Cast bullet dumb question

[walks with gun]

I picked up a Rossi 720 5 shot, three inch .44 special the other day, figured a stainless gun might be nice for canoeing, fishing, yard work and occasional trail gun. And I don't have to search for .45acp brass in the snow. Anyway what would be your choice of cast bullet if limited to a 214gr. semi-wadcutter or a 205gr. roundnose flat point. I've been using up my FP 44-40 bullets up because it's what I had cast up when I brought the new gun home but am leaning towards switching to the semi wadcutters so I could tell from a quick glance whether they are 44spl's or 44-40's ( old eye syndrome ) with light loads 5.8grs. of unique,, do you think the SWDC'rs would give any additional terminal performance, both in cutting edge and penetration over the round nose flat points.

[AJMD429]

I think the SWDC'rs would be more effective due to the meplat effect, but I'm not speaking from experience (just from the "I read in a gun magazine..." level of expertise... )

[Blaine]

(Without Looking) Aren't 44 WCF bullets too small for a 44 Special?

[walks with gun]

A lot of older 44-40's seemed to be .427 but newer ones work with .429 and that's what I sized these.

[Sixgun]

Because of what we all read, we tend to over analyze choices. Unless you have a select purpose that your life depends on, or the possibility of a $5,000 hunt going down the tubes because of bullet selection, I would shoot both styles and whatever is more accurate or whatever you have more of.....use that. Large caliber bullets of any style have been doing a great job of killing things for a lot of years.

Stick with your excellent load of Unique or some other fast burning powder and there's not much that won't stop moving after absorbing one or more of those 44 caliber slugs.--------6

[OldWin]

I actually carried a 720 for a few years back when I had hair. Mine liked 200 & 240gr. Hornady XTP's and 246gr Keith's cast from wheel weights. All bullets over Unique.

My dad is 75 and still packs one around once in a while.

It was a neat little revolver. I probably shoulda' kept it.

[M. M. Wright]

Listen to 6!

[w30wcf]

If the meplat is the same diameter on both bullets, there would be no difference in terminal performance if the impact velocity was the same.

w30wcf

[mikld]

WWG, Your .429" bullets may work, but I would suggest you measure/slug the cylinder throats of your revolver. Size the bullets to the same diameter as the cylinder throats. My .44 revolvers run .432" or there about with a .429" groove diameter and .429" bullet most often lead the bbl.

As Sixgun noted, for your uses, bullet shape is mostly what you think looks best, or which bullet shoots best in your gun. I don't use bullets under 240 gr. for any of my 5, .44 Magnums (or Special loads) with 245+ gr. SWC or RNFP (Ranch Dog design) being my usual revolver bullet.

[Griff]

What sixgun said.

[Old Savage]

Something with a front end that looks like this

[JohndeFresno]

What sixgun said.

Good answers, but another vote for the 6er.

[walks with gun]

Thanks guy's, I cast a bunch of 215 semi-wadcutters today and letting the liquid Alox dry on them now. Hopefully Sunday or Monday I'll try some loads with these. We've got the occasional wolf and cougar around the property but am mostly using this gun for family plinking (with family not at) and while mowing. Plenty of blood thirsty chipmunks and gophers out there and I'd hate to get caught without appropriate stopping power.

[JohndeFresno]

...Plenty of blood thirsty chipmunks and gophers out there and I'd hate to get caught without appropriate stopping power.

[Lastmohecken]

Anything might get the job done, but IMHO Elmer Keith got it right with the Semi-wadcutter style for cast bullets and living flesh and bone. For tin cans and paper targets, and steel plates any bullet shape will be fine unless you are trying to reload a revolver against the clock, then it's definitely better to have a rounded nose of somekind.

My experiences favor the big flat face of the SWC, but the round nose has killed a lot of stuff, in the past.

[JohndeFresno]

I like Lastmohecken's post, too...
Too bad that this hunting choice was snatched away from us Californians.