44mag Cast HEAVY bullets - rate of twist

[Cat Whisperer]

Anyone try the 44 mag with HEAVY cast (no gas check) bullets?

What weight is the heaviest (from experience) that works?

(I've tried the 340gr NEI (JDJ) with 7-8-9-10 grains of Unique - patterns and keyholes (lower charges).)

Will 300 gr stabilize?

[quickdtoo]

I can only say that those that have/had the older oversize bore 44 mag barrels shot the 300gr XTP mediocre when pushed hard until they reamed them to 445 Supermag which made them shoot very well. I know that .432" 265gr Beartooth gas checked bullets shot good in those barrels too, MtJerry used them in his 44mag before he reamed it to 445SM. I don't recollect anyone shooting heavy cast PB bullets in the late model Marlin made barrels. Use the twist calculator below to see how well it works out using the bullet specs.

Tim

http://kwk.us/twist.html

[Cat Whisperer]

Thanks for the info. 
What I was looking for was someone who'd been successful at a heavy cast non-GC bullet.
(I have a Rem 700 in 35 Whelen with 1:16 twist - some folks get the 1:16 to work with the 358009 bullet some don't  -  mine didn't.) 

Similar situation here, need to find someone who's DONE it and to see how heavy it's been done successfully.  I've found emperically now that 340 gr is a bit much.  Since moulds aren't cheap, I'd like to know which ones work in practice.

[towpro]

Head over to http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ setup and account and look around.  Plenty of cast info over there.  Best part is if you ask, you might find several people willing to send you some samples from different molds you can try so you know if it works or not before buy something.  Bunch of great people over there.

[quickdtoo]

I think Towpro has offered a good idea there, I don't post there, but I've done a lot of reading there!

Greg Mushial has a ton of data including group size for 300gr TCbb bullets in a 1:38" Marlin that may be of help to ya.

Tim

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm