Toprudder
Member
I was intrigued by the announcement of the new Desert Eagle chambered in 429DE. Basically, the 429DE is a 50AE case that is necked down for a 44mag bullet. Performance with a 240gn bullet has been advertised as 1600fps or better, which is almost carbine velocity from a 6" barrel.
44mag bullets are cheap, the only problem was trying to find brass. In the past, for other calibers, I've bought factory ammo so I could save the brass, but the factory ammo sells for about $2.00 per round.
Starline makes the 429 brass for the factory ammo, but they don't list the 429 for sell to reloaders. So, since I already had some 50AE brass, I decided to buy some Lee dies just to see how feasible it was to reform the 50 into 429. I also ordered an extra seating die just to use as a separate crimp die. It seemed to go well, but without a case gauge to check the reformed brass (it is not a SAAMI cartridge, which I guess is why nobody makes a case gauge for it). I decided a couple of weeks ago to go ahead and order the 429 barrel for my DE.
The barrel arrived, and so I set out to check my reformed cases to see if they chambered. I had one that did not, but the shoulder had not been bumped back far enough. Luckily, setting up the sizing die to cam-over is perfect for proper headspacing. It is very easy to check the headspacing on each round now, I just have to use the barrel, which is very easily removed from the gun (much easier than most semi-auto locked breech guns).
Now for the fun part - finding load data. Guess what - it doesn't exist, at least nothing that I can find. In asking around, someone pointed me to some old load data for 440 Corbon, which is basically the same thing as 429DE. Seems Magnum Research went through this same exercise in the past - necking a 50AE case down to 44mag. I don't know what the case dimensions are for the 440 Corbon, I've only seen it mentioned that it was not identical to the 429. So, working with the Corbon load data, I worked up some test loads using H-110 powder and Zero 240 JSP bullets. (In the past, I've found the Zero bullets to give results very close to Hornady 240 XTP bullets, they are both sized to .430"). I started with a min charge of 27.5gn and max of 30.0.
Today, I tested those loads. Starting out, I only put one round in the magazine, and I was apprehensive pulling the trigger for the first shot. I was glad to see that the first shot registered ~ 1450fps, well under the advertised 1600fps. So, I loaded up the rest and continued testing. I did not fire the last group of max-charge loads, as I reached 1540fps (at 29.5gn) which was close to my self-imposed velocity limit, especially since I don't know for sure what powder the factory ammo uses. I did not see any pressure signs that worried me, the primers were flattened just slightly. I'm not interested in maximum loads, there is no reason to beat the gun up anyway. I also did not see any splits, which I was worried about since they were reformed. In the future, I think I will anneal the cases before I reform them, and possibly after every couple of firings.
Accuracy - I knew ahead of time that the POI was going to be low, as the front sight on the new barrel was 0.050" taller than the one on the 50AE barrel. And it was, by several inches. I was also worried about losing my brass, as the ejected shells were missing my brass catcher (some went directly over my head) so I was trying to pay attention to where the brass was going. I did have one group that was good, so I think I will load up some more and do a better job checking for accuracy at a later date. Instead of milling down the front sight, I may just mount a holographic sight as that picatinny rail is just begging for one.
429 DE (reformed from 50AE). Zero 240 JSP bullet, seated to cannelure. Winchester WLP primers. H-110 powder.
27.5gn, 1429fps, 49.6 SD, 100 ES
28.0gn, 1462fps, 20.6 SD, 52 ES
28.5gn, 1482fps, 29.4 SD, 69 ES
29.0gn, 1505fps, 24.9 SD, 66 ES
29.5gn, 1540fps, 13.3 SD, 33 ES
30.0gn - not tested.
And, the best part - I can reload these for about $0.30 per round (not counting the brass). The 50AE brass is about $0.40 each from Starline. Lots of flame throwing fun.
44mag bullets are cheap, the only problem was trying to find brass. In the past, for other calibers, I've bought factory ammo so I could save the brass, but the factory ammo sells for about $2.00 per round.
Starline makes the 429 brass for the factory ammo, but they don't list the 429 for sell to reloaders. So, since I already had some 50AE brass, I decided to buy some Lee dies just to see how feasible it was to reform the 50 into 429. I also ordered an extra seating die just to use as a separate crimp die. It seemed to go well, but without a case gauge to check the reformed brass (it is not a SAAMI cartridge, which I guess is why nobody makes a case gauge for it). I decided a couple of weeks ago to go ahead and order the 429 barrel for my DE. The barrel arrived, and so I set out to check my reformed cases to see if they chambered. I had one that did not, but the shoulder had not been bumped back far enough. Luckily, setting up the sizing die to cam-over is perfect for proper headspacing. It is very easy to check the headspacing on each round now, I just have to use the barrel, which is very easily removed from the gun (much easier than most semi-auto locked breech guns).
Now for the fun part - finding load data. Guess what - it doesn't exist, at least nothing that I can find. In asking around, someone pointed me to some old load data for 440 Corbon, which is basically the same thing as 429DE. Seems Magnum Research went through this same exercise in the past - necking a 50AE case down to 44mag. I don't know what the case dimensions are for the 440 Corbon, I've only seen it mentioned that it was not identical to the 429. So, working with the Corbon load data, I worked up some test loads using H-110 powder and Zero 240 JSP bullets. (In the past, I've found the Zero bullets to give results very close to Hornady 240 XTP bullets, they are both sized to .430"). I started with a min charge of 27.5gn and max of 30.0.
Today, I tested those loads. Starting out, I only put one round in the magazine, and I was apprehensive pulling the trigger for the first shot. I was glad to see that the first shot registered ~ 1450fps, well under the advertised 1600fps. So, I loaded up the rest and continued testing. I did not fire the last group of max-charge loads, as I reached 1540fps (at 29.5gn) which was close to my self-imposed velocity limit, especially since I don't know for sure what powder the factory ammo uses. I did not see any pressure signs that worried me, the primers were flattened just slightly. I'm not interested in maximum loads, there is no reason to beat the gun up anyway. I also did not see any splits, which I was worried about since they were reformed. In the future, I think I will anneal the cases before I reform them, and possibly after every couple of firings.
Accuracy - I knew ahead of time that the POI was going to be low, as the front sight on the new barrel was 0.050" taller than the one on the 50AE barrel. And it was, by several inches. I was also worried about losing my brass, as the ejected shells were missing my brass catcher (some went directly over my head) so I was trying to pay attention to where the brass was going. I did have one group that was good, so I think I will load up some more and do a better job checking for accuracy at a later date. Instead of milling down the front sight, I may just mount a holographic sight as that picatinny rail is just begging for one.
429 DE (reformed from 50AE). Zero 240 JSP bullet, seated to cannelure. Winchester WLP primers. H-110 powder.
27.5gn, 1429fps, 49.6 SD, 100 ES
28.0gn, 1462fps, 20.6 SD, 52 ES
28.5gn, 1482fps, 29.4 SD, 69 ES
29.0gn, 1505fps, 24.9 SD, 66 ES
29.5gn, 1540fps, 13.3 SD, 33 ES
30.0gn - not tested.
And, the best part - I can reload these for about $0.30 per round (not counting the brass). The 50AE brass is about $0.40 each from Starline. Lots of flame throwing fun.
