shootin in the dark with alloy

[rowdyripley]

howdy gents
this'll be my first post here so if I do anything that aint kosher you'll have to let me know. started casting bullets with my grandpa when I was knee high to a short bull-frog but other than asking a lot of questions and geting burned I did'nt manage to help much, Im on my own now and wishin I had listened better. Im workin up a load for my winchester using the 310 gr lee 44 rf and I really have no idea where to start with alloys. I've got a lot of WW and some 60/40 lead tin alloy I picked up for $3.30 per lb. can any of you guide me toward the path of rightiousness and fine bullet alloy (the rightiousness is'nt strictly essential I'll settle for fine bullet alloy)

[Dale53]

WW with 2% tin will get you in the ball park.
I prefer H110 or 296 for use with this bullet in the .44 magnum.

It would be helpful if you would list the cartridge you are loading for. We assume that you are talking about the .44 magnum but you know what happens when we ASS U ME?

Good Luck and welcome to the club!
Dale53

[NVcurmudgeon]

Welcome to the board. Straight wheelweights have been a good alloy for all my pistol casting and rifle boolits up to around 1500 fps, and 2,000 fps with gas checks. The 60/40 will be useful for alloying with pure lead for pistol or black powder velocity rifle. If you are just starting to learn the art of casting good boolits, read everything you can find, especially the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. That book will answer many of the basic questions, and raise others that you can bring here.

[IcerUSA]

Welcome Roudy, what Dale said but I just use the WW alloy straight as my mould(mold) fills out well with it and shoots good in the 444 Marlin with some H4198 pushing it kinda hard , haven't loaded it in the 44 Mag yet tho .

Keith

[rowdyripley]

Thanks for the help and sorry for the sketchy info. . Im shootin the winchester trails end in 44 magnum I hear it is'nt a "real" rifle but its rifle enough for me and mighty handsome to boot.
Im not quite up to date on my powders I was planning to use 2400 should I look into some other powders? you'll find I'm out of date in just about everything, I've read the lyman cast bullet handbook but judging by the hair doos sported by the guys in the front I would guess my copy dates cerca 1970, as is the case with many of the good things in life I inherited it from my grandpa. straight wheel weights huh? will they do alright in my carbine loaded stout? I do intend to use gas checks which is unfamiliar ground ("unfamiliar ground" thats the story of my life should be familiar by now)

[NVcurmudgeon]

RR, if you have the Third Edition, it came out in 1980. It is still the latest and has a lot of good information. Lyman seems to not want to be accused of rushing into anything! Wheelweights, with or without added tin, will be fine in your .44 Magnum carbine, main thing is make sure the boolits are fat enough and the lube holds up. I shoot a .44 Magnum Marlin 1894 Cowboy and it works for me.

[floodgate]

RR:

If it is an 8-1/2" x 11" book, it is the 1980 Third Ediition (the "latest"). If it is smaller, 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", with a picture of a modern bolt action rifle diagonally on the cover, it is the Second Edition "Cast Bullet Handbook" from about 1973 (the inside back cover advertises the 1973 "64 page Catalog"); this had older loading info, but the best listing of bullet moulds available at that time. If slightly smaller, with an orange cover showing a Sharps rifle action, it is the First Edition, with the reversed title "Handbook of Cast Bullets", from 1957-8. This one has LOTS of historical information, but loading data, bullet weights, etc. are sketchy. All three are well worth keeping an eye out for at gun shows; no one of them tells it all, and we are LONG overdue for a new edition. Check CASTPICS for more info.

floodgate

[happy7]

NV Curmudgeon.

I also have an 1894 Marlin in 44 Mag. Can you recommend some boolits and loads for it? I have a 429421 mold which works good in my redhawk, but was assuming the extra velocity in the rifle might cause a leading problem, or does it work different for rifles?

[454PB]

My powders of choice in .44 magnum are Lil'Gun, H-110, WW 296, WC 820, and Bluedot for maximum velocities. For milder loads, Bluedot (what a flexible powder!), Herco, HS-6, and Unique.

WW alloy is fine when using a gas checked design, I use it for my .454 Casull loads in a Puma rifle at 2000 fps.

[NVcurmudgeon]

My powders of choice in .44 magnum are Lil'Gun, H-110, WW 296, WC 820, and Bluedot for maximum velocities. For milder loads, Bluedot (what a flexible powder!), Herco, HS-6, and Unique.

WW alloy is fine when using a gas checked design, I use it for my .454 Casull loads in a Puma rifle at 2000 fps.

Yep, we're on the same page but a paragraph apart on .44M powders. I use 2400 for high power
because I use it in a lot of cartridges. I buy 2400 in the 8# jug, and would probably buy a 55 gallon drum if they sold it that way. And I know that H110 and 296 are better for HV. For PB plinkers I use Green Dot.

[rowdyripley]

main thing is make sure the boolits are fat enough and the lube holds up. I shoot a .44 Magnum Marlin 1894 Cowboy and it works for me.

my mold has yet to come in the mail so Im not sure what kind of slug its going to drop my rcbs 250-k drops boolits that seem kinda small. Im gonna go get a micrometer today to take some of the guess work out of it. I've got the 8 by 5 handbook so I'll keep an eye out for the latest edition. curmudgeon what boolits do you put on top of your 2400 and how do they shoot out of your marlin?

[Cherokee]

The 429421 might not feed well in the Marlin. I found with my 1894 45 Colt that SWC styles did not feed smoothly. However, it is excellant bullet for revolvers. Blue Dot does fine, and 231 as well.