MODERN MOLDS

This brings up to what is readily available today. John Kort and Ed Harris worked hard improving the original Ideal/Lyman Designs for various applications. One being long distance shots out to 300 meters as previously noted.​

John Kort wanted to be able to shoot 30 rounds with no noticable reduction in accuracy with black powder. This means using soft black powder lube. Powders and lubes today are not the same as yesteryear. It takes the right combination and John hit on his. The first thing John did was test vintage ammunition by disecting a few old WRA headstamped catridiges...replacing the dead primers and applying fresh lube. Details can be found here: 

https://www.44winchestercenterfirecartridges.com/single-post/2015/05/12/Testing-Vintage-44-40-ammunition

With what he learned be began to experiment to make improvements.  John was a traditionalist and enjoyed the Marlin rifles. He wanted to keep to that tradition so he expanded on the Lyman design. ​

To start with, I used the 427098 and machined away the middle driving band a bit at a time, thus adding a bit more lube capacity until testing indicated that I had reached the IDEAL lube capacity for the task at hand.. It is now the 43-215C made by Accurate Molds. Thankfully, it runs very well with Goex and continues to produce very good down range accuracy (100+ yards) for many rounds with no foul out. 

The beginnings of using Accurate Molds: 

Custom Bullet Molds. Accurate Molds will fabricate you a custom mold based on the measurements and guidelines you send them.  Or you can purchase a custom mold already designed or even request a modification to an existing design. I will list these further below!!!

 http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=11 

Both John Kort and Ed Harris have a few listed on the bullet profile page. I don't know who got started first but there are several custom molds by different people. "Fairshake" made a few as well. It is not my intent to leave anyone out or to forget a bullet but most, if not all of the 44-40 bullets are sold as a #43- 2xx meaning 200gr-230gr. Some also include 44 special and magnum designs. Some are designated 44-40.

Based off of memory, never a good thing for me, I think the first one designed by one of the three aforementioned is the 43-200L. I will update this list as I can confirm the information.

(links attached to each bullet underlined)​​

• 43-200L - 

• 43-200Q (Heeled) - by Ed Harris, for rifles with large large groove diameters and small chamber​

  • Bullet Blog Post​ - Over-sized Bullet for Over Sizes Bores, Original Winchester 73' Bores.​

• 43-200QL (Heeled)- by Ed Harris, aka Outpost75, same as 43-200Q but with large lube groove for black powder

• 43-205C - Large lube groove for Black Powder

• 43-205D - 

• 43-205DT - 

• 43-205M - by Mark Whyte aka Springfiled Slim Website

• 43-208A (Heeled) - by Bryan Austin aka Savvy Jack, for small bores but with a .429 exposed driving band to aid in accuracy and lower chamber pressures.

• 43-210B - by aka Fairshake aka Cajun Shooter, same profile as the Lyman 427098.

• 43-210G - 

• 43-214A - by Bryan Austin, 40 consecutive shots inside 4" at 100 yards using Reloder 7. Replicates the Lyman 427098 but with a larger nose

• 43-215C - by John Kort aka w44wcf aka w30wcf, replicates the 427098 but adds a large lube groove for black powder, crimp groove

• 43-215CB - 

• 43-219A - by Wheelgun, large meplat

• 43-219M - by Michael Streeter, Same as the 43-215C but with a crimp groove specifically designed for the LFCD

• 43-220C - 

• 43-220CC - by Michael Streeter, Same as the 220C but with a change in the crimp groove specifically for use with the LFCD.

• 43-225D - by Ed Harris, aka Outpost75 (44 Magnum Frame 44-40 Revolvers)

• 43-229H - by Ed Harris, aka Outpost75, "230 grains is about optimum for a heavier weight in .44-40 which does not reduce powder capacity at factory OAL, stable in the slow rifle twist and shoots close to the fixed sights of older revolvers."

• 43-230E - 

• 43-230EB - 

• 43-230G - Ed Harris, aka Outpost75...The double-crimp-grooves enable using the rear crimp groove to seat boolits out long for maximum powder capacity in the .44 Russian or .44 Special, and also in the .44-40 and .44 Mag. Ruger original Vaqueros having longer cylinders, whereas the front crimp groove maintains correct cartridge OAL for magazine feeding in the lever-actions and also to fit the cylinder of Gen1 Colt SAs and the New Service. 

• 43-320G2 - Ed Harris, smaller meplat than the G

• 43-245C - John Boy, for black powder long distance competition N-SSA shooting.

2 February 2020

Casting up some 43-214A's