44 Colt/Russian

[DeaconKC]

I would suggest that starting out, you look closely at the Lee Turret Press kit. It can be set up to learn on as a single stage, and then you can set it up to progress when you get comfortable with it. Also, you will not outgrow it, as you can feel like you will with a single stage press. And with the ability to swap out a turret head, you can set up each head for a complete cartridge. With a single stage, you have to swap out each die for every step of the way.
A Starter kit from Lee will run around $250 for the single stage press and around $300 for the turret kit. This will get you started with everything but the dies and ammunition components.

[Professor Marvel]

Iwas going to recommend the ubiquitus Lee Hand Press since it is portabler, handy, easy-peasy ...

as seen here



https://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html

until i saw the price has more than doubled! I got mine for $29 ...

[Crow Choker]

I would suggest that starting out, you look closely at the Lee Turret Press kit. It can be set up to learn on as a single stage, and then you can set it up to progress when you get comfortable with it. Also, you will not outgrow it, as you can feel like you will with a single stage press. And with the ability to swap out a turret head, you can set up each head for a complete cartridge. With a single stage, you have to swap out each die for every step of the way.
A Starter kit from Lee will run around $250 for the single stage press and around $300 for the turret kit. This will get you started with everything but the dies and ammunition components.

Progressive vs single stage press vs turret press always a great debate among reloaders. Uberti vs Pietta vs whatever---same Ol debate among shooters. True if set up right and working as designed, a progressive can outproduce a single stage and/or turret press. A turret press is nothing but a single stage with a revolving head to hold the whole box of needed dies. I've been reloading since Feb of 1976, over the years I've and still do reload for eight handgun and nine rifle cartridges. Reload on the same single stage RCBS RockChucker I bought back then including powder measure and scale. I've added some other this and that over the years but I'm able to reload more ammo than I can shoot or could shoot at any range day or CAS style shoots. Reloading a day here, a day there, spending an afternoon or two can result in alot of ammo in the box.

As penned before I love to reload, the challenge of it and satisfaction or producing accurate and cheaper ammo to enjoy shooting. IMO I can keep a better eye on ammo quality with the single stage vs a progressive as one thing gets out of tune on a progressive, some little quirk on the finished cartridge will detract something from the needed quality. I've read and heard of this from progressive reloaders over the years, maybe only a few rounds will be affected but maybe alot, but the reloader needs to pull bullets, resize, whatever it takes to go back and produce a quality cartridge. Not always the case, but something to watch out for. I know you progressive press, Dillion type fans will howl, but I don't trust em 100%.  I watch over each round as an eagle does her hatch.

The turret head presses are only in reality a short cut to avoid changing dies. I'll preform one function on 50-200 rounds such as resize/deprime, flare, etc change dies and go to the next stage depending on what I'm reloading. Changing dies is as easy as changing your socks and shoes after you've done it a few times, ie where and how to set. the turret heads just are IMO as Jeff Cooper advised "An ingenious solution to a non-existent problem."

Midway and Midsouth have some pretty good sale prices on reloading kits at present., checked their Lee's. I always say start with what you need for your shooting but don't try to cut corners as you'll end up buying anyway, but don't go overboard and have things never or not needed. Been there in the early days, seen that with other reloaders. Have heard of and known also of guys wanting to reload, investing $$$ in reloading equipment, then quitting doing so. They've found they don't like to take the time, have the patience, thought it was going to be as easy as loading a firearm, didn't like the needed and required diligence for precision, would state it was easier buying ammo--many ended up boxing up the equipment and/or selling it.

Pappy or any other shooter thinking/wanting to get into reloading, try to find someone in your area that reloads and see what is required and how to do it. Ask questions here and anywhere. Watch out for salespersons in a big box store that tells you what you need. Some of them are knowledgeable, while others take the short course on some shooting/firearm aspect but, well are there to sell. I've seen it personally from them and overheard them advising some customer. Not always the case but have talked with guys that have bought more than needed or spent more than desired. Don't be afraid to ask questions here or to anyone. I'm not fodder for writing columns in some reloading magazine but have alot of experience over the years as many of the members on the forum. JMO-I know others may vary.

