Author Topic: Idea: .429" 400 Grain Jacketed Bullet for .444/06 Wild (Read 832 times)

lgm270 · « **on:** January 03, 2005, 02:26:32 PM »

There is a shortage of .429" (44 cal.) jacketed heavy bullets. I'm working on a wildcate either a .350 Rem mag or a 30/06 necked to .429 and I'm interested in a 400 grain jacketed SP.

The closest comparable factory jacketed bullets are for the .404 Jeffrey, diameter .423" made by Swift (A-Frame) and Woodleigh. SD is .319.

These are close, but a little undersized. I need .429".

Therefore, I'm interested in swaging 400 grain bullets in .429" diameter.

Is this practical?

I've never swaged before, although I'm an experienced, accomplished handloader.

lgm270 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2005, 02:34:36 PM »

Follow up question: Can you swage FMJ's?

Specifically, I'm interested in swaging a 400 grain, .429 FMJ.

Rick Teal · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2005, 03:17:44 PM »

I would expect that there would be no problem swaging 400 grain .429 bullets (I make 300 grain .358's with no problem). The problem might be commercial jackets (which are normally made for pistol bullets). For this reason it is possible that you would have to make your own tubing jackets. These make a thick, but usually maleable jacket. You'd likely have to buy a Corbin or RCE swaging press for this undertaking as well, since reloading presses aren't able to handle the higher pressures of complex swaging procedures.

FMJ's are one of many projects that can be undertaken with bullet swaging dies. I've never made them myself, but I understand the procedure entails seating your core, then rounding the open end of the jacket followed by flattening that end, and then running the bullet into your point forming die with the original base becoming the point.

talon · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2005, 04:58:43 PM »

When you order your dies the die maker will want to know, among other things, the weight range you are after. For a 400grain 44 cal he may have to use longer than usual die and punch sets. I don't think I can stuff a 400 grainer in the set I have. As to Jackets, one maker makes them in .030 and .013" wall thickness and up to 1.25" long. If you make your own out of copper tube, you can have them from .035, .050, up to .065" in wall thickness, and probably up to 2" in length. The hold up in swaging is the cost. A set of bullet making dies is about $300, a swage press, about $250, a core die, about $75, and those jackets run about 10 cents each. If you're still interested, come on back and the others on this forum can also help with your questions.

lgm270 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2005, 07:35:15 AM »

HI Gary: How did you get the magazine to function on your mauser with rimmed .444 cases?

YOu asked about barrel twist. I have not contemplated that issue, except that it would probably be a about a 20" twist. I've read too many accounts of the 38" twist Marlins that keyholed the heavier bullets at less than 100 yards.