Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting .432 mold recommendation

Looking for a recommendation for a mold for a 240-250 grain bullet to be used in a 44 mag revolver at moderate velocities (1050 ish fps) I would like to tumble lube them. I do not plan to use gas checks. I do not know if Keith style bullets work as well tumble lubed as those with more numerous lube grooves. Accuracy is of more concern than terminal performance. These will be shot in a S&W 629.

Any specific recommendations are appreciated.

Thank you

http://www.accuratemolds.com......costum built molds ,best molds i have ever bought ,about $100-$150 shipped if i recall.i had same problem needed .432 mold for lever action rifle with large bore ,took 2-4 weeks to get it. He will make them out of iron, alumiunum, or brass , which ever you want and has large selection of bullet types to choose from

I think NOE makes Ranch Dog designed bullet molds that are a tumble lube design. I know Accurate Molds makes Ranch Dog tumble lube design bullet molds.

If the bullets are only going to be used in a pistol you may not need to go that large in diameter. It’s the rifles that have the larger groove diameter.

Check SAAMI specs for 44mag in rifles and pistols - you would think they were totally different cartridges.

NOE or Accurate Moulds have a range of different sizes.

NOE for what you need

The OP mentioned use in a revolver, so I'm thinking he's wanting a diameter sufficient to fit the chamber throats in the cylinder which are quite often several thousandths larger than the groove diameter of the barrel.

Yes, of course, the OP should be checking the cylinder throats and groove diameter. Poor accuracy may result if the bullets are too large for the cylinder throats.

My concern was that if they were matched to the grooves they may well be too small for the throats.

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps my question was not specific enough. I specified a .432 bullet as I have used this size with good results previously. It is certainly possible that I could get away with a slightly smaller bullet. I believe the throats and grooves both measure about 0.329. I was mainly asking for opinions on designs that were capable of being tumble lubed.

I know that some have success with tumble lubing bullets with traditional lube grooves ( I have never tried this) also some say RNFP bullets shoot better than Keith style bullets as they self center in the forcing cone.

Mainly just looking for opinions on an all around bullet for moderate 44 magnum loads/uses.

Thanks

I cast a lot of different 44 bullets because I have different 44 revolvers, a lever action rifle 44 magnum, and some 444 marlin rifles. A Keith style mold cut as Elmer designed will usually have a K or KT in the mold numbering. These have square cut lube grooves. They will weigh around 245 grains. These shoot really well. They just don't work in leverguns when it comes to cycling through the action. That is where Ranch Dog bullets come into the picture. Ranch Dog designed a bullet using parts of other designs put together into a design that worked in revolvers and leverguns and were tumble lubed like the lee bullet design.

Typo above 0.429 diameter throats/grooves

If the round is centered, either will work. More than likely you are sizing with carbide dies, so generally the cartridge is not centered and relies on centering with the oversized bullet if its too short to center in the throat. With a soft bullet that's on the large side, it sounds like this is the good results you are seeing. If that's what you are satisfied with, no need to change anything. Just be sure the bullet has enough chamber space (which it sounds like yours does) to release the bullet.
I have two Colt 44's with .429 throats, but they get fed the .431's everything else eats out of expediency and they shoot well, even with Keiths.

For best repeatable results, size to fit the throat and have that bullet extend into the throat upon chambering. This eliminates misalignment and deforming and yes, rounded ogives usually suffer this better than a shouldered bullet like the Keith, but still is not "optimal". But sometimes making different bullets for each gun isn't optimal either!