[Little Dalton]

And as Crow Choker so aptly observed that everyone's going to have different opinions, I'm going to severely disagree with his assessment of turret presses. I've used single stage, turret (for the longest time) and progressive presses- and the turret is MUCH MORE than a "place to put the whole box of dies" and a "solution to a nonexistent problem". If you wanted to treat it as a single stage and not use indexing- sure. But that is one of the advantages of a turret press- you CAN do just that if desired. But they are much more than that. Turret presses are faster, and more self-contained than a single stage- eliminating the need for loading blocks or trays. A properly set up turret press allows you to sit down and make as many or as few rounds at a time as you'd like- eliminating the need to do "batches", and equipped with a good auto powder measure, greatly reduces the chance of an overcharge or squib as long as you keep the hopper full. As someone who has moved on to a progressive, my recommendation would be for a Lee Classic Turret over a single stage any day of the week. Superb press for the money.

[Tronicst1]

Iwas going to recommend the ubiquitus Lee Hand Press since it is portabler, handy, easy-peasy ...

as seen here



https://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html

until i saw the price has more than doubled! I got mine for $29 ...

I started with one of those and still have it in my reloading bag.
It will come in handy if ever needed in the field. I also keep my old balance
beam scale in the same bag for the same reason. I use a LEE Breech Lock
Challenger press, a Lee Perfect Powder Measure and a Hornady G2-1500
Digital Powder Scale on my bench at home but all of that is too cumbersome
to take anywhere if needed to.

[Froogal]

When I first got into reloading, I really wasn't sure if it was something I would really enjoy, so I didn't want to invest a lot of money. I shopped around on several on-line retailer sites, and settled on the Lee anniversary single stage kit because it looked like the most bang for the buck. That was several years ago. I'm still using it. Never felt the need to upgrade to a turret or progressive. I just set down at the reloading bench, turn on the radio, and go off into my own little world.

[Crow Choker]

As Ten Bears stated in Josey Wales "There's iron in your words" Little Dalton. A turret has its place, no argument, but I like to perform individual reloading steps to a bunch of brass of a certain caliber one at time. Resize/deprime all I want to reload, flare the mouth (except for bottle neck rifle brass), prime (use an older model Lee hand primer), dump powder, seat bullet/crimp. For handgun ammo I either use a Lee bullet crimper after seating the bullet or turn the bullet seating stem up and use the bullet seating die to crimp as a separate step. I and alot of others I've read feel a better more uniform crimp is attained this way.

I just like to keep track of how the individual steps are performing, being able to correct any thing that may need fine tuning. 99% of the time everything works as expected, ie set. Might be alot of overkill and take a bit more time, but rarely rarely rarely have a problem round. Glad there are the options we have for reloading. I will say if I were to shoot 2-3 times a week and go to shoots three weekends out of the month in warmer Iowa weather, I could change my mind but could have to burn the midnight oil to keep up with my faithful ol RockChucker. 

[Roosterman]

I have been going to local gunshows and seeing used reloading equipment dirt cheap. No shipping either!

[Abilene]

I started with a used Lee 3-hole turret in around '98, for $79 with 44 mag dies (I was loading for an Anaconda).  Upgraded to 4-hole later.  No auto-index, I do it by hand.  I run small batches, usually 100 rounds at a time, and love the 15 second caliber change.  I fill loading trays with the empty brass first, to inspect for cracks.  Then size/deprime all.  Then prime all with RCBS hand primer.  Then back to the press for powder drop (sometimes that is hand dipped), bullet seat, and Lee factory crimp.  A couple years ago I bought an old Dillon 550 (2nd year production), and doing my higher volume loading on that now (.38's and .45 Colt) and love it. I like the hand indexing on that as well, and can use it as a single stage if I want.

[Pappy Hayes]

Does it have 44 special chambers?  It will be marked on the underside of the barrel.  I believe most are so chambered and is fine to do so.  Most run 200 grainers at 650-750 fps, ie 44 Colt ballistics.

