.44 special

[Malamute]

Good info thanks!

I was intending for 1000 fps with my medium load with 240-250 gr cast bullets, and settled on 9 grs unique, which seems pretty close to most chrono info Ive seen. Have shot scads of this load over the years, and use it with 200 gr cast also for mild carbine loads.

I had some 290 gr Keith looking bullets from Denver Bullets back in the early 90s. I tried 18.5 grs 2400, which chrono'd 1225 fps in a 6" gun I had at the time, and 12 fps variation. I stopped there. Good enough. I think I loaded 100 rds and still have most of them.

[Lost River]

The problem with 185 wadcutters is availability.

I HAD been getting them from a supplier back east, but my interaction with him was a complete goat rope and the single most long and unpleasant experience I have ever had in the cast bullet/reloading industry. Never, ever again will I deal with him.

That said, our Montana brothers just to the east make some great 200 grain wadcutters that I have been using, and seem to be a good substitute. I bought a bunch of bullets from Rim Rock Bullets. They were easy to deal with, fun to talk to, obviously shooters, and were quick to ship. Nothing but positive things to say.

Awesome .38 WCs and SWCs too!

I did buy a bunch of those for the purpose of J Frame practice, Jackrabbit eradication, and just plain goofing off!

They DID say that they would cast some 185s but it would require at least an order of at least 10K. That really is not all that unreasonable, and if I had some more free time, and some more discretionary income, I would place an order. Right now though, I am just stretched a bit thin for 10K of strictly WCs for the .44.

[mtnbkr]

22.5 grains H110 with 300 to 320 grain cast SWC loads for anything heavy, such as elk, dinosaurs, Mack Trucks, large, angry women that catch you between them and the buffet line at Golden Corral..

Oh, I thought you'd be using something lighter. My 310/H110 load is 21.5, but I'm going to take that down a bit. It's just not *fun* anymore. It doesn't bother my wrists, but it whacks the snot out of the first joint in my thumb (the one closest to the top of the gripframe). I have a scope on that gun now and will be looking for a load that smacks steel with authority, but is still fun to shoot.

I never shot the 310/H110 loads in my 629. I know they're not fragile per se, but I didn't want to wear it prematurely either. Plus, with the RB gripframe, those loads would be murder on my hands.

Most of the time I shoot the light and mid level loads, with 10 grains Unique through the Smiths, and leave the heavy loads for my Redhawks.

That's what I mainly shoot out of my 629 (and Redhawk for that matter these days). It's mainly a warm weather hiking/camping gun by virtue of the RB grip.

BTW, since you mentioned Redhawks, as you are likely well aware since you are a handloader and caster (though I am sure many newer .44 shooters are not), is that Redhawks have longer cylinders than Smith & Wessons and even Ruger Blackhawks. I consider this an advantage, and when I load my heavy, specifically "Ruger Only" loads, I load then to an overall length that prevents them from being chambered in S&Ws. It is a great little reloading "safety feature" that a prudent loader can do.

Yup, I use the bottom crimp groove in my Lee 310 bullets to prevent those from being stuffed into my 629.

Chris

[Lost River]

I have gone as low as 19.5 grains of H110, but it is not a powder that likes reduced charges.

With that said, there is absolutely NO reason not to do it the easiest way possible..


Take your heavy, 300-320 grain cast bullet and push it with 10 grains of Unique!

You will get the desired velocity range you seek and it will not only be easy on the guns, but easy on you too.


I have done so before, and accuracy was quite good. That said, it did not fill a niche/role for me, and my simple "3 loads for all my big bore needs" philosophy has worked very well, so I stick with it, only fiddling with other things on occasion.

[mtnbkr]

I have gone as low as 19.5 grains of H110, but it is not a powder that likes reduced charges.

With that said, there is absolutely NO reason not to do it the easiest way possible..

Take your heavy, 300-320 grain cast bullet and push it with 10 grains of Unique!

You will get the desired velocity range you seek and it will not only be easy on the guns, but easy on you too.

I have done so before, and accuracy was quite good. That said, it did not fill a niche/role for me, and my simple "3 loads for all my big bore needs" philosophy has worked very well, so I stick with it, only fiddling with other things on occasion.

When I first worked up my load, I started around 19gr H110, but found 21.5 to be the most accurate (that I could handle, much over that was too much). However, I'm thinking about giving it another run to see if my original findings still hold.

10gr of Unique is not an option I've considered. I'll have to give that a try. Thanks!

Chris