44 mag light lead info?

[dougal]

I have bought some lead boolits for loading in a 9.5" 44 mag revolver. There are two different boolit weights 127gr(i think it's a collar button) & 210gr(2 equal lube grooves). The seller measured them @ .428 with calipers. They are of unknown age & already lubed.

I'm looking for loading info for both. I have Alliant 2400 & IMR Trail Boss. Do i need a faster powder, or will what I have work?

I don't have the boolits yet, but I'll mic them & try to get some pics when I do.

[luvtn]

You don't give what make of gun you have. .428 is a tad bit small for lead cast bullets.(430-.432), plus the weight of the bullets are very light. 2400 powder is generally used as a full house load in 240 grs-325 grs, though it could be used for full house loads on what you have I presume. Maybe someone will chime in about the trail boss. Go to the powder companies web site for recipes.
lt

[dougal]

The revolver is a ruger super redhawk.

I measured a few with a micrometer and got .430

I have a lot of the 127gr ones, they are collar buttons.

The lightest data I have is for 165gr lead.

I was hoping someone would have data for something near that weight. I haven't found data that light on any mfg's sites.

[kg42]

Hi Doug

127gr calls for a Gallery Load; it is the weight of a round ball in that caliber so I guess you have very little bearing surface.

Google "round ball load" for 44 and 45.
3 to 5 grains of Red Dot or 700X are common loads for round balls in 44 or 45 Colt.
Trail Boss has a similar speed and is even fluffier but I don't know how sensitive it is to light load density.

http://www.castpics.net/memberarticl...nal%20edit.htm

Old Lyman and Speer Manuals had such data:
http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=15599&page=2

This is a quote from an other forum for 45 Colt:
My Lyman 47th gives three loads for a .454 round ball.
4.3 grains of Red Dot @ 536 fps
6.5 grains of Unique @ 521 fps
7.2 grains of SR-7625 @ 602 fps
It gives these loads as MAX, with no minimum listed

You might have some primer backup and these are light loads.

Edit:
I just found that page:
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgu...ss-feb2005.php
It seems that Trail Boss can be light loaded if you look at these 44 Colt data.

You can start your load development at 6.0grs (165gr data) and work down to 5.0grs if accuracy or leading are problems.
kg

[dougal]

I took the lube off of the left one to show the shape.

My scale only goes to 110grs, so I can't say how much it weighs. But the seller said 127grs.

I figure trail boss is my best bet.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try the 165 data and go from there.

[kg42]

Wow, that is a collar button. I wouldn't use a crimp with such a thin front band, but rely on neck tension only (make sure the bullets won't move with the recoil of the gun; not that you will have much but better check).

If your scale is the LEE, you should be able to extend its capacity by adding some weight at the end of the beam; like an extra bearing ball or piece of metal.
Let's say that you add 50 grains, it will have a capacity of 150grs and "zero" at 50grs (you will need a second item of the same weight to check that).

kg

[mikld]

.428" sounds like 44-40. I own 5 .44 Magnums, none that I own nor have heard of has any smaller than a .429" bore. Even at "cat-sneeze" loads I think the .428" would be inaccurate and/or lead the bore.