My two older guns are only marked 44 colt. My new on is marked both. The 44 special will fit the older guns cylinder

[Drydock]

Over 30 years I have accumulated a dozen old military rifles in a dozen different calibers. Each rifle has it's associated issue handgun to go with it.  I also have 2 dozen Lee 4 hole turrets preset to load them, on one press.  A press I got at a pawn shop nearly 30 years ago.

I love this system.  But as my wife says, I'm "special".   

[Major 2]

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=44+Colt+and+Russian+dies&_sacat=0

a coupla hours left !  no dog in the hunt, just happen to see them on eBay

if you miss that... then

https://www.ebay.com/itm/221189843963?hash=item337ff12bfb:g:DlwAAOSwU7BhOP82&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8CMoGCdcIDbTROIppuaRIYuOfP4C5%2BIWuItMzvx8UiFp%2BZYvjBMbYHE%2BuIrlKUsongs%2Bm112eBv2ZsjIzlgsBKxZtGSEB4MnLzXg3v4bQbothRTSsYYCfUe4DZQjbKtg2feR3GKCynH2nFGDVfAr8L3XH62VKnMd6g2s3zZOm2DB89eUqklZN%2BRbLEQInBYg8X5QgSOYCHefxjRKEFHi3cN%2BY641AdKD4w2dC8VpZRAiOvQoVRSvJy5lfZOZd6W6QjR8yGIWI30NooVjI56Cu0zwFPYmgjBBJHUGHUQah20lJezgiNRpj8KuyEVRjuyoQQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8iNlL36YQ

Plus 2 (DeaconKC & Drydock)  on the Lee Classic Turret Press

[Coffinmaker]

  Hey Everbody 

I gotta agree on the Lee Classique Turret Press.  Several Lustrum ago, when I was actively chasing the Brass Rings and was shooting about 5,000 rounds a month, I NEEDED a high capacity Progressive.  Dillon 650.  Two of 'em.  One is now going back to Dillon for a much needed rebuild.  Starting out, one doesn't need that type of press, especially for a single caliber.  The Lee turret press will serve yeomanly for Lustrum to come.

As an aside, at one time, Cimarron was having Uberti mark lots of Open
Tops as "44 Colt" even when chambered for 44 Special.  Seems some folks just couldn't get around an Open Top in a more "modern" cartridge.  Heck, I've even got two .44 Barrels marked for 44-40.  Uberti never chambered an Open Top en 44-40.  Go figure.

[Black River Smith]

My two older guns are only marked 44 colt. My new on is marked both. The 44 special will fit the older guns cylinder

Pappy,

I am only making a 'guess' with my next statements but correct me if I am wrong.  I would 'guess' that you put a loaded crimped 44Spec in those 44Colt chambers and it went in and 'fit'.  I did the same thing with my 44Colt marked Open Top (2001).  BUT, did you try inserting a sized unloaded casing into those very same chambers.  'I did' and it would not fully seat, it stuck out the back of the cylinder some, because the 44 Spec length was too long for the throat step in my cylinders.  A true 44 Colt only that could and did handle/fire 44 Russians.

If I am incorrect great but IF NOT try the empty casing first before firing a 44Spec.  That crimp will allow it to fit/seat flush but if that round is fired the crimp will unfold into the chamber throat building too much pressure.

Hope this helps you.

PS -- as far as reloading dies, I have a set of RCBS 44 Spec/Mag that I then bought an extra 44 Spec Seating die off of Ebay and shortened it for the 44 Colt length only(44 Spec would not work for me without shortening the RCBS die).  I decided to just buy the LEE 44 Russian carbide set, because at the time (2002) I could not find a set of RCBS dies anywhere.  Now there are more of them available on Ebay.

[Major 2]

Like Drydock, I got into Milsurps, (namely 303 brit, 30-40 Kreg, 30-06 & 8MM Label)
(I did dabble with 308 and Swiss Vetterli 10mm using cut down Label brass)
I also roll my own 32/20, 45 ACP, Auto Rim & 7.65 Mauser plus assorted Cowboy calibers.

