Cast or swaged
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The bullets that will work the best in your 44 Magnum are cast bullets if you intend to shoot it at anywhere near factory pressure. Swaged bullets are made by forcing a piece of lead wire, usually very near to pure lead and very soft, into a die that forms the bullet into the intended shape by apply high amounts of pressure to it. You can purchase bullet swaging equipment, but it is quite expensive. You can check it out at www.corbins.com. There are other makers but Corbin is the best know and most reputable that I'm aware of. Soft lead swaged bullets are best left low pressure target loads as they sometimes will quickly lead your bore if pressure is increased. I haven't tried Beartooth bullets yet, because I cast most of the cast bullets I use, but I'm sure you can't go wrong with them.
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SlowGun,
KciH is giving you the straight scoop.
There are many sources of cast bullets out there, if you want to buy them. Maybe even try some from the "Creeker" on this site (I just ordered some, never fired any so this is not any kind of "promo").
You could probably use some swaged bullets, but you would need to keep the velocity down to .44 Special, or maybe even a little lower, to keep the leading problem down. I'd go with some harder cast so you can get the benefit of the caliber you paid for. Just my $0.02 worth.
KciH is giving you the straight scoop.
There are many sources of cast bullets out there, if you want to buy them. Maybe even try some from the "Creeker" on this site (I just ordered some, never fired any so this is not any kind of "promo").
You could probably use some swaged bullets, but you would need to keep the velocity down to .44 Special, or maybe even a little lower, to keep the leading problem down. I'd go with some harder cast so you can get the benefit of the caliber you paid for. Just my $0.02 worth.
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7,776 Posts
Hi, Gents:
The old Speer 200 grain semi-wadcutter couldn't stand a maximum load of 700-X in my old 1911A1. Lots of lead in the barrel! On the other hand, they were quite accurate with light loads and I imagine that still applies to the new ones. If your hard cast are leading at the chamber end of the barrel with light loads, try some swaged bullets. I've got 5 boxes of Beartooth bullets here, and they're excellent. It's just that 6 month lead time and the shipping up here.
The Corbin Brothers parted company and Richard Corbin has his own company, RCE Co. http://www.rceco.com/
Bye
Jack
The old Speer 200 grain semi-wadcutter couldn't stand a maximum load of 700-X in my old 1911A1. Lots of lead in the barrel! On the other hand, they were quite accurate with light loads and I imagine that still applies to the new ones. If your hard cast are leading at the chamber end of the barrel with light loads, try some swaged bullets. I've got 5 boxes of Beartooth bullets here, and they're excellent. It's just that 6 month lead time and the shipping up here.
The Corbin Brothers parted company and Richard Corbin has his own company, RCE Co. http://www.rceco.com/
Bye
Jack
Jack,
a knowledgable guy like you ought to know better than to push swaged bullets hard in the .45's shallow rifling! It makes the thing look like a smoothbore.
I learned it the hard way when I was younger and more foolish. I shoot swaged bullets out of my .38 snub all the time, in fact that about all I shoot out of it. When it's in my pocket, it's full of Cor-Bons. I don't condemn swaged bullets, but they have their place, and a 44 Mag isn't it unless loaded way down.
Slowgun,
you don't say if you're reloading or buying factory ammo. Stay well clear of ANY factory ammo for the 44 Mag that has swaged lead bullets. I don't know if they make it anymore, but I'd stay away from it all the same. Their may be some mid range loads, but I'd avoid them all the same.
a knowledgable guy like you ought to know better than to push swaged bullets hard in the .45's shallow rifling! It makes the thing look like a smoothbore.
I learned it the hard way when I was younger and more foolish. I shoot swaged bullets out of my .38 snub all the time, in fact that about all I shoot out of it. When it's in my pocket, it's full of Cor-Bons. I don't condemn swaged bullets, but they have their place, and a 44 Mag isn't it unless loaded way down. Slowgun,
you don't say if you're reloading or buying factory ammo. Stay well clear of ANY factory ammo for the 44 Mag that has swaged lead bullets. I don't know if they make it anymore, but I'd stay away from it all the same. Their may be some mid range loads, but I'd avoid them all the same.
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7,776 Posts
Hi, kciH:
That was in 1967. I hope I've learned a few things since.
Bye
Jack
That was in 1967. I hope I've learned a few things since.
Bye
Jack
There are pure lead swaged bullets that have a copper disk on the base that acts as a scraper of fouling and protector of the base. They are typically called Base-Guard bullets. These bullets can be driven about 12-1400fps with little or no leading also. I don't know of a commercial source for them.
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