45 to 44

31 October 2004, 11:08

SeaBee

45 to 44

Ok can i take a 45 and size it down to a 44 and will it work? Have 45 mould but a friend wants 44 can it be done.

31 October 2004, 14:07

trk

Assuming .454 or .452 as cast going down to .432 or .429 it COULD be done. Lube it well with a minimum sizing operation and size down in several steps.

Problems would be in getting the sizing dies in the right steps, and the finished product would be of the right diameter, but would most likely suffer a bit. But it COULD be done.

31 October 2004, 18:20

Lar45

I would not suggest it. The lube grooves would probably be non-existant after the super squash. You could always have your friend spring for an inexpensive Lee mold.

31 October 2004, 21:40

Ed Barrett

With Lee Mold so cheap, or buying pre cast bullets, I would go that route rather than taking the extreme sizing route.

01 November 2004, 16:32

woody1

Quote:

Ok can i take a 45 and size it down to a 44 and will it work? Have 45 mould but a friend wants 44 can it be done.

Sure you can, if you do it right. Some folks do it with a lubrisizer in several steps. I have never done that. I think the key is to get the lube grooves filled first in order to keep the lube grooves. I have a 38/40 and no 40 cal mold. Even if I did, it would be too small as I need a minimum .405". The lightest large mold I have is a Lyman 452488 which casts about 197 grains at .454-.455". The way I reduce those for the 38/40 is to dip boolit in melted FWFL and cool before sizing. Messy but effective, even to the point of helping the boolit to self center on itï¿½s trip thru the push thru sizer. The sizer needs to have a long slow taper. I am not using a Lee push thru. They would prob'ly work but I have no inbetweeners and I find they are too abrupt and rough to do that radical resizing in one step. Am I losing the lube grooves. No. Are the lands bottoming in the lube grooves? Not even close. Regards, Woody

02 November 2004, 11:14

beagle

It might work.

I've taken .446" bullets down to .429" boolits for the .444 and they shot less than 2" at 100 yards.

Lube first and then take it down in as small steps as you have sizers for.

The lube grooves will suffer and the bullet will elongate slightly but it will shoot all right.

Much better to trade for a .44 mould and eliminate all of the question and hassle./beagle

07 November 2004, 00:17

Bug

If he's really a friend, Have HIM buy you a mold in whatever form you both decide would be best. He buys the mold, you do the casting. The next step would be to get him scrounging wheelweights!