44 mag cast bullets source?

[GSP7]

Ill throw this out there again for references of who to buy cast bullets from

I bought 500 44cal, 250 gr , Lyman mold 429421(keith) bullets from Western Bullet Co. Was about $65 shipped to my door for 500. The bags said .429 dia., but they measured roughly .430 and shot though my US Arms Abilene, leaded like crazy, and leaded my Herters 44mag also. They had sloopy red lube all over them which i just wiped off after I loaded them. They didnt seem very consistently accurate either
Maybe they are soft lead ??? He couldnt give me a hardness when I ordered them

Both revolvers bore measure .429 and both the cylinder throats are good size

Think Ill try someone elses bullets.

You guys got any other recommendations to buy kieth style 44 cal. bullets from at a Good Price?

thanks Rick

 

[bigboredad]

what kind of load were you shooting and where did the leading begin near the forcing cone or near the end. As far as the lube I feel the same that john Limbaugh feels if its as hard as a crayon thats all its good for

 

[Sal1950]

Missouri Bullet Co.
Great people, products, pricing, and service. "Hardness Optimized" for your particular needs. I've bought and shot a ton of this stuff in many calibers including my SuperBlackhawk 44 mag and got superb accuracy and minimal to no leading. My favorite for 44mag is their .44 Elmer K. Give them a try.
http://www.missouribullet.com/
Sal

 

[mraywi]

Another happy customer of missouribullet.com
Great people great bullets as said earlier!

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Maybe they are soft lead ???

Howdy

If you can dig your thumbnail into them, they are soft lead. If you can't, they are not. I cast a lot of soft lead bullets for my Black Powder loads. Few commercial casters cast soft lead bullets because it is more difficult to get a soft lead bullet to fill the mold completely. Most add tin and antimony to get a better fill.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I suggest, recommend, and personally use lead bullets from www.PennBullets.com

I also do the same with Beartooth Bullets and Cast Performance, except less of them less often.

 

[DeletedMember275]

Most (note that I said most) commercial cast bullets are too hard for about 85-90% of handgun use. They're deliberately alloyed that way so that they fill out the mold better, and are not damaged during shipping.

The hard crayon lubes are used by the same casters because they don't fall out of the lube grooves during shipping.

Tailor the hardness of your bullets to the pressure of your loads, and remember that fit is king. A cast bullet should be about .001" over groove diameter, assuming that the cylinder throats are at least the same diameter as the grooves.

I think I'd try lubing the remainder of those bullets with Lee Liquid Alox, assuming they're not too small for your barrel, and then run the snot out of them (load them to higher pressure).

JMHO, and worth every penny that you paid.

 

[mhblaw]

I have used cast bullets from Oregon Trail in calibers 32, 38, 40, 41, 44 and 45. Never had any leading problems and seem to shoot as accurately as I can hold. Their 44 caliber 240 gr. SWC's are sized .431. I suspect that may be part of your problem as bullets too small.
I have also used 41 caliber bullets from Montana Bullet Works as they will custom size them and, again, very happy with the product.

 

[FergusonTO35]

When buying lead revolver bullets for magnum calibers you have to be careful about hardness. Many, perhaps most, of your bulk cast revolver bullets nowadays are really soft. The casters assume that most of these are going to be used in low pressure practice and cowboy action loads. If you're loading cast into real magnum loads you owe it to yourself to ask the supplier what brinnel hardness they are and what they recommend the bullets for.

 

[CraigC]

LeadHead's.

 

[Lee Martin]

LeadHead's.

+1. 90% of my 44 shooting is done with their 250 grain Keith.

 

[bisleyfan41]

www.proshootpro.com
www.montanabulletworks.com
www.mtbaldybullets.com

Too hard can lead as much as too soft.
As said above, fit is king.

 

[GSP7]

Another thing about these Western Bulley Co 44 kieth bullet is they look like the mold hinge was worn out. You can see the "break" line and the two sides are offset so the darn things arent perfectly round and have a 'step' where the mold halfs would be.

Measured a couple more again, one position might be .427-.428, quarter the way around as you turn it , turn it to high spots and its .430

measured my Abilene bore again , yep .429,,, cylinder throats ave .435-.436

Barrel is a 8 land, barrel lands start about .180 deep on cylinder side of barrel. Pretty deep compared to my other revolver

Ill try some of the other more expensive bullet makers maybe leadhead(talked to hin before) and maybe Montana Bullets, Might go with some .431s

 

[surveyor47]

Try Meister Bullet Co. Excellent product that I have used for +20 years.
www.meisterbullets.com

I have a ton of Missouri Bullet, but I cannot say that I am happy with them. They claim that they are velocity optimized, mine at magnum velocities. Well, I have tried them at magnum velocities and they lead like hel. identical Mesiter bullet loadings only give minimal leading. Every now and then I threaten to melt them down and add some linotype and recast.

 

[dougader]

I also like the Keith style 250's from Tennesee bullets.

 

[Boge]

...Measured a couple more again, one position might be .427-.428, quarter the way around as you turn it , turn it to high spots and its .430

measured my Abilene bore again , yep .429,,, cylinder throats ave .435-.436...

:shock: :shock: O.435 - 0.436"!!!??? Your problem is the chambers. WAY oversized.

 

[Ruger4Life]

Try gas-checked bullets. Plain based bullets melt during the trip down your barrel and leave lead deposits. Use gas checked bullets and you should not have a problem with leading--if the bullet is not soft.

 

[Nowata]

Sounds like a gas-check is needed. Anyway, I really like Montana Bullet Works. Real nice guy, very knowledgeable. I shoot a 260gr. WFNGC at about 1000fps thru my .44 Bisley Hunter. This load will go through both shoulders of a Whitetail out to at least 50yrds(Iknow), probably out to 75yrds.

 

[DeletedMember275]

Another thing about these Western Bulley Co 44 kieth bullet is they look like the mold hinge was worn out. You can see the "break" line and the two sides are offset so the darn things arent perfectly round and have a 'step' where the mold halfs would be.

Measured a couple more again, one position might be .427-.428, quarter the way around as you turn it , turn it to high spots and its .430

If they're out of round and undersize to boot, that would be your problem. They can't seal the bore to prevent gas cutting, and that's causing your leading.

Time to either find a new source, or start casting your own.