44 S&W Russian

[Kev303]

Hey guys have a bug question for u gun nuts. I just bought a 44 Russian and have no idea on what I should use for powder and points for hand loading any one have a nice load to use in these fine old guns

 

[DEZ]

I use a 240 gr cast bullet and 6grs blue dot and a good crimp for around 600fps And believe mag. primers as blue dot takes abit to burn it all .

 

[Bittermansbro]

I use 3.8gr of Trail Boss behind a 200gr LRN bullet, nice and accurate and will take down the steel poppers.

 

[tumbleweeds13]

Use pure lead for your bullets. keep the velocity at or below original factory loadings, and use a powder that keeps the max pressure curve below black powder specs. I use 2400. Very accurate cartridge, and the S&W's are very accurate guns. My new model #3 is the most accurate handgun I own, and it's 134 years old. Have fun

 

[44bear]

What is your load using 2400. i can't find any info using 2400 in 44 russian.

 

[Kev303]

S&W 44 Russian

Why do u have to use pure lead why can't a person use a copper jacket in the old Russian

 

[Short Knife Johnson]

I use the Lyman 429383 bullet crafted from wheelweights, 0.30" card wad, 17 grains of Graf & Sons lit with Winchester Large Pistol primers. Works great.

 

[scianna54]

You can get the brass from rustywoods, also the bullets (made by bullet barn), the dies from factorysales and then just put your favourite powder in, maybe 4.5 grains of Unique but recipes are plenty in all reloading manuals. You never want to use jacketed bullets in those old guns for obvious reasons, even the original loads I have are lead.

 

[Brutus]

Why do u have to use pure lead why can't a person use a copper jacket in the old Russian

Originally designed for lead bullets. Pop some copper jacketed in there at these sedate velocities of 600-700 fps and you risk getting a copper jacketed bullet stuck in the barrel. Fire another bullet if you are unaware of the barrel obstruction, and you'll ring the barrel at the very least or you risk having your face rearranged by the exploding barrel. Educate yourself friend.

 

[Kev303]

Originally designed for lead bullets. Pop some copper jacketed in there at these sedate velocities of 600-700 fps and you risk getting a copper jacketed bullet stuck in the barrel. Fire another bullet if you are unaware of the barrel obstruction, and you'll ring the barrel at the very least or you risk having your face rearranged by the exploding barrel. Educate yourself friend.

That is why im asking questions so I dont blow my hand off and wreck my gun

 

[Southlander]

Bullets are forced into the rifling and copper is harder than lead so the pressure is higher too. Soft lead forms easily but copper would cause faster wear to the rifling of an old gun or worse...