It was the Milsurps and the need for both 44 Russian and the 32/20 (for my original guns)
that I need to load for.

I first bought a Lyman Turret Press w/ six turret holes, this setup remains for the 30-40 & the Label.
What sold me on the Lee Classic was the simple quick load removable turrets.... @ $11 each
These I have set up for each of my most loaded calibers, quick change no muss, no fuss.
Best part was I bought the Lee Classis for $108 brand spanking new.

I don't load 1000's of rounds a month, maybe a couple of hundred at most,
so the Dillon though desirable would-be like driving a * Porsche 911 Turbo to a kids socker practice.*

* I LOVE TO BUT it isn't going to happen 

[Abilene]

In the first few years of the Cimarron Opentops, most .44's were marked 44 Colt but some were marked .44 Russian, and they would only chamber those rounds (the 44 Colt would chamber 44 Russian, but not vice versa, and none would chamber the Special).  Then when they added the 44 Special (and dropped the 44 Russian not long after), some of the cylinders in the 44 Colt marked guns would chamber 44 Special and some would not.  They used Black Hills dummy rounds in all calibers for checking function (regular rounds with a clear plastic "primer" ).  You could drop 44 special dummies in some of the 44 Colt cylinders and it seemed like they fit, but they weren't totally seated in the chamber and the cylinder wouldn't turn.  When a customer wanted 44 Special and only 44 Colt were in stock, they had a 44 Spcl hand reamer to turn the Colts into Specials.  I did a number of those.  They finally eliminated the Colt altogether as well as slowly phasing out options like charcoal blue on those guns because as more and more models of all types of cowboys guns became available, there were just too many to stock and cash flow was impacted.

[Drydock]

A few of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/162492368280?epid=1610442476&hash=item25d54cc598:g:LSUAAOSwKfJbYGlT&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8F6yqTHMEwdVUKHcXfiInAeNrDh9Do8UfyV6JUuhSg%2FFCaqvv06bcBTOp8mDqvdW3odV9WX%2BP29Y9c%2BqiAlEtaNg9voZXCZLHV2OiMU5XrKL4Ma81%2BE1HLs%2BuVdna2KjdIiapd7UWpqzjLq%2BtKoY4qJvVAT%2FMoWjeEjVKuDeUbEToVuBl3hx64AVmu%2BUL%2B994Klzd9AaKjJxgn1To3sYnRpY%2Bv724pclOo0chUCTxf5J1YXFNDkCBzdbewRe8fk1sxGOLP34QHJirBlgxacUQqOD3wllbfw5r2s6T22MioCrHGYjGDObSg%2FT1bkzCUKagw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMzLC2_fxh  really speeds things up.  He makes them for other powder measures as well. 

I've bought a number of Lee Perfects at sales and such for under $20, so a fair few of my more often loaded rounds have their own powder measure preset and mounted with one of these adapters.  FWIW they work great with 777 powder.

[RoyceP]

Is there no company making 44 Colt/Russian ammo? Can't see to find any. Anyone in my area of Independence  MO that does reloading?

44 Russian and 44 Colt ammo are quite different and require different equipment. Heel type bullets require a heeled bullet crimp die like this:

https://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/shop/ols/products/44-colt-heel-seated-crimp-die

Also 44 Colt heel bullets are totally different. Cases for 44 Colt are also unique.

[Drydock]

Historically this is true. But current production by Uberti all use .429 barrels and chamber throats.

[RoyceP]

Historically this is true. But current production by Uberti all use .429 barrels and chamber throats.

So far the OP has not said if the gun is a reproduction or an original. If it's a Uberti they are fine with 44 Special ammo. At least mine is. I am in Tulsa and reload 44 Russian too so that's an option for the OP.

44 Colt is a whole other thing and I do not have the equipment for that. You might be able to fire a 44 Russian in a gun chambered for 44 Colt but the bullet would rattle around in the barrel and it would not be accurate.