Favorite cast 44

[gray1]

What’s your favorite cast 44 bullet for plinking and white tail ? I have an old Lyman Keith style mold ,a 240 grain tumble lube one and 180 grain accurate .If you didn’t have any molds what is the first one you would get .Using 44 mag cases.

[Randominator]

My favorite is a 260 grain hollow point gas check.



This is the 432-640 from MP Molds. Accuracy is outstanding in every revolver that I've shot it in.

[edk]

Per the original question if I had no 44 mag molds MP 432-640 would be the first one so I second randominator's suggestion. Now I have others such as a LBT 280 LFN as well as a MP WFN - the "Hammer". Not a huge fan of the SWC except for whacking paper.

[AxeHandle]

So far as cast 44 bullets go I like a good old hard cast standard 250 grain Keith SWC plain base. It does it all for me. Magnus Bullet Company delivers one that flips my switch. Don't think Terry even lists it on his web page. Some exceptional customer requested it quite a few years back. If I remember right that customer wanted it so bad they provided the molds. If you know enough to ask for them Terry will provide them.

[boatswainsmate]

For plinking the H&G 503 copy

For hunting the MP 432-640 with the Medium HP

[blackmamba]

Not sure of the mold number as I buy them commercially cast and powder coated, but the Lyman 265 gr. SWC gas check. From 900 to 1400 ft/sec using a variety of powders and in several revolvers it always delivers top accuracy and penetration.

[bigbrowndog]

Randy’s suggestion I believe is the same one I use in my 444 marlin


Trapr

[GSSP]

LBT 255 gr WFN. Hammers deer from the 4-5/8" Ruger SS Bisley (bottom gun)

[sixshot]

Over 50 years ago I started out with a Lyman Keith #429421 & I've shot a lot of game with that bullet. Back in the good old days of the 70's there were a couple of magical days where my goal of 100 Jackrabbits was actually achieved, most times it was around half that but I was always happy & the rabbits were thick in those days, you needed 2 guns to have any chance of keeping up.
Over time I've picked up the 640 style Miha, the 503 Miha & several other moulds, mostly HP's & they get most of the attention now. Age has slowed down my elk hunts so deer & antelope are the main targets along with badgers, rock chucks & other small game. For that the HP's are the perfect bullet & still give me full penetration most times with my favored load of 10 grs of Unique.
If I'm really mad I fall back to the load that started it all, 21.0 grs of 2400, a load that I switched to in the late 60's, early 70's because it would do anything the old Keith load of 22.0 grs would do but with a bit less recoil & fine accuracy. That load killed my first elk in the 60's & also my last elk, plus dozens of deer, half a dozen antelope, 3 bears including my last one.
It's actually hard to find a bad 44 bullet, just size it .429, .430 or .431 & that will cover 99% of your bullet fit, then practice with a good sight picture (front sight) trigger control (with a good trigger) breathing & follow through & a good 44 magnum will get you there.
I have other fine moulds that run 260 grs, 280 grs & 305 grs, they are fun to shoot at long range, I like to get elevated a bit, use a back rest & shoot out into the high desert country below that is flat, that makes it easy to see the hits in the dry ground & make corrections with good 2dogs sights. It doesn't take long to "walk" those distant shots on target just like Elmer did so many years ago up in the Pashomori Valley (spelling, sorry) way back in the 30's & 40's. Don't have my books up here so spelling is wrong!!!

Dick

[bradshaw]

Jun 8, 2024 8:58:46 GMT -5 Randominator said:

My favorite is a 260 grain hollow point gas check.

*****

Reckon this here bullet out pf Trapr’s .444 Marlin equals a hand grenade without having to add the PETN to make it work. Certainly looks lo make a hammer out of a .44 Special. Likewise, act like dynamite loaded at mid-magnum velocity for a Model 29.
David Bradshaw

[bigbrowndog]

Actually David, I do get excellent expansion but nice quarter size exits holes es as well. I wouldn’t call it grenading, I haven’t stopped one yet, but Ive not hit any 200+ pound pigs yet either. Accurate as all get out, 1.5-2.0 inch groups from my 16.5” 444 @ 100.

Trapr

[leftysixgun]

I don’t mess with a 44 too much these days, but I have always relied on my MiHa H&G 503 clone mold. But it is a tough choice, that 640 mold is a fine bullet too!

[iwsbull]

It is hard to argue with the MP 640 and even harder to argue against the ones backing it’s accuracy and ability. It is far and away my go to with a 44. In a solid I like the Accurate molds 258J swc I like both powder coated and plain based.

[gray1]

Well thanks.

[fm027]

Any of you guys shoot those hollowpoints into bears, and possibly be able to comment whether they plug up and/or stop-short when impacting thick fur and fat? ... (let alone still pack the ability to break a bone if it did get through thick fur & fat?)

I use the 429421 & a couple WFN designs, personally. Keep going back to the accuracy at distance and reliability of the Kieth over the WFN though. I've always had blood trails with (both) kind bullets, but no more than a half inch hole exiting. I've been real curious (for awhile) about the mentioned hollowpoints but leary at the same time. An exit like was mentioned being the size of a quarter and a little extra impact-smack that it would probably provide would be a good thing sometimes.

Is there a way around these concerns, with the hollowpoints plugging with heavy fur and fat, or is it just the dead horse truth that those bullets better left for thin, fair-skinned game like deer? Experience is what I would like to read of, over theory, if anyones gone out and done it.