Interesting "Discovery" with some 44 Mag Loads

[Andy]

I am working up some 44 Mag Loads with 250gr RCBS Keith cast bullets and chose four diverse loads to try:

Unique - 10.0 grs
Blue Dot - 15.0 grs
2400 - 20.0 grs
Lil'Gun - 24.0 grs

To my surprise, the setting in my powder measure for the 10.0 gr Unique load threw almost exactly (+/- 0.3 grs) what I wanted for the other three! I knew it would be close because the densities of those powders goes up from Unique to Lil'Gun, but it's quite a cooincidence to accidently find the right combination of powders and powder weights first try. Load densities are all about 90% which I like.

Will see how those loads chrony and group tomorrow. There is a Silhouette Match coming up.

 

[Tumbleweed]

I always had the best accuracy with 2400 in the .44 Mag, and with Blue Dot in the 10 m.m.. I shot a lot of cast Keith style bullets as well with the .44, but I can't recall the loads off hand...I'd be pleased to look them up for you when I get home, though.

 

[H4831]

44 mag loading

Lyman #429421 bullet, weighing about 252 grains with my alloy, 7½ in. Ruger single action.
Using the amount of #2400 that Elmer Keith used in developing the 44 mag gave good results. Five shots averaged 1415 FPS. with a fairly large spread of 68.
20 grs of 2400 gave 1312 with a five shot spread of 41.
8.2 grains of Winchester 231 gave 1018, with a five shot spread of only 17!
Great care must be used with a powder so fast that a double charge will easily go in the case, it would go off like a hand grenade.
Winchesters powder for heavy load is #296, which sems to be identical to H110. Winchester shows 3 more grains of 296 than Elmer Keith's load of 2400. Both loads give about the same velocity, but the Winchester and H110 appear to be less pressure than the 2400 load. Revolvers vary greatly, a 6½ inch Smith & Wesson gave about 100 FPS less than the Ruger. These loading data are for loads I used, given only to show what I used and I am not recommending that any one else use them.

 

[ben hunchak]

I also had best luck(best pressure to vel. ratio) with H-110 in both pistols and rifles with bullets up to 328grs.

 

[Andy]

Results are in.

In my Super Comanche with 8 3/8" barrel:

Unique - 10.0 grs - 1150 fps avg
Blue Dot - 15.0 grs - 1275 fps avg
2400 - 20.0 grs - 1200 fps avg
Lil'Gun - 24.0 grs - 1400 fps avg

Spread averaged about 40 fps across the board, Unique had the lowest spread. Shot at 25 yds and 100 yds, and best accuracy was the load with Unique. Most pleasant to shoot as well (I'm sure the two were connected). That Lil'Gun load was fun, but unpleasant after 20 shots!

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Lyman #429421 bullet, weighing about 252 grains with my alloy, 7½ in. Ruger single action.
Using the amount of #2400 that Elmer Keith used in developing the 44 mag gave good results. Five shots averaged 1415 FPS. with a fairly large spread of 68.
Using the Lyman 429421 with Elmers target load of 8.5 grs of Unique or his heavy load of 22 grs of 2400 have always been a couple of my favorite loads. With some of the last few batches of 2400 I had, 22 grs 'seemed' a little warm so I dropped it to 20 grs. I use H110 in the 500 S&W but will try it in the 44 Mag in the not too distant future.
20 grs of 2400 gave 1312 with a five shot spread of 41.
8.2 grains of Winchester 231 gave 1018, with a five shot spread of only 17!
Great care must be used with a powder so fast that a double charge will easily go in the case, it would go off like a hand grenade.
Winchesters powder for heavy load is #296, which sems to be identical to H110. Winchester shows 3 more grains of 296 than Elmer Keith's load of 2400. Both loads give about the same velocity, but the Winchester and H110 appear to be less pressure than the 2400 load. Revolvers vary greatly, a 6½ inch Smith & Wesson gave about 100 FPS less than the Ruger. These loading data are for loads I used, given only to show what I used and I am not recommending that any one else use them.

My partner observed a similar difference in velocity between his S&W and a couple of his Ruger single actions. We attributed the higher velocities from the Rugers to the tighter cylinder to forcing cone, or barrel, gaps compared to the gap on the Smith.

 

[H4831]

Cylinder Gap

Yes, I too, think it is the gap. The 7½ in. Ruger was the tightest, measured with feeler gauges.

 

[H4831]

Velocities

I also had best luck(best pressure to vel. ratio) with H-110 in both pistols and rifles with bullets up to 328grs.

Ben, I now have a Marlin 44, but do not now have a chronograph. How much faster was the rifle, with the same cartridges, compared to a revolver?

 

[ben hunchak]

Both the 290gr and the 328gr. cast bullets gained about 210 fps. av. between 7 1/2" revolver and 20# Marlin'94, recoil in the revolver is not pleasant, but a piece of cake in the Marlin. Was using 21.5/H-110 with the 290 gr. and 20.5/H-110 with the 328gr.....I would scale these loads back a bit if I was to use them much in the revolver.