M97 44 Special bullet diameter

[revo]

Finally got my mind set on a FA 97 in 44 Special. Realized I have NO Earthly need for a 454 Casull. Only a few weeks away from having the loot saved. Frikkin' lickin' my chops like a dog over here...

Been looking around at loads and cast bullets in the meantime. I see some manufacturers offer the following diameter choices for any given cast bullet for the 44:

.429
.430
.431

For you folks that load for one, what do you usually use in the FA 97 44 Special? Is there one diameter that will [most likely] work best, or is it a matter of try'em all until you find the sweet spot?

Was thinking to get some 250gr bullets to build some Skeeter loads.

[myronman3]

my fa 83 44 has tight cylinder throats.  nothing larger than .429 fits.  .4293 wont fit.  strictly 429;  nothing larger in my particular gun.

[Broom Rider]

My 83 also has tight chamber throats. If all their guns are similar, you'd be okay with .429

[Ken ONeill]

I sold mine a couple of years ago, but it used .429's also. My 83 .44 Mag. uses .4295".

[revo]

Cool, thanks for the info.

[Pardon my confusion, just want to be sure] is it a matter of .430's don't fit period, or .429's just work better?

For instance, the CPBC 255 WFN is sized to .430. Will this not chamber?

[myronman3]

 .430's don't fit period. neither do .4295.   429's do.

[revo]

Crap!!

Dang-it...that blows 3/4 of my bullet choices out of the water here. Hornady XTP's are .430 per the load manual. Didn't plan on using them much, but kinda makes those useless.

Dang, dang, dang...

Thanks for the heads up though, folks. This is good for me to know now. Maybe I need to rethink this.

[Graybeard]

I suspect ANY of the major brand names of jacketed bullets will work just fine. It's the cast bullets that are not working I'm pretty sure and the reason is many have a driving band in front of the crimp that is too wide to fit that far forward in the cylinder.

[Broom Rider]

I doubt you'll find any of the jacketed bullets that wouldn't work. Even if the cast bullets are a little oversize they should still function okay. It's undersize cast bullets that you probably want to avoid and with FA's being so snug it opens a world of possibilities in bullet selection. (So long as the loaded ammo will chamber in your gun)