Inexpensive .44 bullet for full power loads

[chickenfried]

At the gunshow none of the powders on my shopping list for midrange .44 magnum loads were available. I grabbed some 296. Need suggestions for an inexpensive bullet that would be good for full power loads. I was considering the hornady 180 grain xtp but would prefer something a little cheaper.This is for target shooting/plinking in a 4" and 6" 29-2. Not hunting or self defense.

 

[Dragon88]

The XTP is one of the cheapest jacketed bullets you will find, in fact it's the cheapest on Midway. Stay away from plated if you are going for full power, they might not hold up well.

 

[chickenfried]

ahh okay guess it was little bit of sticker shock going from buying cast .45 to .44 jacketed.

 

[handgunner356]

Yes, if you're going to push them up there you'll need jacketed or gas checked rounds. Better keep looking for another powder for cast loads.

 

[Dragon88]

Yeah 44 bullets are a bit pricey compared to others. You might check out the Nosler Sporting Handgun bullets, sold in packs of 250. Those will be a bit less expensive if you can find them in stock somewhere.

 

[dla]

Why not try a cast bullet? Take a look at Oregon Trail's 240gr LSWC, or maybe you've got a local caster. Hornady 240gr XTP is the only jacketed bullet I use - I really like XTP's performance. But they run from $22 - $25 per 100 off the dealer's shelf - more if you have to order them.

I'm picking up 1k of OT's 240gr lswc to use with my 329pd. Since I pick them up myself, I pay about $10/100.

I'm sure there are many other fine bullet casters and they pretty much all use the USPS flat rate shipping. Seems like the only time you get abused price-wise is when you buy the LBT-design stuff.

 

[chickenfried]

I'd like to but even starting 296 loads are pretty stout. So unless it's got a gas check no cast bullets with 296.

Why not try a cast bullet? Take a look at Oregon Trail's 240gr LSWC,

 

[smiffundvessen]

I have used 240 gr cast bullets from these folks for years for mild to warm loads:
BulletsDirect.com

Think 2400. It's classic for stout cast bullet loads.

But, if you have to use 296, I can't help. I've never used the stuff.

 

[Skip Sackett]

W296 will work fine with hard cast bullets. Check with tennesseevalleybullets.com. His bullets are second only to mine and mine aren't for sale commercially!

All kidding aside, H110/W296 will work, and have for many many years, with lead bullets.

The other option is to check some of the folks that sell bulk bullets. Remington, Winchester are two that do. There are some other folks that do too but I can't remember their names right now. Out west somewhere.

Sorry, senior moment!

 

[Dale53]

I have shot tens of thousands of full house .44 Magnum loads with plain base cast bullets with either the Lyman 429421 Keith or the similar but more "true to Keith" H&G #503 250 gr lead alloy bullets. I have cast all of these myself and wouldn't want anything else.

I have taken a half dozen deer with these and am completely satisfied with cast bullets on everything from edible small game to deer, black bear and hogs.

I have recently acquired a new hollow point Group Buy mould (H&G #503 Keith hollow point from MiHec) on the Cast Boolit forum and will be trying that this year.

Cast bullets cost nearly nothing when you cast them yourselves and you can afford the practice that all of us need.

I am a good pistol shot but could have NEVER been able to attain this level without the economic benefits of casting my own bullets and reloading.

There are other benefits to shooting cast bullets - I have over a hundred thousand rounds through my 1911 pistol and it still shoots under 2" at 50 yards. I would have been through a LOT of barrels if I had shot jacketed (the AMU stated that 5000 rounds was the life expectancy of a match barrel when used with jacketed bullets). I am still shooting my original barrel.

Just a thought or two...

Dale53

 

[NE450No2]

If you are going to load full power loads with 296 then I would get some good quality hard cast bullets. Not the normal bevel base bulk cast bullets, I shoot a lot of them with 8 to 10gr of Unique...

But for full power loads you need a proper real Keith bullet.

Also for a jacketed bullet see if you can find some Remington 240gr SP in bulk, ie 500 or 1000 bullets.

 

[cp1969]

Flatbase, non-gascheck bullets such as the Lyman 429421 can be driven to magnum velocities without any serious leading. But the bevel-base bullets that most casters prefer to sell is another story altogether.

