The Hodgdon site on-line has loading data for ~15,500 PSI loads. Make sure they are a snug slip fit inyour cylinder throats. Deployed military should use stateside address. Its best to shoot all lead bullets outside to avoid lead fumes. During the past 40+ years, I have shot dozens of big game from pronghorn to black bear and elk with the .44 Special, all with handloaded ammunition. A Smith & Wesson Model 1950 Target 24-6 (middle) .44 Special with a 6.5-inch barrel was used to develop the accompanying data. It is especially important when handloading the Cutting Edge 200-grain Raptor or 240-grain Solid bullets to use the exact data and overall cartridge lengths as listed, or pressures will change rapidly. Hodgon only shows HP38 for the .44 special loads. By the 1920s smokeless powders had been significantly improved, which resulted in handloaders developing ammunition that enhanced the performance of the .44 Special to create +P loads. 15,500 PSI is the maximum SAAMI pressure. Powders include Alliant, Winchester, Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, IMR, Accurate Magtech FMJ ammunition delivers reliable, accurate performance on the range. But I'll trade a little sootiness & extra recoil for the added assurance. Paper punching, 4.5grs Bullseye under a 240-250gr SWC. It is within industry pressure guidelines at 15,500 psi, while offering moderate recoil and good accuracy. 44F. SWC, 240 gr. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. I have revolvers with longer barrels, but the shorter barrel makes more sense when carried on the hip, and a slight velocity loss is unimportant. Though the .44 Magnum is an offshoot of this cartridge, the Special was based on the older black powder .44 Russian. JHC. The .44 Russian proved very accurate, and it didn't take long for savvy target shooters of the day to realize its potential. Favorite 44 spl Loads? | Mississippi Gun Owners Bullseye starting loads should be OK. With variables, this load generally produces around 18,000 psi and is a +P load. (II) Limit one entry per household. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. For "Full Power" 7.5grs Unique under a 245gr SWC. If Im looking for a little more velocity, I go with the Lyman/Thompson #429215GC that lubed, sized and gas checked weighs around 220 grains. The 180-grain hollowpoints from Sierra and Hornady offer reliable expansion, and Speer offers a 200-grain "personal protection" version of its Gold Dot Hollow Point specially designed for the .44 Special. NOTE: Velocities are lower in the larger cases so speeds and pressures are different. What bullet weights? Shooter's Reference Load Data for .44 Remington Magnum Lighter and tougher and more precise than ever, it's the perfect back country hunting rifle. The classic +P 44 Special load is a 429-421 over 7.5 grains of Unique. I am using it to knock down steel targets from 20 to 50 yards. Bullets under 200 grains have never given me anything but short-range accuracy. Besides, a carry revolver can always be charged with four .44 Specials and a pair of .44 Magnums. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. 308 (June/July 2017). Contest void where prohibited by law. All this resulted in changes in muzzle velocity with many loads. Make sure to watch till the end. As to the heavier, 240-grain lead bullets, samples from Hornady and Speer were included. Do not leave Tightgroup in your powder measure, even overnight. Although it's a bit longer than the hollowpoints, loads with it fit comfortably in the S&W's cylinders. Just stick to near-maximum loads to keep up the velocity and ensure adequate expansion. At 700 fps we are equaling the soft shooting of factory ammunition. SWC, 240 gr. View attachment 127055 View attachment 127056 Although they could not fully duplicate the velocities obtained with classic magnum revolver powders such as Alliant 2400, they were not far behind and are excellent choices for +P loads. Much has been written about sizing cast bullets to correspond with groove diameter. A popular Cowboy bullet is the 200-grain RNFP. 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6 30min chamfer? HS-6 and Blue Dot are excellent choices for such applications. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. It ties with two others as my favorite sixgun cartridge. 5, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM DIY 2022, P.O. could legitimately claim top gun performance. Post WWII revolvers are stronger. With a resurgence of interest in the .44 Special, along with outstanding new guns, several smaller ammunition companies are now offering loads with bullet weights that range from 135 to 255 grains at a variety of velocities. This revolver is equipped with the usual target trigger, target hammer, and adjustable target sights complete with a red insert on the front blade and a white outline on the rear notch. I would defer to Hodgdon data for the .44 Special, although my deep seated loads in mag brass approximate COL for .44 Special. Our Price: JHP 250 gr. Reloading The .44 Special - Reload Ammo Forum; Reloading Tutorials; About; Login.44 S&W Special. The Special's inherent accuracy stems from a previous design. Forty-four Special cases manufactured since World War II (or very shortly thereafter) are of solid-head construction and are equally as strong as .44 Magnum brass. (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2022. Looking at the accompanying data table, it is obvious I made the choice to use the .44 Special at lower velocities and work toward loads with jacketed and lead bullets that would be fun to shoot. Go Back. Load data for 44 Special - Cast Bullet Forum Joe Kurtenbach, Executive Editor of Gun & Ammo, and John Myles from Smith & Wesson discuss features of the Equalizer 9mm micro-compact pistol and new-for-2023 M&P 5.7. 5 and No. Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Out of my 5.5" Redhawk I get 828 fps. A healthy roll crimp is recommended. However, when specifically handgun hunting I rely on the same bullets pushed to a velocity of 1,200 fps to help extend effective range, which in practical terms shares the same velocities and trajectory as most current .44 Magnum 240-grain JHP factory loads while offering better penetration, less pressure and the unique advantage of being fired in lighter guns that usually feature a lower bore axis for less felt recoil. WMR, WSF, WST, WSL, 760, 748, 231 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components Div. Whether we travel the sagebrush, foothills, forests, or mountains there are .44 Special loads that will handle any situation were likely to encounter. If you want to baby your 44 Special revolver, or just want a decent plinking load, then 6.5 grains of unique or 4.7 grains of Red Dot is fine. You must be a subscriber to see the full article. Both revolvers shoot this load well. Dies are made by virtually everybody, and for years they have been configured to accommodate both Special as well as Magnum cases with minor die adjustments. If this is your first visit, be sure to Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. A few loads are offered, however, that utilize the Hornady 240-grain XTP-HP and Speer 240-grain Gold Dot HP. I DO always double check the charged cases before the projectile goes on, but I stick with bulkier powders as a "belt and suspenders" measure. 10mm Firepower: Springfield XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact Pistol Review, The Staying Power of the .257 Roberts Cartridge, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power, Top 5 Most Accurate Factory-Loaded Rifle Cartridges, The Colt Anaconda .44 Rem. A Colt Model P will probably not blow up, but it will loosen up pretty quick. (II) Limit one entry per household. If economics are important, a one-pound can of Unique (7,000 grains) will fetch you 1,000 loads using a 7.0-grain powder charge. Minimal leading. Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. For general-purpose plinking, target work and even defense, using one of the various 245- to 255- grain cast SWC profile bullets pushed around 850 to 875 fps will prove effective and pleasant to shoot. Powders include Winchester, Hodgdon, IMR Using bullets from Hornady HP-XTP , Hornady FP-Cowboy, Hornady HP-XTP, Hornady SWC-HP or SWC, Hornady HP-XTP or CL-SIL. Thanks and enjoy your stay. Berry's Preferred Plated 44cal 240 Grain Flat Point Reloading Pistol Bullets quantity. Accurate 43-257H 260 gr SWC in a 5 1/2 " Special, 4.8 grains Tightgroup gave me 700 fs with low SD and excellent accuracy. Reloading The .44 Magnum - Reload Ammo For light loads with 250-260 grain bullets, 5.3 grains Vhitavouri 320 or 4.8 grains Tight Group will deliver 700 fps and good accuracy. Mikey Hartman, Lt. Col. A few of their advantages include lower cost especially if you cast your own substantially reduced barrel wear, greater velocities with less chance of sticking bullets in the bore, straight and deep penetration on game with the added shock associated with a large meplat and good accuracy, especially when loads are tailored to a specific gun. Study them carefully, as measurements vary even from the same manufacturer. Missouri Bullet Company Cast Lead Bullets 44 Caliber (430 Diameter) 240 Grain Hi-Tek Coated Semi-Wadcutter Box of 500. The new big bore pistols feature industry-first capacity, with a standard 15-round capacity and 22+1 rounds of 10mm or 18+1 rounds of .45 ACP from the extended magazines. .44 S&W Special (Pet Loads) | Handloader Magazine Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. If you have an older revolver this is a good limit. 