I hunt with a S&W .44 Special usually hanging on my hip year round. I have been looking for a softer cast 240 to 250 gr. cast lead bullet from a commercial cast bullet manufacturer for some time. Almost all you can buy are cast for .44Mag velocities. I am looking for something in the 8 or 9 Brinell Hardness range so it will "slug-up" at around 1000fps. velocity. This will both increase accuracy and cut leading. I would appreciate any suggestions for I don't care to get back into casting my own again. Thanks

I agree that the commercials are way too hard, many even for magnums. I don't know of any casters that do softer bullets. I would contact any in your area and try to get a small batch done with softer alloy. I still load my 3" S&W with standard cast 240 SWC's as well. If you do get someone to do some with softer alloy post it, I would like to try some... FN

Rock,

With all the new interest in cowboy action shooting, I would think someone has what you want. I'll check with some of my cowboy action buddies and see if any of my catalogues have something.

I use a 200 grain RN. I guess you would call it round it is rounded on the ogive but flat across the nose. Anyway, it is marked on the box as being for the 44-40. A friend tried them in his magnum and they leaded to bad at the speeds he was pushing. So I bought them and I load them for my S&W 696. Hope this helps or maybe gives you something else to look for. Sean

Rockhammer,

I think I know just what you need. Go to http://www.mkcb.com/, the web site of Mid-Kansas Cast Bullet Co. In the links on the left-hand side of the screen, click on "Our Online Store". In the Product Directory Listing, click on Cowboy Action Alloy Bullets. Pull the scroll bar on the right-hand side down to the .44 bullets. They have 180, 200, 225, and 240 grain offerings.

Their comments on the Cowboy Action line are as follows:
Cowboy Action AlloyTM Bullets
Tired of all that forcing cone leading from bullets that are too hard? Mid-Kansas Cast Bullet, Inc. is now offering Cowboy Action Bullets in a new LOW VELOCITY, LOW PRESSURE specification alloy called Cowboy Action AlloyTM This alloy has been designed for proper obturation at the low pressures and velocities used in this popular shooting sport! These bullets are specially cast to a Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) of 11, as opposed to our standard hard cast line which measures BHN 16. Once again, Mid-Kansas Cast Bullet offers you, the shooter, what you need for your particular sport. Never again be "held hostage" by inappropriate bullet hardness specifications simply because it is more convenient for the bullet casting company! These bullets are priced per 100 and shipped in reusable cartridge boxes! They are lubed with Thompson's PS which works well for both smokeless or black powder. You may order these bullets lubed with SPG as well!

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the popularity of this product line, coupled with the hand work involved with them, we are experiencing backlogs of about 2 to 3 weeks from when the order is placed to ship date. Please take this into consideration when ordering. Thanks!

I don't do cowboy action shooting yet, but before I started casting, I used to have great fun with some really great bullets from Hornady. Their 240 gr. lead bullets are swaged, dry lubed, and are really soft. I used them with my favorite target load of 8.5 grains of Unique in my .44 Mag. Never got to chronograph them, but they were extremely accurate, and never leaded the barrel or forcing cone. I also think you can buy them in bulk now. Check Midway and Widener's--also Graf & Sons. Good luck!

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

Look into BearTooth Bullets they can get you anywhere from BHN 12-21. Very good bullets in my .416 at BHN 21.

Don