Lead Bullets in Winchester Trapper .44 Mag

[thunder173]

Okay folks,...I have a Ruger SBH 4 5/8" and a Winchester Trapper carbine in 44 magnum. A nice matched pair for sure. I just got back into reloading after a 30 plus year break,...and I reload primarily a 240 grain SWC for the Ruger in both .44 Magnum and in .44 Special, ....and occasionally 200 grain Flat Nose lead's for it. Both loadings, in both rounds, work great for the Ruger,... and will feed and function well in the Trapper as well.

Here's my issue,..and my question: Using lead bullet's: in the Trapper? If I load either the 240 grain SWC's, or 200 gr flat nose leads to 800+ fps in the revolver,..a rather mild revolver load for me,...what am I looking at from the 16 inch Trapper barrel? How badly is that going to produce leading? Any other issues I need to know?

The SECOND question: Using .44 Specials in either the 240 gr SWC, and in 200 gr flat nose lead,.....they are a real pussycat of a load,.....you can almost SEE them going down range at about 700-750 fps,.....and both are fun shooters with that load. Any isssues, suggestions or comments regarding using those in the Trapper? Pro? Con? There's NO problem with the Ruger

So,.....Should I consider maybe gas checking the lead rounds to be used in the pair?? Stick to only jacketed bullets in the Trapper? Or just not worry about it and just shoot the crap outa whatever it feeds,... and then clean out the lead build up often?

I ultimately want to be able to cast my own bullets here as well, so I'd appreciate some opinions here. I like the idea of using the same load/round for this pair,....but I'd like to be able to afford to shoot them both often,...hence the preference for lead bullets.

Also, my "light in the cute end" bride shoots the Trapper,..but finds the hotter 240 Grain JSP loads to be "okay" for her occasional use, ....but a bit much for any extended shooting sessions. As this is intended to be her deer gun,...I want her to shoot this often,..and it also serves as the "camp gun" when it's not hunting season. For that,..I load 240 gr JSP's in the pair.

Okay,...enuff.....what say you all?

 

[rcmodel]

700 - 750 - 800 in a revolver with no leading?

Then there should be no problem at all with those loads in the carbine, unless Winchester rifled it with a rat-tail file or something..

But what was the question?

rc

 

[ReloaderFred]

I shoot cast bullets through my Winchester Model 94, .44 Magnum without problems. It's a matter of matching the bullet to the bore. I also shoot them through my Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum, but the bullets for the Marlin are tailored to it, since the bore diameter is .430". I also cast those bullets from straight linotype, and they shoot fine.

If you're considering getting into casting bullets, then a gas check mold would be my suggestion, since it eliminates any concerns about leading.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rcmodel]

I think gas checks are an unnecessary expense & bother if the OP is planning to stay with his light 700 - 800 FPS loads.

But I was unclear if that was his intention, or if he wanted .44 Magnum performance in the carbine?

At any rate, I shoot .44 Spl lead loads in my Marlin at 1,100 or so with no leading at all.

Heck, I even shoot .22 Long-Rifle in my .22's at over 1,200 with no leading at all!

rc

 

[ReloaderFred]

I wasn't sure, either, but with a GC mold, you can either use the gas check or not. If shooting mild loads, then you can leave them off, but if shooting full power loads, then use them. I like the option of doing either one with the same mold.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[thunder173]

Thanx guys,..to clarify,...my concern is that if I use 44 whatever, loaded to at or above 800 fps ranges as per the loading manual, in the Ruger 4 5/8, would that same load likely push at above 1,000 fps out of the Trapper's 16 inch barrel and produce unwanted leading. Think I'll just go shoot the H*** out of it for now,...and find out.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Most manuals list .44 Magnum in the rifle section of the data. You can cross reference the data and get a pretty good idea what the increase in velocity is going to be.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Ben Shepherd]

You mention low velocities in the revolver, so just a quick warning-

If they are mouse farts in the pistol, you run the very real possibility of sticking one in the bore of that long(relatively) rifle barrel if it runs out of steam.

 

[loadedround]

Thunder:
I have a Marlin 1894CL in 44 Mag that I regularly shoot with cast bullets. While spending a couple of extra dollars for "Laser Cast Bullets" from Oregon TrailI in bulk, I have found these bullets to be the hardest cast bullets on the market and are of extremly high quality. While theese bullets are not gas checked,, they have never once leaded any of my S&W or Ruger pistols or either my Marlin or OM Ruger Carbine at moderate velocities. You may purchase them direcly from Oregon Trail(see their website) or from MidwayUSA. If you call Oregon Trail, they will send you six sample bullets at N/C. I highly recommend them!

 

[thunder173]

Have ran both the 240 gr SWC and 200 gr LFN in RELOADS,... both Magnum AND Special, ....in the Trapper, and they all shoot as well as I can hold them at 50 yards. Haven't tried anything farther out yet. These are not "mouse fart" loads by any means,...as I am running about 2 tenths of a grain from max load in both Mag and Special. At those loads,...they are fine in the Ruger SBH, and that's not an issue at all.

The .44 Mag loads are "soft" for me and fine for the bride in the trapper as well. The Special's are down right pleasant.

Have also ran some store bought .44Special 200gr LFN "Cowboy loads" from Magtech through it, and they were fine as well.

Guess my hang up is the old 1,000 fps benchmark for lead bullets. Haven't ran enough of them in either variation through the trapper to notice any serious leading or deforming of bullets though,...so it's probably more a mental block than anything else at this point.

Like I said,..I'll just go shoot the snot out of it and see what I get.

Sorry if I confused anybody out there,...appreciate all of your responses.

 

[M1A National Match]

I run 200 & 265 grain SWC's through both a S&W 25-5 and Winchester Trapper in 45 'Long' Colt, at about 1,000 & 800 fps, respectively. Nary a lick of trouble or leading.

 

[counterclockwise]

love my .44 cowboy stuff

.
I load trailboss and 240 LSWC for the pistol. I load IMR 4227 and 240 GDSP copper jackets for the 20" carbine. Magnum primers for both. Even leaving at 1600 FPS, the carbine is tame enough. The trailboss keeps the pistol running happy at 800-900 FPS. No wads required in that big fat casing. I use nickel plate cases for the pistol, brass for the rifle to avoid mix-ups.

To quote a gunwriter "many a good cowboy barrel lies in yon boothill because of stacking squibs, probably more than we will ever know". So, just be careful.