44 mag question about bore size-grooves

[Possum]

Not sure which forum to post this on - it has to do with barrels, grooves, and bore size - but here goes (Forum leaders feel free to move it):

Finally slugged both 44 contender barrels tonight.  The largest diameter of my 44 10" hotshot barrel is 428.5. The largest diameter of my 14" 44 barrel is 430.0. The hotshot looks like it has 6 grooves and the 14" has 8.

Now for the question. The hotshot shoots about any handload I throw in it (I have been sizing the lead to .430, but it will shoot unsized .430-.431 good too).

Lead, jacketed, it doesn't seem to matter to a point. The 14" struggles with just about everything, except I did get 1.5" groups today with MagTech factory ammo (240gr.) at 50yds. At 100 the group was at least 5". I now see that I need to size to .431 on the lead, but what do I do if I want to shoot jacketed? Most of the bullets I see are .429-.430. Also, what does the 8 lands mean in relation to bullet weight?

At the least, what do you guys do with a barrel sized like this one?

[Mikey]

Possum:  why bother with jacketed.  I ran into a similar problem with my 444 rifles but found that with Beartooth Bullets sized to 431 or 432, depending on the rifle, I could shoot smaller groups with a better bullet design for hunting.  With your 14" bbl, you could shoot any 44 (.431-.432) bullet and shoot it faster than a jacketed bullet.  

You may also need to lap your barrel - once you lap it to a specific size, .431 or .432 for example, then you would use bullets that size and hopefully get the same great results I did.  HTH.   Mikey.

[Lee S. Forsberg]

Not sure which forum to post this on - it has to do with barrels, grooves, and bore size - but here goes (Forum leaders feel free to move it):

Finally slugged both 44 contender barrels tonight.  The largest diameter of my 44 10" hotshot barrel is 428.5. The largest diameter of my 14" 44 barrel is 430.0. The hotshot looks like it has 6 grooves and the 14" has 8.

Now for the question. The hotshot shoots about any handload I throw in it (I have been sizing the lead to .430, but it will shoot unsized .430-.431 good too).

Lead, jacketed, it doesn't seem to matter to a point. The 14" struggles with just about everything, except I did get 1.5" groups today with MagTech factory ammo (240gr.) at 50yds. At 100 the group was at least 5". I now see that I need to size to .431 on the lead, but what do I do if I want to shoot jacketed? Most of the bullets I see are .429-.430. Also, what does the 8 lands mean in relation to bullet weight?

At the least, what do you guys do with a barrel sized like this one?[/quote

I wouldn't bother with jacketed bullets. Cast bullets will do anything jacketed bullets will do in a 44. I shoot a C/T in 44 Mag. I use an old Clymer mold that drops 250 gr. Keith style bullets at .432 plain base. I do not size them at all just lube and shoot. I use 28 grains of Reloader #7, have been up to 30 gr. that's a stuff load. My 14" just loves it. I also use a 300 gr.GC SAKO bullet with the same powder, likes that bullet also.