My favorite .44 load is the Lyman 429421 over 20.0 grains of 2400, Winchester Large Pistol Primer, any case. It chronographs at 1250 out of my 5 1/2" Redhawk with virtually no leading at all. I could drive it faster (and have) but this load does everything I need and is actually quite pleasant to shoot.

My load for bevel-base, commercial cast bullets is 8.0 gr. Unique for (guessing here) around 900 fps. This is a pop-gun load in comparison but even it will go nearly all the way through a washing machine at 100 yards.

 

[Skip Sackett]

https://secure3.mooseweb.com/montanagoldbullet.com/pricelist.tpl
Found this mentioned in another thread. This is the company I was talking about in my previous post. If you buy a case @ $305 the cost per bullet comes down to .15¢ each or $15/100. The last time I bought Hornady 240gr XTP they were almost $30/100. They do work well though and cannot be beat out of a levergun at full velocity though.
While I have never use the Montana brand I have used JSP/JSPHP in a bunch of hunting rounds and they performed excellently on deer here in Northern Indiana.
Personally, I think the XTP is more accurate. As for punching paper though with full power loads, you won't do that too long. Not if you want to shoot a lot. I love Smith and Wesson revolvers. They can take whatever a Ruger can as far as pressure, in my opinion. Even John Linebaugh carries one in 45Colt for everyday use, that says something. The only thing is that you will shoot it loose. The cylinder is not the issue, it's the other parts that keep it in time that will wear.

If it were me, I would look at that same bullet or lead equivalent over some Unique or SR4756 to 1000fps for those "everyday" type of rounds. Just me though.

 

[dla]

I don't understand the negativity with bevel base bullets. I wonder how much of that is real and how much of that is forum myth? There's always work required to find the right powder & load to make a cast bullet work right. Shape of the base WRT flame cutting doesn't make sense.

 

[cp1969]

I don't understand the negativity with bevel base bullets. I wonder how much of that is real and how much of that is forum myth? There's always work required to find the right powder & load to make a cast bullet work right. Shape of the base WRT flame cutting doesn't make sense.

Well then, try it yourself. Put a bevel base 240 SWC over 20-22 grains of 2400 and see what you get. Maybe yours won't lead.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Harness and fit. If those two are right, the base isn't going to matter much regardless of forum myth.

I shoot both plain and bevel base bullets out of my 44Mag and 45Colt (Ruger Only) type loads out of both handguns and lever action rifles. I have had plain base bullets lead at the same velocities that bevel based ones didn't. Why? Fit. period.

But, like has been suggested, try it yourself. Lead bullets are out there in both configurations. Easy to find. Go for it!

 

[dla]

Harness and fit. If those two are right, the base isn't going to matter much regardless of forum myth.

I shoot both plain and bevel base bullets out of my 44Mag and 45Colt (Ruger Only) type loads out of both handguns and lever action rifles. I have had plain base bullets lead at the same velocities that bevel based ones didn't. Why? Fit. period.

But, like has been suggested, try it yourself. Lead bullets are out there in both configurations. Easy to find. Go for it!

Yep, I'll try it. I've shot about billion hardcast out of rifles and handguns - just not a 44mag revolver. And you're right - fit is "it". Well it does take some experimenting to find the right powder/load to obturate the bullet in low pressure cartridges like the .45acp. Gas checked, plain base, beveled base - I haven't seen the difference in lower-velocity applications. I'm no expert - I'm just not a good enough shot to appreciate the nuances of cast bullet shooting.


Happiness is a warm lube doughnut.

 

[gbrady]

We have been loading custom loads for our cust. since 1992 and have used a lot of different bullet type for target shooting, with the full bore loads using 296, Berry bullets have held very with 296 and AA #9.

 

[whelenshooter]

I personally have had problems with bevel base bullets leading the barrel and forcing cone while flat based bullets did not. Both bullets were sized the same. There is a chance that the bullet lube may have made the difference, but my suspicion is the bevel base. I do know that when I buy true flat based Keith style bullets from Leadheads ( Leadheads Bullets,Gas Checked and Plain Based Bullets ) sized to my cylinder throats I don't get any leading even with top end loads. When I shoot bevel base bullets from other sources of the same weight and sized the same at the same velocities, I have to spend a hell of a lot of time trying to get the lead out of my barrels. I'm not going to argue with success no matter what the actual reason for it may happen to be.

 

[jibjab]

Here's another option,
Missouri Bullet Company