ISO a better hunting bullet for a .44 mag rifle

[Crazy Dane]

Before ordering, make sure you contact the seller and inform them that you will be loading whatever bullets you purchase in a lever-action. This is very important because the action lengths do vary a bit and it's not uncommon for a bullet nose to be a bit too long to feed in a lever gun. The bullet nose diameter (meplat) also can have a vote in whether a bullet will feed properly as well. The gas checks will come already installed on the bullets, the only concern I can possibly think of is if you're running a suppressor, most suppressor types won't shoot with gas checks out of concern for them coming detached and becoming lodged in the can. For bullet diameter, all you can really do is slug your barrel to find the exact diameter of your particular barrel.

I have used a fair bit of cast bullets in this gun including some big SWCs, and there is no suppressor. The wide flat points that I'm looking for seem to gas checked from MBW and nowhere else. I'm not sad about this as I've shot many MBW bullets. All of the cast I have shot has been sized at .430 or .431 with varying accuracy, I wasn't sure how to size GC bullets.

Slug the barrel, then give Montana Bullet Works a call, and follow their advice. They'll get you fixed up.

I knew someone was going to suggest this. I have the fishing weight, oil, fresh bottle of gin, I will have to stop Monday and get me a hardwood dowel.

Okie John

[358156hp]

I have used a fair bit of cast bullets in this gun including some big SWCs, and there is no suppressor. The wide flat points that I'm looking for seem to gas checked from MBW and nowhere else. I'm not sad about this as I've shot many MBW bullets. All of the cast I have shot has been sized at .430 or .431 with varying accuracy, I wasn't sure how to size GC bullets.

You don't. You order them in the size you want. The gas checks are crimped on when the bullets are sized and lubricated.

[Crazy Dane]

Well, I've slugged my barrel. There is just something creepy about driving a hunk of metal down a barrel. Anyway, it measured out to .431 and I have an email in to MBW to see what they recommend.

[Malamute]

Well, I've slugged my barrel. There is just something creepy about driving a hunk of metal down a barrel. Anyway, it measured out to .431 and I have an email in to MBW to see what they recommend.

Thats the only way to be sure what the groove diameter is of your gun, now you know. Theres enough variation in production guns that its the only way to be positive what yours is. The SAAMI specs for rifles in 44 mag indicate a slightly larger acceptable diameter than handguns in the same chambering, strange as it may seem.

[Crazy Dane]

MBW has a question asking it the bullets are going to be used in a revolver ,and I emailed asking for clarity. If anyone ever questions their quality, direct them to the response I got: It just gives us more information so we can help ensure they'll work in your gun, if you select yes we'll send bullets that are at or slightly below (three tenths of a thousandth) .432" if you select no we'll send bullets that are at or slightly above (five tenths of a thousandth) .432". It's very difficult to get exactly .432" and it helps us make sure your bullets won't get stuck in your throats.

I'm not even sure of how to write out "3 tenths of a thousandth" much less have the equipment to measure that...

[358156hp]

MBW has a question asking it the bullets are going to be used in a revolver ,and I emailed asking for clarity. If anyone ever questions their quality, direct them to the response I got: It just gives us more information so we can help ensure they'll work in your gun, if you select yes we'll send bullets that are at or slightly below (three tenths of a thousandth) .432" if you select no we'll send bullets that are at or slightly above (five tenths of a thousandth) .432". It's very difficult to get exactly .432" and it helps us make sure your bullets won't get stuck in your throats.

I'm not even sure of how to write out "3 tenths of a thousandth" much less have the equipment to measure that...

It's a "yes" or "no" question. They want to know if you will be using any of these bullets in a revolver. Many revolvers seem to get a slight buildup of bullet lube and carbon in the throats they want to know if they should size the bullets to accommodate this potential condition. If you will be using any of these bullets in your 44 Spl revolver you mentioned earlier, I'd recommend you answer this question "yes". This will not appreciably affect use in your lever action. You did tell them this was for a lever action rifle so they could make certain the bullet noses aren't too long to feed correctly didn't you?