I flubbed...it is a 445 Taurus
Larry
Mine is a 445 Taurus in .44 Spl. Stainless steel.
I bought it used and had to put no small amount of effort into cleaning it.
The previous owner shot it and "put it away wet".
I used many patches cut from Lead Wipe-Away cloth to get the cylinder clean
enough that the rounds would "drop" in and then fall out when I upended it
without any of them sticking in the cylinder.
Hoppe's #9 was my first line of attack to clean it, but it didn't get the
lead deposits out of the cylinder from the area where the front of the case
met the cut in the cylinder holes.
Even with hefty brushing of the bore with Hoppe's and patches coming out
"clean", the Wipe-Away patches removed much, much more gunk from the bore
that the Hoppe's didn't touch.
All in all, and after a good three to four hours of dismantling this Taurus
down to the springs and screws and the use of brake cleaner and
toothbrushes, I have this Taurus almost as clean as the day it left the
factory.
Now all I need do is find some good suggestions for handloads for it. I am
thinking that a good, 240 gr SWC cast lead bullet would be a good start.
Then maybe some Unique or 231 to send the SWC on the way will be in
order...maybe at around 800-900 fps.
By the way, I cast my own bullets from wheel weights and can cast weights
from 180 through 260 grains with several different molds. I don't think I'd
want to try anything heaver than 240 grains though.
Any suggestions?
George
I shoot lead out of a .44 Mag and gas check everyhting. I have never had a
problem with lead even though I use reclaimed wheel weights for alloy.
George in Las Vegas.