6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6.5 PRC: Which is Better? .44 Special Lee Double Cavity Bullet Mould 429-240-2R Diameter 429 The 7.5/Unique/240-250 REALLY IS a very nice "general purpose" load for the .44 Special, but I agree that it's too warm for older pieces and GOD HELP YOUR HAND if you shoot it in a Charter Arms ANYTHING! My favorite load for my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special is something I got from an article by Skeeter Skelton. All of the cast bullets shown in the load table were obtained from a local commercial caster and had a Brinell Hardness Number of 15 (the same as Lyman No. Either weight can be driven over 1,000 fps and provide about all the power that can be comfortably housed in a medium-weight revolver. We manufacture Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition and much more. The .44 Special was introduced in about 1907 and is an extremely accurate cartridge. With a satin stainless finish, this Model 629 is built on the traditional N-frame and weighs 41 ounces unloaded. These .44 Special single-action sixguns include (1) a custom Colt New Frontier SAA, (2) Keith No. ), (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.). The CBA is a international organization of shooters who enjoy casting and shooting lead alloy bullets for competition, hunting, experimenting, and casual shooting. Can't use 44 Special loads, none will get into the pressure ceiling. 5.2 grains gave 800 fs., so pressure goes up pretty fast. If you have a lightweight .44 or older gun, always start with 10% less than amounts listed above, and work up to the full maximum loads. The point being, the overall length of straight-wall, sixgun cartridges is a crucial measurement in relation to pressure and velocities. Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Our mission is to help you improve your skills, save money, and achieve greater accuracy with your reloads. Also, as previously indicated, the chamber throats measure a comparatively snug .429 inch. IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company. Buy 44 Caliber Bullets .429 Diameter 240 Grain Hunting & Self Defense 50 Count: GunBroker is the largest seller of Other Reloading Supplies Reloading Supplies Ammunition Reloading All: 981766936 . Number of Views: 5757, Published on 10-20-2014 09:20 PM Number of Views: 5765, Published on 10-20-2014 09:24 PM Hodgdons has data for 44 SP for 165 - 240 gr bullets. Internal gun dimensions can vary significantly, including barrel groove diameter and throat dimensions. I am not able to find data for various bullet weights. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. I still favor genuine Keith designs for general use, as they are accurate, perform well on game, are easy to cast, and without a gas check, they are especially economical. In 1870 Smith & Wesson developed the .44 Russian for its military revolver made for the Imperial Russian army, and a civilian model followed in 1878. For the vast majority of us, the .44 Special will do everything needing doing with the sixgun. They offer moderate recoil and muzzle report, low extreme spreads, and they are easy to shoot accurately while being capable of taking big game. It is a faithful rendition of the original and should quicken the pulse of .44 Special fans everywhere. Keith 429244 and 7.5 Unique. The new 9mm suppressor can mount easily to any pistol barrel threaded x28 inches and doesn't compromise on sound suppression, gas blowback or recoil. In your Super Black hawk that should get you 950 fps at about 18,000 PSI. JSP, (WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, FP=Flat Point, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose), SP=Soft Point, (JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet), (Note: These are near maximum loads, you should use 10% less to start. Add .5 grs. Cowboy Action has recently given the .44 Special a shot in the arm, and the lighter cast bullets further broaden the Special's appeal. Learn the difference between revolvers and semi-auto pistols and what makes them different. Taurus has redesigned this sporting pistol for performance. Most modern jacketed bullets must be traveling at least 850 to 900 fps to achieve reliable expansion, a velocity that was easily reached with most 200-grain bullets using standard pressure loads. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. In all likelihood, it would be where I finished as well. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. ; they are best relinquished as collectors items and should not be used with the accompanying data. Joseph Von Benedikt is with Jorge Spat to learn all about it. For this bullet 8.5 grains of Unique results in 980 fps in a 4 barreled S&W while 15.5 grains of #2400 goes up to 1,140 fps. Let us hope that for the next century, the grand old .44 Special continues to make as many shooters happy as it already has. 44 S&W SPL LOW RECOIL 240GR FMJ. Give a Gift MD Smith has had a storied career from his family broadcasting AM radio business, to his 36 year career in TV broadcasting. It's just a personal thing with me, but I'm very VERY hesitant to put light charges of fast-burning powder into large capacity cases, like the .44 Special, for fear of double-charging a case and missing it. . Since I cast my own, I have a choice of H&G #503, Lyman #429421, NEI #260.429 and the RCBS #44-250KT bullets. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Granted, with modern revolvers the .44 Special can be loaded close to magnum standards for serious hunting duties when needed. These three lead bullets make the .44 Magnum a versatile cartridge (left to righ): The 200-grain wadcutter is inexpensive and great to shoot at targets. For Cowboy Shooting, I used a lite load right out of the Hodgdon Cowboy Action Data pamphlet. Mag. Of course, the situation changed when S&W introduced the .44 Magnum 50+ years ago. A Colt Single Action Army dating back to 1910 measured .431 inch, while a 1963 New Frontier SAA measured .430, a 2014-era New Frontier SAA ran .429 inch, and a 1980 3rd Generation Single Action Army measured .434 inch. Therefore, I no longer use the .44 mag cases when loading down to .44 special velocities. For this assignment, a Smith & Wesson Model 629 with a 4-inch barrel was used, because it is modern, hefty and well-made. The 240-grain cast bullet loads shown also offer potent protection. For these reasons, 240-grain bullets are best when used in conjunction with load data that exceeds industry maximum pressures. Most famous was Elmer Keith. A World Record Attempt and everyone is out at the range shooting and practicing. For those seeking rapid expansion, the Rim Rock 240-grain HP-SWC with a gas check (cast with a BHN of 11 to 12) will expand at around 950 fps, a velocity that can be surpassed with select standard pressure data. Learn how your comment data is processed. This gun differs from previous models in several areas; most notable is a cylinder length that is the same as the Model 29 .44 Magnum, which results in greater bullet jump or free-bore. Shooter's Reference Load Data for .44 Smith & Wesson Special Would those others powders burn better? 1.450 in. During 1927 and 1928, he designed the now-famous Lyman/Ideal .44-caliber bullet 429421 that weighed 250 grains in solid form and 235 grains in hollowpoint form. Meet the all-new Taurus Judge Executive Grade, a revolver featuring a hand-polished satin finish, presentation-grade wood grips, a brass rod front sight and an exceptional hand-tuned trigger. XTP; Hornady 240-gr. Depending upon barrel length, sixgun and bullet, these loads will be in the 900 to 1,000 fps range. Free shipping for many products! Top performing examples include Hodgdon Longshot, Accurate No. In my experience 300 grain bullets shoot high and achievable velocity in the Specialtoo low. The 225-gr. Fun, accurate and economical load. Rounded up was a selection of bullets from Hornady, Remington, Sierra, Speer and Winchester. cast RNFP; 240-gr. The SAAMI maximum pressure limit for the .44 Spec. First, not all guns are of equal strength some will handle significantly greater pressures, while others cannot. My long-favored cast bullet load of 7.5 grains of Unique used with this 240 jacketed . It remains popular in both the .44 Special and .44 Remington Magnum cartridges. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Whether a Perfect Packin Pistol 4" S&W-style is fancy or plain it still serves the purpose. During 1927 and 1928 he designed the well-known Lyman/Ideal .44- caliber No. Standard pressure loads are suitable for all guns and are within SAAMI specifications of 15,500 psi. Reloading the .44 Special is an uncomplicated delight. The .44 Special and Unique | Load Data Article The "Skeeter"load. Bullet sizes vary from .429 for jacketed to .432 for some lead in diameter. Unfortunately, the .44 Magnums greater power pushed the Special from the stage. In other words, a load comparable to the black powder .45, with a 250-gr. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Contest void where prohibited by law. Much also depends on the particular model, age, and condition of the .44 spl. The manuals dont show every type of powder for every bullet weight for the .44 special. Factory loads are readily available and range into the dozens, but reloading is the way to go. Trying to make a 0.430 bullet work for all of these would be an exercise in futility. 44 special and TrailBoss - SASS Wire - SASS Wire Forum 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. If you shoot the Skeeter Load with hard bullets you can crack the barrel extension on your revolver. Charges less than those shown are not recommended, however, as there is the very real danger of sticking a bullet in the barrel. As Beagle6 says,the Skeeter Loadis not a top load, but at 950 -1000 fps it has enough power to down anything short of Bison and Bears. I second the motion to buy that new Lyman Cast Bullet handbook.

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44 special 240 grain load data