44Mag with a tapered crimp

[357mag357]

I read an old post a while ago that it is possible to reload 44mag with a tapered crimp. I laughed when I read it. I thought the tapered crimp would not be strong enough to keep the bullet in place because of recoil. I happened to have a tapered crimp die because a load 44 spec with plated bullets and they don’t have true cannelure. So I said what the heck, lets try some. I used a Remington 44Mag case, Winchester primer, 180g XTP Hornady bullet with 30.5g of H110. The gun was a S&W 629 with a 6-inch barrel. The recoil was pretty sharp but the bullets flew fast and straight. I shot 5 and then checked the last one to see if it had moved and to my surprise it stayed in place. Who says you can’t teach old dog new tricks?

 

[Lennyjoe]

I prefer roll crimp especially if it has a cannelure. But if you roll crimp a non cannelure bullet you'll foul it up. For that reason, the taper crimp is the only suitable solution.

Good to hear it didn't move on you. Thanks for the info.

 

[Walkalong]

I use a Redding taper crimp die to load plated bullets in the .44 Russian, .44 Spl. and downloaded rounds in the .44 Mag, but have never tried it with full house .44 mag loads.

 

[highlander 5]

I used a set of 45 acp dies to load 45 Schofield and used a taper crimp with no problems. My experience has been a crimp is a crimp be it roll or taper.
Come to think of it a taper crimp would be less abusive on the case mouth.

 

[Grumulkin]

I use taper crimps for a 50 AE & it works fine.