First .44 MAG reload

[Austen]

Actually my first full reload period!

Only problem I ran into was seating this one in too deep.

I thought I followed the instructions for putting in the dies to the letter but I guess I still need some adjustments!

It has the starting powder load, is it unsafe to fire? I'm far from an expert but I'm thinking it may cause a higher pressure.

 

[blacksmithden]

It'll work, but if I were you, I'd write on it "first reload" and the date, then throw it in the bottom of the gun cabnet and forget about it. 20 years from now, it'll be a fun discovery

 

[SeamusMac]

It'll work, but if I were you, I'd write on it "first reload" and the date, then throw it in the bottom of the gun cabnet and forget about it. 20 years from now, it'll be a fun discovery

Hahaha I did that with my first reload, a .303 British. How much does it cost you to reload a .44 mag if you don't mind me asking? The price without the cost of brass factored in would be preferable.

 

[Cerdan]

Only problem I ran into was seating this one in too deep.

I thought I followed the instructions for putting in the dies to the letter but I guess I still need some adjustments!

What press are you using? I did what Lee recommended in his manual, ie screw in the bullet seating die until it just touches the mouth of the case, screw out the bullet seating adjuster until you see threads, that way you can seat a bullet without a crimp, which enables you to set it deeper and deeper until desired depth is achieved... then screw in the die completely to crimp.

 

[blacksmithden]

Hahaha I did that with my first reload, a .303 British. How much does it cost you to reload a .44 mag if you don't mind me asking? The price without the cost of brass factored in would be preferable.

Powder and a primer. I cast my own lead, so it's dirt cheap. Ummmm I'd guess 3.5 cents for the primer, and 3.15 cents (8.4 grains of green dot) of powder per cartridge. Lets say it costs me 3 cents to make up a 240 grain bullet.....

Total cost of 100 cartridges would be around $9.65

 

[curtmg]

Here's my first one, 45 acp, but still it taught me that I didn't have the crimp die set even close to correctly.

 

[Austen]

What press are you using? I did what Lee recommended in his manual, ie screw in the bullet seating die until it just touches the mouth of the case, screw out the bullet seating adjuster until you see threads, that way you can seat a bullet without a crimp, which enables you to set it deeper and deeper until desired depth is achieved... then screw in the die completely to crimp.

I have the Lee turret press. For my first press, I'm pretty happy with it. Although, where I bought it they told me I could double up the powder disks for larger charges (like .44 mag) but didn't tell me I needed an expanding kit to use two powder disks at once so it really slowed me down being only able to use one disk at a time to get the full charge. I'm going to redo the seating die today and get it so every crank is perfect!