Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Hard Cast Lead in .44 Levers

Newcomer to .44s and cast bullets here. Any guidance for using 240 grain Keith-style lead bullets in a lever .44? Thanks!

I cast for several members here and several that have left the CF...Bullet selection for levers is really hit or miss depending on the rifle make & model...

The best example is the 44 mag Marlin 1894 which is notorious for not handling large meplats and many Keith style pills ....

Before you get carried away I would certainly borrow a few cast you may want to try and load dummy rounds before buying a box..Lots of guys here would most likely send you a few for a trial..

The bullet I cast for the Marlin 1894 is a custom I had cut by Tom at Accurate Molds..Its XTP profile feeds flawlessly and is very accurate as well...BTW this isn't an advertisement, the casting I do is for good friends without gratuity.

However these molds drop a heavy 295 grs with my alloy & can be ordered either plain base or gas check but well worth the investment especially if you cast or have a friend that does..

Good info, thank you!

And Marlins run a bit bigger groove diameter. Look For a .431"

The Rossi '92 levers seem to be an OK alternative twisted 1:30 and also digest a wider variety of 44 cast than most Marlins as well as having a somewhat tighter bore in most cases..

I'm not familiar with the new Henry's maybe someone else here can chime in loading cast..

I’d suggest you steer clear of SWC designs and use either RNFP or TC style pills.

Marlins have a reputation of having large groove diameters. It would be worth your while to slug the barrel to determine the diameter, then add 2 thou. There are a number of mould suppliers now producing 0.432 and 0.433 moulds. Most of the big names produce moulds that generally run 0.430.

It’s worth noting that pistols in 44 have tighter barrel specs and a faster twist. Check the SAAMI specs for 44mag rifle and pistol - you’d think they were totally different cartridges.

Long ago I picked up a Mod. 94 Winchester in .44 mag. It has a 20" barrel and a full length mag tube. It is a lightweight quick pointing power house. I have been running 280 grain hard cast LBT's out of it that I got from Veral Smith in the early 90's. Only have about 30 rounds left. Only shot one big coyote with it that was chasing my German Shepard when she was a pup. At twenty yards broadside Old Wiley was no match for it. I have shot the bullet through some good sized spruce logs and a moose head up close. I felt it had plenty of penetration for our needs and the range we would use it at.

Never did real accuracy testing with it. Just zeroed it at 25 yards on a 6" paper plate, that would meet our needs here in Alaska. I have carried it often when to lazy to pack a bigger rifle and I felt better on a salmon stream with it then my S&W Mountain Gun in .44 mag. I shoot it better and get better hits faster. Ten rounds should slow most pissed off bears down. But, if it ain't over before ten rounds are fired I would be in a bad way probably. But, usually I carried my Marlin 45-70 and heavy loads with the Alaska Bullet Works 405 grainer.

My wife carried it for many years berry picking and on our fall moose and caribou hunts, but she would only shoot some thing if she had to or we had a empty freezer and no one around to do it. She has since decided she wants to use the Big Bore 94 in .356 Win. because she thinks it's prettier. There ya have it.

Theo,

The Keith style will need seated deeper with the case mouth crimped in front of the case shoulder, like a flush wadcutter.

Obviously, loads are going to need to be reduced, but the SWC will gerally run in a Marlin in this fashion.

If the SWC is not true to Keith design and has a short nose, it may run fine to. It's just worth a try.

Pretty much the use I had in mind. Thanks!