Need light indoor load for 44 Mag
- Thread starter BWANA
- Start date
I can't say anything about Unique, except I stopped using it years ago cuz it was dirty, imo. What I have done with .44mag is add just four grains of 231. It's not listed that low in my manuals, but what I will call a 44mag Guru told it to give it a go and I trusted him. Very nice results. I was using remington 240grn jhp's. Feels like you're lobbing a spitball. That was in a long barreled ruger.
I'll also second a vote for trying titegroup, though I have never run it in 44, I have been very impressed with it in all the other calibres I've tried it in.
A word of caution on going Below recommended powder amounts... it can actually Increase pressure in some instances and in the extreme low charges, lodge a round in the bbl of course.
(21grns of A2400 is still more fun though)
I'll also second a vote for trying titegroup, though I have never run it in 44, I have been very impressed with it in all the other calibres I've tried it in.
A word of caution on going Below recommended powder amounts... it can actually Increase pressure in some instances and in the extreme low charges, lodge a round in the bbl of course.
(21grns of A2400 is still more fun though)
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
I am currently trying some 180 grain lead SWC's with 6.5 grains of Bullseye. They are pretty light but not to the point I'm shootin a 22.though. Not much leading and cases aren't too blackened. Anything below 6 grains an I find the cases get really dirty. Anything higher than 8 grains and start to see some heavier leading.
mlehtovaara brought up a v.good indicator of a low load getting too low. When the brass isn't being forced to expand and seal against the cylinder gas will escape and leave sooting. At this point you are too low imo.
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
Exactly. The 6.5 grains is similar to a target load for my .45 if I had to compare it to something. I am not sure what gun your using but my Redhawk absorbs a lot of the recoil.
Worst than can happen is that you make a load so light a bullet gets lodged in the barrel. Just don't shoot rapid-fire until you know your load is safe.
It is very hard for an experienced loader to help some of you people.
You asked how much Unique.
Opcx told you. He said try 4.5 to 5 grains.
You completely ignored him and go on to talk about some mythical KABOOM, from using a light load of Unique.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
The kaboom theory basically, is that using small amounts of certain slow burning powders can result in spike pressures, or so called detonation.
Another theory, is that the priming flame front flashes over the small charge, and moves the bullet slightly, then the remaining charge, superheated, ignites all at once behind the bullet, then jammed in the lands.
I have seen wild variations in velocity at low powder levels with some (slow burning) powders myself. But no real indications of pressure sign on the case.
Many believe that such kabooms are really caused by the handloader inadvertently using a double charge. Easy to do, when there isn't much in the case to begin with.
Even though I have seen the variations in velocity myself, primarily with H110 at lower than recommended charges, I'm mostly in the second camp. Check your charges for double charges very carefully.
H110 works best close to max.
Another theory, is that the priming flame front flashes over the small charge, and moves the bullet slightly, then the remaining charge, superheated, ignites all at once behind the bullet, then jammed in the lands.
I have seen wild variations in velocity at low powder levels with some (slow burning) powders myself. But no real indications of pressure sign on the case.
Many believe that such kabooms are really caused by the handloader inadvertently using a double charge. Easy to do, when there isn't much in the case to begin with.
Even though I have seen the variations in velocity myself, primarily with H110 at lower than recommended charges, I'm mostly in the second camp. Check your charges for double charges very carefully.
H110 works best close to max.
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- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
And then only occurs in bottle neck cases. When labs attempted to replicate the phenomena, they found it very difficult to do so, but there were so many reports of it occurring in the field that they had to take it seriously. The best guess to date is that the force of the primer drives a small powder charge into the neck of the cartridge causing a plug, then the gases that build up from the powder that is consumed has no way to relieve causing the firearm to fail. I can't see how this could occur with a straight wall case, although now we have warnings concerning the use of light loads of H-110.
I particularilly mentioned Unique in my mythical Kaboom posting.
Unique has been used as light and ultra light loadings in revolvers for a hundred years, by thousands and thousands of shooters.
Who ever heard of any problem from excessive pressure in these loads?
