Got my handloads dialed in.

[SLG]

Thanks to Lost River, my .44 magnums are shooting like a house on fire. I don't usually post pics of guns or shots of targets, but I am so pleased with how these handloads are doing that I thought I'd share, as a thank you to Lost River. The gun is a 5" 629 Classic. X500 grips on it. Load is Beartooth bullets 255gr Keith, over 10 grs of Unique. The secret is the crimp:-) Bullet chrono'd at 1210 fps. I shot this today, at 100 yards, from prone. I also shot some of my best ever 25 yard groups with it today, but that was standing. Also amazing to me is the trajectory. POA/POI from 10-100 yards is within a deer's vitals:-)
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[Malamute]

Looks like its working for you.

What can you reveal about the crimp secret?

I've shot far more 9 grs Unique than any other charge in the 44 mag. Its always been a good performer, and not unpleasant to shoot. Looks like 10 grs in a winner also.

[41magfan]

It's been a long time since I loaded any Unique but I seem to recall that powder liking a very firm roll crimp with cartridges in that category.

[GJM]

I think you are humble-bragging.

[SLG]

Looks like its working for you.

What can you reveal about the crimp secret?


The secret is...you need to crimp them. :-) But you already knew that. I am very new to pistol cartridge reloading, and am used to precision rifle reloading. I certainly know heavy revolver loads need crimps, but I figured that 10 grs was light enough to not need it. I was wrong. Not only did I tie my cylinder up one day, but my accuracy, which I thought was pretty good, was way worse than it is now. If there is a particular way to crimp, I'm unaware of it. I use a Lee crimp die, and it seems to work great. In fact, I broke out our Dillons today and may go into business:-)

[SLG]

I think you are humble-bragging.

I won't lie, I am very happy with a sub 6" group at 100 yards and irons. I haven't shot that small a 100 yard group since I had to switch from my beloved Sigs. And they had no recoil.

I wouldn't post a trophy target, ever, since that is not of interest to me. This gun was extremely consistent today, shooting much better than my usual duty weapons. I fired almost 50 rds, and all of them were small groups at different distances and positions. Very consistent. If it continues that way for the next few sessions, I'll be willing to consider it an on demand ability, which is what i am always after.

[Wayne Dobbs]

10.0 of Unique with a standard weight SWC is a sweet spot with the caliber. It will also shoot all the way through anything on this continent and kill them "freezer wrap" dead. Go forth and harvest the Lord's bounty now! If you want .44 Special performance, drop down to 8.5 grains and you'll probably like that one too.

[Malamute]

The secret is...you need to crimp them. :-) But you already knew that. I am very new to pistol cartridge reloading, and am used to precision rifle reloading. I certainly know heavy revolver loads need crimps, but I figured that 10 grs was light enough to not need it. I was wrong. Not only did I tie my cylinder up one day, but my accuracy, which I thought was pretty good, was way worse than it is now. If there is a particular way to crimp, I'm unaware of it. I use a Lee crimp die, and it seems to work great. In fact, I broke out our Dillons today and may go into business:-)

Yes, I started out using fairly heavy roll crimps with revolver loads. I think it helps Unique burn cleaner also, as does the medium power range loads.

I dont know how the Lee dies crimp, I've mostly had RCBS dies. You can make a pretty serious roll crimp with them. Turning the brass all the way into the crimp groove in the Lyman/Keith bullets is not difficult.

[SLG]

You can make a pretty serious roll crimp with them. Turning the brass all the way into the crimp groove in the Lyman/Keith bullets is not difficult.

To show how little i know, Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[SLG]

10.0 of Unique with a standard weight SWC is a sweet spot with the caliber. It will also shoot all the way through anything on this continent and kill them "freezer wrap" dead. Go forth and harvest the Lord's bounty now! If you want .44 Special performance, drop down to 8.5 grains and you'll probably like that one too.

I loaded some 8.5 up a few weeks ago when I first was given the secret recipe from LR. It is certainly pleasant to shoot, but I'm too simple of a guy to have more than one power load in a single caliber. I find the 10g quite pleasant to shoot, and figure I'll simplify things and just have a ton of them around. This is a hunting gun and a ranch gun, so power and flat shooting is what I'm after. As you said, this combo will likely go through anything on the continent:-)

[Chuck Haggard]

That's pretty awesome.

