Best weight lead cast .44 for the Rossi twist rate?

[Pesty]

Hi all I'm pretty new to reloading in fact very new

I've been making up .240 grain .429 diameter ( this may be the issue) truncated cone with 10g 10.5 and 11 grains of unique

Having a hard time finding a supply over here of anything with a larger diameter although I have some .430 on the way and will special order some .432 but that will take ages to arrive.

I'm pretty sure it's my loads as factory were a lot better. I'm shooting paper at 25 and 50.

I've read that the Rosie (20") has a 1:30 twist rate is 240 a good weight for that?

Thanks in advance

[Ohio357MagFan]

Hi all I'm pretty new to reloading in fact very new


I've read that the Rosie (20") has a 1:30 twist rate is 240 a good weight for that?

Thanks in advance

Pesty, the 240 grain is not ideal for the lazy 1-30 twist but it may be ok depending on the speed and your range. I do most of my shooting as informal plinking at 50-100 feet and even at 44 special power level the 240 does ok hitting milk jugs and bowling pins. I have never checked it for fine accuracy but I know the bullets don't keyhole or tumble at a very close range BUT they might at like 100 yards. The velocity matters too and at full magnum power your looking at a 240 moving at 1750 FPS, that's spinning pretty fast. I have had my 44 for a year now and almost everything I shoot is my handloads at medium power (240 @ 1200-1300 fps) or the subsonic 44 special power level (240 @ 1050), those subsonic loads are a lot of fun to shoot, you don't need hearing protection when shooting them outside and they kick like a 22. So far after having the firearm for a year now, I shoot almost all handloads and have only shot about a half box of factory ammo, jacketed Federal 240 gr JHP and those run 1750 FPS, pretty hot load and they kick hard, I think at that speed you will have no issues with a 240 grain keyholing or tumbling at up to 100 yards. I suspect there may be an issue with the lower powered plinking 240 grainers at a distance of 100 yards tumbling or keyholing. I do have a suggestion, I have also shot a lot of the Bayou Bullets 215 gr LSWC, they are shorter overall then the 240 LSWC but still have enough weight to pack a wallop. I load those with 9.5 gr unique and they move high 1300s speed wise. They also have some great jacketed hollow point .44 bullets in the 210-215 gr range which would be perfect for deer size game, if you hunt deer size game and have accuracy issues with the 240 grain, use a 215 gr JHP or even the Hornady 225 gr

[Ranch Dog]

I have three cast bullets of my design; a 250, 275 & 300 grain. I load them with Lil'Gun at max pressures and do not have stability issues with any of them.

[HarryAlonzo]

I hand load a 240 grain jsp at just under subsonic velocities, and I've never seen any instability. It's a very accurate combination, but mileage may vary.

[Pesty]

Thanks for the info guys.

I've been experimenting over the weekend and found some issues with 240 and max load of unique.

Accuracy started fine but in very short order I found groups were going all over the place. When inspected the target it was clear some key holing was evident.
I'm wondering if I was getting leading from pushing the cast bullets too fast at max powder charge. I was fine at 10gr

Ive ordered some 200g and 255 with gas check just to try. I am limited over here not much variety.

I'm enjoying experimenting it's keeping me busy lots to learn

[Ohio357MagFan]

Pesty,

I think it could be very possible that the loads with a 240 lead bullet over 10 grains of unique are causing excessive pressures and leading. Over 10 grains is going to be very hot pressure wise. I've only loaded 240 LSWC bullets with 8.5 and 9 grains unique. The 8.5 loads out of the carbine move low 1200s and 9 gr move high 1200s. I would anticipate 10 grains would be around 1400 FPS. For that velocity its best to use a slower powder like 2400.

Do they have the polymer coated lead bullets in the UK? I switched all my lead bullets to the polymer coated lead and they are only a little more expensive then lead but no where near as expensive as jacketed. You can push the polymer coated bullets very fast without any leading, I love them.

[Archer]

Unique is a medium to quick powder.
I use a lot of it in defensive calibers like 9mm, 45 ACP and .38 SP.
In .44 Mag I have used it to get .44 SP level performance.

For magnum level loads I tend to use 2400, H110, Win 296 and I don't tend to use generic lead but rather gas checked, particularly hard cast or jacketed projectiles. One of these days I'm going to have to get around to trying powder coated or poly coated.

IF you think you were getting leading check your barrel. I've seen improperly loaded lead smear all down a pistol barrel in a very short round count and it can be a real choir getting it out once it's gunked one up. Not to mention a leaded up barrel can cause pressures to rise or even other dangerous conditions.

[Ohio3Wheels]

One Alliant guide that I found at Load Data lists 7.0 grains of Unique for a 240 gr lswc. .429 might be a tad "skinny" in the Rossi barrel but without slugginh it it's hard to tell. If you don't see leading but suspect it may be present take a very tight fitting patch soak in turpentine and drive it through the bore. Very wet patch, stout rod and maybe a mallet to force it through. One of my black powder cartridge rifle was acting up a few years back I was amazed at how much lead came out. Of course that started a whole new project to cure the leading issue.

Make smoke,

[Pesty]

Thanks guys. The barrel was very dirty, I'm new to all this not sure if leading or normal.
I let it soak in balistol for 20 minutes then used a bore snake. Took several passes of a bore snake. To look clean. The rifling looks very shallow but I have never looked at the barre of another lever action to compare. It's like a mirror now