We were talking about a 44 magnum revolver! Is someone trying to say there is a danger that a very few grains of Unique may blow up a 44 magnum Ruger?
What in the world has happened to what was once known as common sense?
Unique has been used as light and ultra light loadings in revolvers for a hundred years, by thousands and thousands of shooters.
Who ever heard of any problem from excessive pressure in these loads?
We were talking about a 44 magnum revolver! Is someone trying to say there is a danger that a very few grains of Unique may blow up a 44 magnum Ruger?
What in the world has happened to what was once known as common sense?
A 'very few grains of Unique' will not in and of itself blow up a .44mag Ruger, but using such a load and inadvertantly lodging a bullet in the barrel and taking another shot sure as hell can. And has... enough times to make it worth mentioning thats all. Ditto for the warning re double loads etc.
Light/ultra light loads aren't included in manuals for reasons. I ain't saying it can't be safe, just that there are things worth thinking about, info to know and caution to be taken.
I didn't mention the danger of getting a bullet stuck in the barrel, because Cerdan had already taken care of that, very well.
Now, not to add controversy, or get anyones ire up, but just to quote from some of my notes.
At one time I wanted to photograph a bullet as it left the barrel. This can only be accomplished with high speed flash, in the dark.
On Aug. 19, 1985, I set up my Marlin 44 mag as the rifle to try it on. I won't go in to the technical phaze of setting up a trip to release the flash, as the bullet leaves the barrel. I wanted a basement load, as slow as practical, so the bullet wouldn't be travelling any faster than neccessary.
I was using 240 grain cast bullets and set up a wooden backstop, which I have recorded as, "Hard fir cross grain."
4 grains of Unique-- burried the bullet in the hard, fir wood, until the base of the bullet was in ¾"
3½ grains of Unique burried the base of the bullet about 3/8 inch in.
3 grains of Unique just about burried the entire 240 grain bullet in the hard, cross grain fir wood!
This was OK for a load, let the photography begin.
Bear in mind that this was in a rifle, so there was no gas escaping, as it does in a revolver, between cylinder and forcing cone.
Results may be considerable different in a revolver, to what they were in my rifle.
In any case, always make sure the bullet has exited the barrel, before shooting again.
Now, not to add controversy, or get anyones ire up, but just to quote from some of my notes.
At one time I wanted to photograph a bullet as it left the barrel. This can only be accomplished with high speed flash, in the dark.
On Aug. 19, 1985, I set up my Marlin 44 mag as the rifle to try it on. I won't go in to the technical phaze of setting up a trip to release the flash, as the bullet leaves the barrel. I wanted a basement load, as slow as practical, so the bullet wouldn't be travelling any faster than neccessary.
I was using 240 grain cast bullets and set up a wooden backstop, which I have recorded as, "Hard fir cross grain."
4 grains of Unique-- burried the bullet in the hard, fir wood, until the base of the bullet was in ¾"
3½ grains of Unique burried the base of the bullet about 3/8 inch in.
3 grains of Unique just about burried the entire 240 grain bullet in the hard, cross grain fir wood!
This was OK for a load, let the photography begin.
Bear in mind that this was in a rifle, so there was no gas escaping, as it does in a revolver, between cylinder and forcing cone.
Results may be considerable different in a revolver, to what they were in my rifle.
In any case, always make sure the bullet has exited the barrel, before shooting again.
Thanks for all the info.Guys..
When checking my powder supply I found a can of Clays.A buddy of mine at the Range shoots 4 grains with a similar bullet so I decided to try it and it shoots very nicely in my 629.Once I'm out of that powder I'll try Opcx's suggestion of 4.5-5 grains Unique and see how that works out .
Once again Guys,thanks for the info.& interest.
When checking my powder supply I found a can of Clays.A buddy of mine at the Range shoots 4 grains with a similar bullet so I decided to try it and it shoots very nicely in my 629.Once I'm out of that powder I'll try Opcx's suggestion of 4.5-5 grains Unique and see how that works out .
Once again Guys,thanks for the info.& interest.
