I was just perusing the CamPro website and found that the 240gr FMJ bullets I have in my supplies can be loaded with Blue Dot (min 13gr max 15gr) so I may be able to use this powder afterall. Still don't know what I'll do with the cast bullets except load them with Unique for use in my 44mag revolver as a light load I guess? Wish I hadn't bought 250 of them....
44 magnum recepe.
- Thread starter CZJief
- Start date
Currently loading 240 gr lswc bullets over 10 gr on HS6. I load the same load under campro's 240 gr bullets, as well. - dan
I got some from a local gun shop last fall I think he aquired stuff from an estate sale as he had a bunch of old 32 and 35 cal hornady and Speer bullets that I needed too
He had a bunch of old powders kicking around but they are all gone now
Best bet is to check the smaller not so well known shops and classified adds
Gun shows too but you will prob pay a hefty price for it
Sadly it doesn’t look like Alliant is going to be sending out any powders in the foreseeable future
Me if you lived locally lol
If I can't get this powder to work under the FMJ bullets I have for the 44 then the Blue Dot will go on the shelf until I find a local shotgun reloader who could use it. Not much else I shoot that I can burn it up with
Another question.... I picked up a box of Hornady 225gr FTX bullets. Wish I had read the reloading manual before picking them up. In the Hornady manual it states in bold red letters "This case must be trimmed to 1.255" to accommodate this bullet"
Now I don't want to have to trim a bunch of brass then keep it sorted and separate from the other brass. I thought maybe I could just load them in 44 special brass since it is already shorter, but I can't find any loads that use this bullet. I don't own any specific 44 special firearms so they would only be fired in 44 magnum firearms. I tried downloading Gordon's Reloading Tool and it seems I might be able to use 5-6gr of CFE Pistol which is what I have on hand currently.
Anyone have any real world experience using these 225 FTX bullets in a 44 Special case?
Now I don't want to have to trim a bunch of brass then keep it sorted and separate from the other brass. I thought maybe I could just load them in 44 special brass since it is already shorter, but I can't find any loads that use this bullet. I don't own any specific 44 special firearms so they would only be fired in 44 magnum firearms. I tried downloading Gordon's Reloading Tool and it seems I might be able to use 5-6gr of CFE Pistol which is what I have on hand currently.
Anyone have any real world experience using these 225 FTX bullets in a 44 Special case?
Well, it's minus 17c today, a good day to reload. I've only used GRT for this one thing so far, so I'm not confident enough in the results without some reassurance from the hive-mind of the internet. Anyone?
I don't think I'll buy these bullets again for the hassle that comes along with them, but I'd like to at least use up the 100 I have
Took the advice and loaded a dummy round with the FTX bullet. With a case at normal (max) trim length (1.285") I seated the bullet to the canelure and crimped it in place. Not issue in the revolver, and seems to load and cycle without issue in the lever gun. Next days off I will try to put some powder behind it and test it out. My only concern now is how to adjust the load being the length of the bullet takes up a bit more case space than the Campro I typically load (about an additional 120 thou of case taken up). Don't know if this is a concern being how little space CFE Pistol takes in the case
Hodgdon online lists 10.5-11.6gr of CFE Pistol for a 225gr JHP which will be my starting point for my loading
Hodgdon online lists 10.5-11.6gr of CFE Pistol for a 225gr JHP which will be my starting point for my loading
Attachments
Checked in my Lyman manual and found the 225gr FTX with a loading for Blue Dot. I was given a pound of Blue Dot a year ago and couldn't get any of my cast bullets to group and not tumble, so I assumed this powder would just go stale before I ever found a use for it. Lyman shows 13.5gr max, so I loaded 5 rounds @ 13.3gr that I'll try next days off.
Note: I didn't extra-trim the brass and they seem to cycle alright in the lever action
Note: I didn't extra-trim the brass and they seem to cycle alright in the lever action
x 2
Got out to do a little shooting today out of the 44 mag lever action; shooting off my elbows at 50 yards. The circle is a 3" sticker and the front sight completely obscures it all (plus some) at that distance, so I wasn't expecting precision
My regular 44 Mag load, proven and reliable
8 Rounds
Campro 240gr CMJTCFP
CFE Pistol 11.0gr
4 Rounds (the 5th I loaded got crinkled when I tried to do seat and crimp in one step)
Hornady 225gr FTX (did NOT trim the brass as recommended in manual and had no issues feeding/cycling)
Alliant Blue Dot 13.4gr
I know I definitely pulled one shot off to the left. But I'm ok with it as it allows me to use the blue dot which I had no other use for and proves I can load the FTX bullets without modifying the cases. All rounds hit square on, even though one impact looks oblong due to the target board being punched out in behind the paper allowing the target to tear a bit. Next time I'm at the range I'll load up a couple more and send them over the chronograph to see what speed and consistency they are
My regular 44 Mag load, proven and reliable
8 Rounds
Campro 240gr CMJTCFP
CFE Pistol 11.0gr
4 Rounds (the 5th I loaded got crinkled when I tried to do seat and crimp in one step)
Hornady 225gr FTX (did NOT trim the brass as recommended in manual and had no issues feeding/cycling)
Alliant Blue Dot 13.4gr
I know I definitely pulled one shot off to the left. But I'm ok with it as it allows me to use the blue dot which I had no other use for and proves I can load the FTX bullets without modifying the cases. All rounds hit square on, even though one impact looks oblong due to the target board being punched out in behind the paper allowing the target to tear a bit. Next time I'm at the range I'll load up a couple more and send them over the chronograph to see what speed and consistency they are
Fired a couple rounds over the chronograph yesterday since I had it out testing 9mm ammunition. Rounds fired from a Citadel lever action with 16" barrel.
Hornady 225gr FTX (no special brass trimming done)
Alliant Blue Dot 13.4gr
5 round average velocity: 1337.4 ft/sec
CamPro 240gr CMJTCFP
CFE Pistol 11.0gr
5 round average velocity: 1319.6 ft/sec
I'd have to dig out my reloading journal to see the COL, but both types of bullets were seated to the canelure and given a crimp
I wanted to see the performance of the FTX so I lined up (with 2" gap between them) three 4-litre milk jugs filled with water. It completely destroyed all three but I wasn't able to find the bullet afterwards so I assume it kept travelling into the dirt somewhere behind the targets
Hornady 225gr FTX (no special brass trimming done)
Alliant Blue Dot 13.4gr
5 round average velocity: 1337.4 ft/sec
CamPro 240gr CMJTCFP
CFE Pistol 11.0gr
5 round average velocity: 1319.6 ft/sec
I'd have to dig out my reloading journal to see the COL, but both types of bullets were seated to the canelure and given a crimp
I wanted to see the performance of the FTX so I lined up (with 2" gap between them) three 4-litre milk jugs filled with water. It completely destroyed all three but I wasn't able to find the bullet afterwards so I assume it kept travelling into the dirt somewhere behind the targets
