I noticed Beartooth has 5 different sizes of bullets for the 44 Mag, from .429 to .432.

Is there a rule of thumb as to which size works best in a 1894?

I noticed Beartooth has 5 different sizes of bullets for the 44 Mag, from .429 to .432.

Is there a rule of thumb as to which size works best in a 1894?

Depends on the size of your barrel......slug the barrel and then buy .001 oversized bullets. Some folks may recommend .002 oversize.

Some folks use lead fishing weights for slugging their barrels, and some use the soft muzzle loading round bullets and then some buy kits available with different size soft lead slugs for the specific purpose of slug/measuring barrels.

Dan

Indeed size DOES matter, in fact when it comes to acheiving superb cast bullet accuracy there are three things that are crucial:

Bullet fit. Bullet fit. Bullet fit.That is why we offer custom sizing options for virtually all our bullets. While there are a few "rules of thumb" there are always unexpected exceptions. This is why slugging the bore/throats of your firearms are heartily encouraged in all our literature.

Here are a few of those "rules of thumb" for sizing options.

Marlin 30A/336's in .30-30:
Older pre-crossbolt safety models .311"
post cross-bolt models .310"

Winchester M94 .30-30's almost universally .310"

Winchester and Marlin .32 Special: .323"

.348 Win. in original 71's and Brownchester 71's: .349"-.350"

Winchester 94's in .357 Mag: .358"
Marlin 1894's, Brownchester 92's, Rossi 92 clones in .357 Mag.: .359"

Winchester 94BB .375 Win and Marlin 375's: .377"

Marlin 1894's in .41 Mag: .411"

.44 Mags in Winchester 94's, Brownchester 92's, Marlin 1894's, Rossi 92 clones, Ruger Deerfield, Ruger lever actions, Remington 788's: .432"

.444 Marlin chambered in Marlin and Winchester variations: .432"

.45-70 in Marlin 1895's (all variations), Original Winchester 86's, Brownchester 86's, NEF/H&R, Brownchester 1885's, Ruger No.1 & No.3's, C.Sharps and Pedersoli made Sharps replicas: .460"

.450 Marlin: .460"

Not only does sizing matter, but it can mean the difference between a tack driver and a modified choke shooter! Too, the issues of leading the bore become virtually non-existant with properly sized bullets. Too, the need for bullets to "bump-up", or obturate under pressure to "fill the bore" is eliminated, along with most issues which cause finicky load development. When bullet sizing is correct, all other aspects of cast bullet load development become very straight forward.

Yep, size DOES matter! I hope this has been of help to you, and others.

God bless,