Does anyone have an NEI bullet mold or similar for a .429 (+300gr) cast bullet.

I am searching for powder loads for one.

I have a 330gr. w/ GC (295gr w/o GC) mold from NEI catalog that I had custom made in the early 90's. Never loaded it cuz I have not found any load data and NEI did not provide any.



would like to load this for my S&W 629 DX Classic w/ 6.5" barrel.

Any thoughts?

Thanks...

if no loads ,go to beartoothbullets.com ,load swap has plenty info to get started.

A quote from a John Taffin article:

"One of my favorite heavyweight bullets is NEI's #295.429GC. As the number indicates, this bullet weighs in just under 300 grains and wears a gas check and I have yet to find a .44 Magnum sixgun that won't sing with this load. My favortie loads for this bullet are 21.5 grains of WW296 or H110 for 1300 to 1400 feet per second and superb accuracy and maximum penetration, or 10.0 grains of Unique for a more sedate and easier to shoot 1150 feet per second."

I've been using the LBT .430-330 bullet for years. Best powders are VV N110, H110 and WW296.

I use N110 most of the time as it is cheap. 18 gr. gives around 1200 fps in an 8 3/8" barrel M29 and nearly 1600 fps in a winchester M94. Accuracy and hitting power are awesum! As is recoil.

Am I to understand you have gas checks that weigh thirty five grains??!!!

boomstick,

What does that bullet actually weigh with the check in place? I shoot a Lyman 429650 that weighs in at 315-320 grains depending on alloy. Maybe with actual weights, powder charges could be found?...BCB

[ 01-24-2003, 00:40: Message edited by: BCB ]

When an NEI lists a weight without a gas check, it means the mold was made without the reduced diameter heel for the gas check. This makes the bullet shorter and lighter.

Ranb

One of the challenges for loading the heavier 44 mag cast bullets is they very tremendously in their physical dimensions. As way of example, I took a Lee 240 gr swc mold and re-cut the nose portion to drop a 330 gr bullet, yet it still provided the same powder capacity as having the 240 gr swc seated. I could have seated that 330 gr bullet in a 44 sp case, and had the same powder capacity as other 300 gr bullets seated in the 44 mag case.

Looking at the picture you provided of the bullet, it looks like it really eats up the powder capacity of the case. I would cautiously work up to max loads, or alternately, see if your cylinder will allow you to use the first lube groove as a canalure.

My load is a 310gr Lee GC bullet over 20.5gr of H110. Clocks only 1575fps from my ruger 96, but just try and stop it. It's a real bear smasher.

Gentlemen,

My system is acting up right now and I cannot view the image of the bullet in question. However, if I remember correctly, it appeard to be very similar to the JD Jones design that NEI made molds for. I have the data that JD Jones supplied with his molds for the 320 grain .429 bullet.

First, some relevant physical information on the JDJ bullet. Overal length of the BULLET is 0.920. There are two crimp grooves for this design. The lower one is for use with the Redhawks and the Super Reds. Using it results in a seating depth of 0.440" and an OAL for the loaded round of 1.805". The forward crimp groove is for the S&W guns. It results in a seating depth of 0.520" and an OAL for the loaded round of 1.725", nominal. For the record, the NEI 295 SWC that John Taffin likes so much has a seating depth of 0.450". It should be obvious that some care is needed when transfering the load data for the 295 SWC to the 330 that is in question.

The following load data were developed by Kent Lomont using the Super Vel piezoelectric pressure gun that he purchased from Lee Jurras when SV closed its doors.

Bullet weight was 328 grains; 90% WW and 10% linotype.
Preimers were Federal 150.
Cases were 2x-fired Super vel.
Pressure barrel length was 9.25".

Load OAL Pressure Velocity

WW680/22.0 1.735 29,200 psi 1330 fps
WW680/24.0 1.740 35,300 psi 1415 fps

WW296/21.5 1.730 38,000 psi 1435 fps
WW296/22.5 1.735 42,400 psi 1485 fps

IMR4227/21.5 1.760 34,100 psi 1330 fps

2400/20.0 1.725 40,900 psi 1410 fps

As you can tell from the OALs, most of the above loads are compressed to some degree. Only the 2400 load has the correct nominal OAL.

Since I don't know the seating depth of the bullet design in question, I cannot say whether the above data are directly applicable. If your seating depth is substantially greater than the .520 of the JDJ design, you should reduce the above loads accordingly.

One other point about the above data. There were no standard deviations given for either the pressures or the velocities. As a result, you don't know how uniform the pressures were and therefore just where the maximum pressures wound up for individual rounds. The current practice seems to keep the average pressures down around 35,000 psi, which will keep the individual maximum pressures under the 40,000 psi limit. What I am getting at is that the WW296 data are on the hot side for extended use. Unless you need to swat something very, very hard, there is little reason to beat up a good gun. For the JDJ design, I would cut that 21.5 grain load back to about 20.0 to be on the safe side or even to 19.5 grains. And if your seating depth is greater than the 0.520" listed above, I would cut it back even farther.

I hope that this has been of some help.

Nathan

I use to use 21.0 of H110 with 320 LBT LFNGC, but was very hard on my Perf Shop SW 629, now I shoot the Fed Gold Medal Load 250 grain load and performs like a solid on game, excellent accuracy and very accurate.

I use an NEI 280gr Keith that casts WW at 294grs with the g.c.

And also use the LBT 300gr LFN that casts WW at 315 with the g.c.

I found both to shoot very well in my contender using 22.5grs of WW296.

Chronographed velocities at 1877 fps with the 315 gr bullet.

Both of these bullets bore 1 hole at 50 yards and hold 1-1/2 to 2" groups at 100 yds.

HBL...

Check you private messages...

BoomStick

I use two different heavy weights , one is a Lyman (supposed to weigh 325gr.) that weighs with GC and lube around 348gr. I use N110 in all my 44Magnum cases , 18,5gr max with this one!The latest one I have is a mould by Jim Allison this beauty casts (with GC and lube) 380gr. bullets with two crimping grooves (444Marlin and 44 Mag.)
it fills out my cylinder from the back to the front and by the time it reaches the forcing cone in the barrel it is still supported by the case , what a big , long bullet !I use 14,5gr N110 with it and this is perfectly safe in my Super Redhawk.All are sized .430 by the way !