well, but they do require some load development, experimentation, and testing, maybe more than most care to do. A larger-than-normal diameter bullet is a good place to start. Of course, alloy mix has to be right for the load.

 

[Biggfoot44]

And the other factor not mentioned yet :

Feeding in leverguns . Sometimes SWC feed well , sometimes require tweeking of COL , sometimes you just call it hopeless in that gun .

For dual purpose loads , RNFP is made for slick feeding .

 

[BC38]

And the other factor not mentioned yet :

Feeding in leverguns . Sometimes SWC feed well , sometimes require tweeking of COL , sometimes you just call it hopeless in that gun .

For dual purpose loads , RNFP is made for slick feeding .

Yup. Love me some RNFP loads in 200gr or 240gr. Especially when poly-coated instead of using of conventional lubes.
They paper-punch almost as cleanly as LSWC but they feed better in levers AND speedload better in revolvers.
What's not to love?

 

[tops]

Not to stir things up but the thing with micro-groove not shooting cast is just a wives tale. I shoot plenty of cast in my .444 and it does just fine. In fact, all of my Marlin micro-groove .22's shoot lead OK.

I'm not a wife but I have an old mans tale. When I found out Marlin was going to make a .357M lever gun I put in an order at 2 gun shops for the first one they got in. Later one called and said they had my rifle so I went and got it. The next day the other called and said they had my rifle so I went and got it.
I tried the same cast bullet loads (2 different makers) that I used in my pistol in one of the guns and it shot a buckshot pattern. I tried jacketed bullets and it shot good. I sold both rifles.
I have a 1959 M39 rifle and a 1964 M39 Mountie and both shoot good. Larry