[Malamute]

To show how little i know, Is that a good thing or a bad thing?


Its just a pretty deep crimp groove. The dies roll the case into it pretty well.

http://www.fototime.com/68B4E7F5228FB76/standard.jpg



I loaded some 8.5 up a few weeks ago when I first was given the secret recipe from LR. It is certainly pleasant to shoot, but I'm too simple of a guy to have more than one power load in a single caliber. I find the 10g quite pleasant to shoot, and figure I'll simplify things and just have a ton of them around. This is a hunting gun and a ranch gun, so power and flat shooting is what I'm after. As you said, this combo will likely go through anything on the continent:-)

I settled on 3 different 44 loads, 6 1/2 grs Unique in a 44 spl case, the 9 grs Unique with the 240-250 gr cast, and the Keith load of 22 grs/2400 with the 250 gr Lyman cast. The 9 grs are the most fun and do the most general work I think, your loads are just a bit more of a good thing. With the 9 gr load I was trying to come close to the Remington medium power factory load of 240 gr cast bullet @ about 1000 fps, even though I've never shot any of them in factory loads (that was the 1980's anyway). I think that load may run a bit over 1000 fps, but it didnt matter, they shot so well and are so comfortable to shoot I didnt care too much exactly what velocity they were.

The medium loads flatten trajectory out enough to make it quite a bit easier to hit at extended distances over 44 spl level loads, but werent at all unpleasant to shoot. I made 5 for 6 on our old 300 yard plate (18w x 36h)with that load in my 4" 29. I think with a little practice it would do well on smaller plates at distance.

It didnt take long to get over shooting the hotter loads in the 44's, the medium loads are really sweet shooters. I load up with the heavier stuff when going out where the bears hang out, but the vast majority of 44 shooting is the medium level stuff.

[LSP552]

Looks like you are ready for hunting season!

[Irelander]

Nice shooting and great gun.

I majorly regret selling my 629 Classic 5" earlier this year when we bought our house and needed some additional cash. I really need to get another one.

[okie john]

10.0 of Unique with a standard weight SWC is a sweet spot with the caliber. It will also shoot all the way through anything on this continent and kill them "freezer wrap" dead. Go forth and harvest the Lord's bounty now! If you want .44 Special performance, drop down to 8.5 grains and you'll probably like that one too.

This. The first deer I killed with a handgun fell to this load. It will drop just about anything, plus you can shoot it enough to get really good.


Okie John

[JHC]

Fantastic shooting; totally Elmer Keith stuff here! :D

Are you weighing each charge or using those Lee scoops?

[LSP552]

10.0 of Unique with a standard weight SWC is a sweet spot with the caliber. It will also shoot all the way through anything on this continent and kill them "freezer wrap" dead. Go forth and harvest the Lord's bounty now! If you want .44 Special performance, drop down to 8.5 grains and you'll probably like that one too.

That's not a bad load in .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk either.

[Dagga Boy]

10.0 of Unique with a standard weight SWC is a sweet spot with the caliber. It will also shoot all the way through anything on this continent and kill them "freezer wrap" dead. Go forth and harvest the Lord's bounty now! If you want .44 Special performance, drop down to 8.5 grains and you'll probably like that one too.

Should I have your favorite niece start praying for SLG......:cool:

[Sal Picante]

Reloading with Antique, err "Unique"...

I'm always impressed at how accurate the powder is...

[SLG]

Fantastic shooting; totally Elmer Keith stuff here! :D

Are you weighing each charge or using those Lee scoops?

Currently use a chargemaster for eveything. Going to try a standard powder measure in a few days. I like the Lee idea, but it seems like a lot of work if they dont have a scoop size for exactly what you want.

[SLG]

Should I have your favorite niece start praying for SLG......:cool:

I think you'll have to let us in on that one.

[Dagga Boy]

I think you'll have to let us in on that one.

