Author Topic: .44 bullets from .40 S&W cases (Read 18420 times)

Hank08 · « **on:** March 29, 2009, 08:17:12 AM »

Some handgun hunters, I know, use these with excellent results. I haven't hunted with them but have made them and shot them with excellent accuracy, good expansion and the solid bases always stay together. The pic ,if it works ,shows an expanded bullet fired from a .44 and an empty .40 S&W case. Several ways of getting the soft lead in there, push it in with an expander die, pour it full of molten lead, fill it 1/2 full and seat a lead bullet over it. Most just pour them full, crimp heavy or run them into a cone shaped die for a little taper on the front You can, usually, pick up all the .40 cases you want anywhere anyone shoots. There's no cannelure to crimp into but a heavy crimp usually keeps them in place. A CH cannelure tool would be good. Try it, won't cost you much.
H08

Paladin · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2009, 04:06:42 PM »

you have made some of these? what do they weigh? what do ya do about the fact that they are about .004 to .005 under bore size? hows accuracy? Interesting!

Autorim · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2009, 05:21:45 PM »

Why would I want to try that? Looks like a good way to screw up a good barrel.

jhalcott · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2009, 05:54:51 PM »

How about a couple before shooting pics? Maybe a little tutorial with pics on making and shooting them can be shown! Would definetly answer the HARD cast question wouldn't it!

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2009, 01:06:07 AM »

Quote from: Autorim on March 29, 2009, 05:21:45 PM

Why would I want to try that? Looks like a good way to screw up a good barrel.

I have to agree, not something I would use.

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2009, 01:43:59 AM »

Well, this is interesting. I don't know that I would try it because I don't know what the hardness of the 40 S&W cases runs but since its a brass casing I doubt it would hurt the steel barrel. And they seem to be sized properly since you can plainly see the rifling marks on the case. I would be interested to see what they weigh. I have no doubt they would shoot accurately if they size up to the barrel

Hey! Who knows - those shooters may have found the best way to get a expanding bullet from a 44 that really retains the jacket. Who woulda thunk................?

Hank08 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2009, 06:36:08 AM »

Here's a pic of one loaded. Weight will depend on what you put in the case. The bullet pictured weights 296 grs. with pure lead. Just made some yesterday, will shoot them today if the snow, that fell yesterday, melts by this afternoon. Shooting these bullets is no harder on your barrel than most other jacketed bullet . Norma makes , or use to, make a .44-240 gr. with a steel jac. I've shot hundreds of those with no observable wear, anyway I'm just passing on some info, not looking to argue with anyone. Use the info or not, your decision. Back when the 1st .35 magnum rifles came out there were no heavy 35 bullets. Shooters made them from .30 Carbine brass. .470 rifle bullets have been made from .45acp brass. This isn't something new .
H08

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2009, 07:00:13 AM »

This is interesting. I find 40 s&w brass all day long at the range. Have you shot these? What guns are you using? How accurate are they?

mattmillerrx · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2009, 07:58:00 AM »

Its new to me. Good luck with that. I like trying different stuff in my reloading as well. If bullets ever get hard enough to find I might try that out.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2009, 08:09:29 AM »

there is a machine that makes 223 bullets out of 22 lr cases

Hank08 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2009, 12:42:21 PM »

This is the bullet from the loaded rnd. pictured in the other post. This bullet weighted 296 grs. with a pure lead core, with that wide flat nose it lost about 80 grs. and expanded to 3/4".
I shot a target also which I'll show you in another pic.
H08

Cheesehead · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2009, 12:47:11 PM »

Very interesting!

Cheese

Hank08 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2009, 01:05:00 PM »

5 shots, 3 in top hole, from 25 yds. using a 6" Dan Wesson 744, offhand with me standing leaning against my truck. I made the bullets by taking a case, placing it on a steel plate, droping one of those .375 lead balls in, placing a 3/8 rod in and giving it a whack with a hammer, repeating that it with the other 2 balls, placing it in a shellholder and running it into the cone of the die pictured to form the nose. Not too complicated. That die is a powder thru die and the cone is so the mouths of different size cases will seal to catch all the powder.
H08

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2009, 01:22:27 PM »

I like'em, looks to me like you could shorten the case and make diffrent wieght bullets, Gives me something to do with the 40 s&w case I got.

jhalcott · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2009, 01:45:46 PM »

My thoughts also Badnews, I'd most likely just pour lead into the empty case. Then run the "bullet into a die to flatten the nose and bevel the leading edge a bit. Maybe the heat would anneal the .40 case too!

