How light should I go? .44mag JSP

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daroccot

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I'm having a hard time finding a reduced load for .44mag using a 240gr JSP. I plan on using Bullseye. Alliant site calls for 8.9gr at ~1200fps, even if I reduce by 10% that's still 8.0gr. I've been shooting 6.0gr of bullseye with 220 & 240gr Plated bullets without any problem. The other variable in the equation is that these JSP's will be shot from a new gun (S&W 629 6") my older Smith has seen lots of use and was told the barrel had been lapped. Is there going to be more friction in the new gun? Thus making light jacketed loads unsafe? Alternativly I have a bunch of .44 special cases too, but I can't find any data for bullseye with a 240gr JSP only lead bullets.

Thanks,
 
A charge of Bullseye that will give a 250 grain bullet 1200 fps, seems to me like it might be a high pressure load. Very fast powders like Bullseye are only suitable in a 44 magnum for light loads, and 1200 fps is not that light. What happens is the fast powder raises a high pressure, for a very short period of time, and that peak might be quite high. Winchester 231 is about like Bullseye and their top load of 231 gives about 1000 fps, with quite high pressure.
I consider a light load to be about 800 fps. Or, maybe only 600 to 800. If it were me, I would use about half as much Bullseye that gave 1200 and see how that works. I don't really see the problem. If you want a lighter load, use less powder, and you are on the right track, with a fast powder like Bullseye.
I also don't know what you mean by a plated bullet. Is this just another name for a jacketed bullet?
If you get down to super light, the bullet may stick in the barrel. So make sure the bullet gets out the barrel every time. My guess is as little as 2.5 grains of Bullseye would drive a jacketed bullet through the barrel of your new gun, but you may want to go a little higher to start with.
Working with such a fast powder, you have to be super careful not to load a double charge, if you are already using a medium load.
 
Minimum OAL(inches) Bbl Length Primer Powder Charge Weight(grains) Velocity(fps) Chamber Pressure(psi)
1.585 5.7 Fed. 150 Bullseye 8.9 1,215 34,700

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...1&weight=240&shellid=1027&bulletid=88&bdid=74

The plated bullets are lead bullets that are electroplated in copper (typically 10 thousands or so, IIRC). As I've gon as low as 5gr bullseye with the plated 220grainers I think 6.0 gr bullseye shoud be pleanty to avoid a separated jacket or lodged bullet.
 
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What are you after? A load that doesn't use much powder, or something that has almost no recoil?

If you're just looking for something that goes very slow, I once put 7828SSC in a dozen 44 mag cases. It's a really slow burning rifle powder. I just filled the cases to the bottom of bullet level and crimped in a 240 grain cast bullet.

We put them through the crony at 495 fps. There was some ejected powder though that I don't think fully burnt. It was consistant though.
 
Reduced loads with jacketed bullets can be dangerous.
The jackets can seperate, lodging the bullet core in the barrell, and yes I have seen this happen.
There are published reduced cowboy loads using lead bullets, and I have sucessfully used plated bullets for these loads.
 
Well I tried some loads yesterday. Started at 8.0gr then 6.0, 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0 of bullseye. All shot fine, the lightest loads were little more then hi-cups. There wasn't any sign of SEE, so I'm pretty happy, I'll have to get a chrono to see what these are moving at. As long as they are within 1 minite-of-falling plate accuracy that wil be even better.
 
Very glad to see you are enjoying some light load shooting, it is a lot of fun. Bullseye is a great powder for what you are doing. I don't know when it first came out, but I wouldn't wonder it's nearing a hundred years old. And shooters have been using it for light, accurate loads, for all those years.
Bullseye was the virtual standard powder in the 38 special for target shooting, for many years. It seems to me 3.3 grains was the favourite load. Johnn Peterson will know.

Just looked in my old Lyman book. In their standard load section for 38 special, they show 3.5 grains of Bullseye giving 960 fps, with a 148 gr bullet. 2.7 grains give 765 fps.
maybe your bullets are going faster than you think!
 
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