So my daughter is in the car and asks, "Dad, where is Uncle Wayne, I haven't seen him in awhile". I tell her that Uncle Wayne is on a deer hunting trip. My little animal rights activist who is a carnivore that doesn't want to discus the circle of life says "oh no daddy, Uncle Wayne kills everything he see's". So she closes her eyes really tight and says "Dear God, please do not let Uncle Wayne see any animals on his trip".............So a few days later when Wayne gets back and calls me. "This was the weirdest trip ever, I didn't see a single deer or much of any animals at all".......then I explained the "hex" my little angel put on him. Now, Uncle Wayne keeps hunting trips a secret until after he gets back.

[SLG]

So my daughter is in the car and asks, "Dad, where is Uncle Wayne, I haven't seen him in awhile". I tell her that Uncle Wayne is on a deer hunting trip. My little animal rights activist who is a carnivore that doesn't want to discus the circle of life says "oh no daddy, Uncle Wayne kills everything he see's". So she closes her eyes really tight and says "Dear God, please do not let Uncle Wayne see any animals on his trip".............So a few days later when Wayne gets back and calls me. "This was the weirdest trip ever, I didn't see a single deer or much of any animals at all".......then I explained the "hex" my little angel put on him. Now, Uncle Wayne keeps hunting trips a secret until after he gets back.

Please dont tell her about me!

[Lost River]

That's some great shooting! That 10 grain unique load is responsible for many a dead critter. Judging by your steel shooting, some deer could be in serious trouble!

[GJM]

Please dont tell her about me!

He must have mentioned our moose hunt, too.

[Lost River]

You mentioned .44s in the plural. What other .44s are in the SLG Armory (that you are willing to discuss)?

[SLG]

That's some great shooting! That 10 grain unique load is responsible for many a dead critter. Judging by your steel shooting, some deer could be in serious trouble!

Thanks LR. Given some of the long range pistol shooting you do, my efforts are meager. All due to your help with the handloads.

As for other .44's, I've always been a Keith fan, and while my collection is not as nice as yours, I have a few others. 629 Mtn Gun, 29 Mtn gun, and a 6.5" 629. The 629 Mtn Gun shoots almost as well as my Classic. The 29 Mtn Gun was a gift from my wife when we had our first child. The S&W Performance center tuned it up and put Keith style bars in the front sight for me. Definitely a keeper. However, that 5" classic is a really sweet combination of recoil absorbing weight, sight radius, and packability. Hard to pass it up.

[Malamute]

Sounds like a very good group of Smith 44's.

[Lost River]

SLG,

That sounds like a very nice collection of .44s, and one to be proud of. Very cool about the "Birth" gun! My bride bought me a 4" .44 Redhawk, back a number of years ago, as a 10th anniversary gun. Such guns are to be treasured and passed on to kids, who hopefully will understand.

[blake_g]

So my daughter is in the car and asks, "Dad, where is Uncle Wayne, I haven't seen him in awhile". I tell her that Uncle Wayne is on a deer hunting trip. My little animal rights activist who is a carnivore that doesn't want to discus the circle of life says "oh no daddy, Uncle Wayne kills everything he see's". So she closes her eyes really tight and says "Dear God, please do not let Uncle Wayne see any animals on his trip".............So a few days later when Wayne gets back and calls me. "This was the weirdest trip ever, I didn't see a single deer or much of any animals at all".......then I explained the "hex" my little angel put on him. Now, Uncle Wayne keeps hunting trips a secret until after he gets back.

That's hilarious - anyone who doesn't crack a smile and that has no soul...

[Wayne Dobbs]

I truly do believe in the power of prayer...just never had it work against me like that!

[LittleLebowski]

Thanks to Lost River, my .44 magnums are shooting like a house on fire. I don't usually post pics of guns or shots of targets, but I am so pleased with how these handloads are doing that I thought I'd share, as a thank you to Lost River. The gun is a 5" 629 Classic. X500 grips on it. Load is Beartooth bullets 255gr Keith, over 10 grs of Unique. The secret is the crimp:-) Bullet chrono'd at 1210 fps. I shot this today, at 100 yards, from prone. I also shot some of my best ever 25 yard groups with it today, but that was standing. Also amazing to me is the trajectory. POA/POI from 10-100 yards is within a deer's vitals:-)
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Looks like we have a ringer for this DOTW (https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?17260-Week-130-Your-Best-Group)!