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2009, 02:56:27 PM »

Quote from: jhalcott on March 30, 2009, 01:45:46 PM

I'd most likely just pour lead into the empty case. Then run the "bullet into a die to flatten the nose and bevel the leading edge a bit.

That is exactlly what I was thinking. You could also try harder or softer lead that way to I'm thinking, Might could even come up with some way to swage the nose somewhat better in a good press. Hollw points too, This has really got me thinking.

454Puma · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2009, 06:16:21 PM »

Great Idea!! The only thing is I don't own a 44 mag!!!

And I'm not going out and buy one either!! Dang you!!

Just pisses me off nothing ACP will work for 454/45!!

Do you need some more 40 cases I have a bunch-don't own one of those either!!!

So what velocity are you runnimg them at! They look accurate enough and probably make one heck of a bear stopper! Finally a good use for the Short and Weak .40!!!

222 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2009, 06:55:21 PM »

I have read about this on cast boolits under swagging. I shoot 10mm but am hording my cases if I find some 40 S&W cases I think I will try it.

Here is http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=48784 a link.

Ray

Tom W. · « **Reply #18 on:** April 04, 2009, 02:01:14 PM »

A way to use the zinc wheel weights we've been throwing out.... Pour those into the case instead of lead......

Cheesehead · « **Reply #19 on:** April 05, 2009, 03:31:38 AM »

I have walked by 1000's of the 40's on the ground at the range. I will pick them up from now on.

Cheese

Scibaer · « **Reply #20 on:** April 05, 2009, 08:52:18 AM »

i have a pile of .40 cases and this looks very interesting..
question, is there a hardness/density difference between the cases brass and the brass jackets found on jacketed bullets ?
and what do you use for a guide when reloading, for powder amounts ?
and could you use a brass prep tool that cleans up the mouth to champfer the made bullet ?

Tom W. · « **Reply #21 on:** April 06, 2009, 11:14:22 PM »

Tell me about that die again... I missed something somewhere....

Scibaer · « **Reply #22 on:** April 09, 2009, 02:28:08 PM »

i went ahead a made a few .40 case bullets. i seperated out about 6 cases that weighted 69.6 to 69.8 grains.
tumble cleaned and deprimed them. then melted down some 357 mag cast bullets that yet to be lubed and some 44 mag cast bullets that were lubed.
using some pliers i held the case under the opening of my melting pot and carefully filled the cases one by one.
so far so good. now i need to figure out how to make a uniform meplat or hp with each one. and keep the total weight the same .
so far its alot easier then i thought it'd be.......

Hank08 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 10, 2009, 07:06:58 PM »

Look at the die in reply # 12. That die is made to drop powder thru into a case but the cone shaped opening will also put a taper of about 45 degrees on your bullet and make a hollow point if the case is full or a soft point if it's full or over filled.
H08

Mikey · « **Reply #24 on:** April 11, 2009, 12:49:03 AM »

I mentioned before that this is sure interesting. There are more 40 S&W cases littering the range than cigarette butts littering the streets, and that's something I really don't understand. However, now that there is at least one actual use for the 40 S&W, there may actually be two: 44 spl/mag jackets and maybe, 444 Marlin jackets. Oh yeehah, this might be better'n a Texas beauty pageant.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #25 on:** April 11, 2009, 02:56:50 AM »

shot many of these made in a swaging die and they will not hurt a barrel anymore then a store bought jacketed bullet will.

Hank08 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 12, 2009, 02:51:16 PM »

Lloyd, I sent you a pm about the die. With it you can crimp the .40 case over to make a bullet like this. It's the die in post # 12.
H08

Double D · « **Reply #27 on:** April 13, 2009, 02:11:32 AM »

Quote from: Tom W. on April 04, 2009, 02:01:14 PM

A way to use the zinc wheel weights we've been throwing out.... Pour those into the case instead of lead......

Don't throw that Zinc away send it to me and I'll use it to cast bullets for my cannon.

rockbilly · « **Reply #28 on:** April 13, 2009, 05:17:20 AM »

.40 cases to bullets, hummm, sounds good but at a recent gunshow .40 cases (range pick-ups) were selling for $0.15 each, and the dealer was selling a bunch of them. (Check the price on gunbrokers.com or auctionarms.com)

I haven't been so lucky on finding the brass cases on my range, matter of fact, you can't find any reloadable cases there anymore.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #29 on:** April 13, 2009, 05:35:32 AM »

i thought about that too but never got the nerve to try it
what about just the case..no lead.. goes out prime first
like a big primer for small game
like a big pellet

also would a nickel caseing hurt your barrel