1851 navy .44 - The Firearms Forum

charagrin · 05-09-2007, 12:25 AM

Could I use cast bullets made for reloading into a .44 magnum or .44 special in a single action .44 cal navy? Not the whole shell and all, just the bullet itself. I can get about 5000 of em and my 1851 Navy back from a friend giving up reloading. I dont reload but it'd save money on buying balls all the time. Thats why I origionally gave him my navy to begin with. Anyway can I or no?

its a modern working replica so im not woried about minor damadge and wear.

Oneida Steve · 05-09-2007, 07:45 AM

Nope. Wrong diameter. Your BP gun needs .451 projectiles and the .44 magnum uses a .429 projectile.

You are not the first to have considered this.

Best to stick with the bullet that the gun was designed to use.

charagrin · 05-09-2007, 01:09 PM

Oh well, TY.-Char

millwright · 05-11-2007, 06:39 PM

Check with Lyman or an old Lyman manual. Keith had a bullet mould cut for this sort of thing. FWIW, the bullet needs to be soft, 1:20 should do it, and it needs a hollow base cavity to obturate and grab the rifling.

I've been looking for that mould at shows for some time now... >MW

05-09-2007, 12:25 AM	#1
charagrin Former Guest Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 451	1851 navy .44 Could I use cast bullets made for reloading into a .44 magnum or .44 special in a single action .44 cal navy? Not the whole shell and all, just the bullet itself. I can get about 5000 of em and my 1851 Navy back from a friend giving up reloading. I dont reload but it'd save money on buying balls all the time. Thats why I origionally gave him my navy to begin with. Anyway can I or no? its a modern working replica so im not woried about minor damadge and wear. --> Last edited by charagrin; 05-09-2007 at 12:28 AM..

05-09-2007, 07:45 AM	#2
Oneida Steve Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,029	Re: 1851 navy .44 Nope. Wrong diameter. Your BP gun needs .451 projectiles and the .44 magnum uses a .429 projectile. You are not the first to have considered this. Best to stick with the bullet that the gun was designed to use.

05-09-2007, 01:09 PM	#3
charagrin Former Guest Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 451	Re: 1851 navy .44 Oh well, TY.-Char

05-11-2007, 06:39 PM	#4
millwright Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,443	Re: 1851 navy .44 Check with Lyman or an old Lyman manual. Keith had a bullet mould cut for this sort of thing. FWIW, the bullet needs to be soft, 1:20 should do it, and it needs a hollow base cavity to obturate and grab the rifling. I've been looking for that mould at shows for some time now... >MW