They offer moderate recoil and muzzle report, low extreme spreads, and they are easy to shoot accurately while being capable of taking big game. I have other powders like Bullseye, Titegroup, and Power Pistol but I'd like to save those for my 9mm and 7.62x25 loads. For full-power loads that push 240- to 280-grain bullets to around 1,200 fps, Alliant 2400 remains a top choice, as it ignites easily while producing top velocities and accuracy. Available online most anywhere. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. 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. I got this load from Elmer Keith and is a great practice, self defense, and small game load. 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. In other words, a load comparable to the black powder .45, with a 250-gr. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Many other manufacturers, including USFA, Freedom Arms, Ruger and several foreign companies have offered good-quality sixguns. Rounded up was a selection of bullets from Hornady, Remington, Sierra, Speer and Winchester. I am using it to knock down steel targets from 20 to 50 yards. Powders include Winchester, Hodgdon, IMR Going up to my standard load of 7.5 Unique registers just over 1,000 fps from a 4 S&W Model 1950. 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6 30min chamfer? December 18, 2018 By J. Scott Rupp . bullet at 900 fps left little to be desired. A good, hard 240-grain semi-wadcutter at close to 1,000 fps will take deer, elk and black bear. Having always been a fan of moderate loads using lead bullets suitable for casual paper punching, the .44 Special naturally comes to mind for use in .44 Magnum revolvers. Make sure to watch till the end. SWC. No purchase necessary. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Just stick to near-maximum loads to keep up the velocity and ensure adequate expansion. The revolver pictured above is a reproduction Keith No. When smokeless powder loads appeared, velocity was standardized (with the, same bullet) at 755 fps, which is offered by Remington and Winchester (although actual velocities usually hover around 700 fps). 44 special 240gr Hornady HP/XTP 2400 Starting 8.9gr for 600fps Max. A database of .44 S&W Special handloads. An occasional trip through the case trimmer will result in more uniform crimps - a big part of consistent ballistics - and better accuracy. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Thanks, Olddesertrat. 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. They are accurate in Smith & Wesson and other guns with a .430-inch groove diameter. The classic Skeeter load of a 240-250 grain LSWC over 7.5 grains of Unique in a 44 Special casing is where I would start. A favorite load of mine using a 240 grain cast bullet is in 44 Magnum cases, not 44 Special. The .44 Special is a joy to handload, but there are some important points to be aware of that will help handloaders assemble top-notch ammunition tailored specifically to their guns. No purchase necessary. For defense purposes, a lighter 180- or 200-grain HP bullet makes sense. While in the past fancy Goncalo Alves grips were standard, now weather-resistant neoprene panels are standard. Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. Number of Views: 5750, Published on 10-20-2014 09:12 PM Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. . Unique is about the best all around powder, but if you want a slower burning powder, I suggest 2400. Before the readership has a collective coronary, let me quickly point out that the .44 Special can live happily ever after on a steady diet of ammo loaded with quality cast bullets. Learn how your comment data is processed. No. I have .44 Specials whose chamber throats are as tight as 0.427 and as large as 0.433, and I just took possession of a Spanish copy of the old S&W Triple-Lock with 0.437 throats. Joseph VonBenedikt is with Joel Hodgdon to talk about the improved accuracy and long-range potential of the already reliable Core-Lokt ammo line. 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. The Skeeter Load (7.5 grains Unique and a 250 -260 grain cast bullet) is widely used because Skeeter Skelton promoted it in many articles. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. 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. (Ret.) For the mild .44 special loads, I recommend all lead bullets and loads that produce 700-850 FPS speeds. JSP; Nosler 240-gr. 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. The Special's case was lengthened to accommodate the use of emerging smokeless propellants. 5 Accurate No. This bullet is still widely popular. 5 as produced by Bowen Classic Arms; at right is the original KEITH LONG RANGE COLT.. 429421 250-grain bullet (left) and the Lyman/Thompson No. For everyday working .44 Special loads, I find 240- to 255-grain cast bullets at around 1,000 fps to 1,050 fps especially useful. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Available in different sizes and red dot ready, it'll fit your needs, whatever they are. I think you are also going to shorten the life of your revolver with Keith Loads. Is there a place to go for load data for 44 Special loads. 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. Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. However, .44 Special loads are so mild, you can really use whatever you want to. JHP 250 gr. (I) Giveaway ends July 31, 2023. This is not a true Keith bullet and even has a bevel base, however it shoots well. Our goal is to bring you everything you need to accurately reload your own weapon of choice, along with all the accessories to go with it. For the mild .44 special loads, I recommend all lead bullets and loads that produce 700-850 FPS speeds. 250 gr. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. The classic +P 44 Special load is a 429-421 over 7.5 grains of Unique. is only 15,000 psi. Give a Gift 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. RDM, Published on 10-20-2014 09:18 PM They offer moderate recoil and muzzle report, low extreme spreads, and they are easy to shoot accurately while being capable of taking big game. Since I have experimented with case position sensitive powder and found great differences, I now want bulkier powder that will better fill the case. Purchase A PDF Download Of The American Handgunner Nov/Dec 2020 Issue Now! With 6.0 grains of Unique and a 51/2 sixgun the result is a very pleasant shooting, and accurate, load of 825 fps. Contest open to U.S. residents only. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. If you drop a bullet into each chamber in your cylinder, if it falls through any/all of them, it is too small and will probably lead the barrel and not shoot all that well. They are true magnum bullets, featuring a heavy jacket and 1 1/2% antimony core, yet they will expand reliably at 44 Special velocities. . http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/4%20Special.pdf, Vintage Boxes - Gear, Shell, Case, Primer, Group Buys Design, Active , Waiting and Archives, Closed Buys/Waiting for delivery/in shipment, If this is your first visit, be sure to For the .44 Magnum to achieve its greater velocity potential when held to industry overall length specifications, it is necessarily loaded to a higher maximum average pressure of 36,000 psi. Handgun Data. Stick to 200 grain load data with these bullets since all the lead is seated flush in the case. No purchase necessary. Hodgdon H-110 also performed well when mated to the heavyweight 305- and 307-grain cast bullets; however, to prevent erratic ignition and possible hang-fires, loads should not be reduced. Using an expander ball that is at least .003 to .004 inch smaller than bullet diameter is suggested. 6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6.5 PRC: Which is Better? 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. Also, as previously indicated, the chamber throats measure a comparatively snug .429 inch. 429244 255-grain bullet (right) with gas check. Regardless of the loads chosen, be certain to use data exactly as listed, as changes in bullet design, bullet seating depth and overall cartridge length, primer, etc., will change the pressures and performance of the load. ($0.15 per bullet) Ships today from MidwayUSA. Number of Views: 5819, Published on 10-20-2014 09:14 PM During the 1920s Elmer Keith developed the Ideal/Lyman 429421 bullet to improve the .44 Specials performance. Thats slightly more than the original .44 Special loading from more than a hundred years ago. With the grips removed, it was an easy task to install the model in a Ransom Rest for testing using an insert for the N-frame, round-butt gun. JHP Tests have shown, however, that using bullets that are close to throat diameter to begin with usually yield best accuracy while increasing pressures very little, if at all. The following are for 5 or 6 inch revolvers. Other items may require special handling and be shipped through UPS . The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. Hodgon only shows HP38 for the .44 special loads. The load consists of a Lyman Ideal 429421 cast bullet, designed by Elmer Keith, himself. 44 Caliber: Diameter.429: . 2 alloy), and no leading was noted. Is there a preferred source of data? The handloads listed on this page encompass a suitable range of performance from plinking to personal protection. It is safe in any good post WWII Special, anddependably accurateif you usesoft alloy bullets, ~BHN 9,correctly sized for the revolver. Deployed military should use stateside address. 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. Out of my 5.5" Redhawk I get 828 fps. So, I'm going to start at 5.5gr and work up from there. 44 S&W SPL LOW RECOIL 240GR FMJ. Excellent results were obtained with fast-burning powders such as Hodgdon Titegroup, Accurate No. Medium-burn-rate powders, such as Alliant Power Pistol, Unique, Hodgdon CFE Pistol, Winchester AutoComp and Accurate No. A better question would be, why not? Been using this load for years. We use cookies to make your experience better. For these reasons, 240-grain bullets are best when used in conjunction with load data that exceeds industry maximum pressures. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson were celebrating passage of a bill to ban so-called assault weapons in the Should life go sideways at home, at work, in North Korea or aboard the International Space Station, you really wont find a better defensive tool. The Cast Bullet Association is an organization of shooters who enjoy shooting cast lead bullets in rifles and handguns for competition, hunting, or informal target shooting. You can reduce the charge for still lighter recoil depending on the individual revolver. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. 5, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company I used to load down the .44 mag cases to .44 special velocities. These bullets are long for their weight and seat deeply into the case, so only select powders are suitable based on their volume density. The Russian case is but .970 inch in length and just couldn't hold enough of the bulky new powder to achieve the desired velocities, so in 1907 Smith & Wesson lengthened the older case by .190 inch and a star was born. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. 1,200 fps. Why the .44 Special? For everyday "working" .44 Special loads, I find 240- to 255-grain cast bullets at around 1,000 fps to 1,050 fps especially useful. Even when bullets of this diameter are used in guns that have a tighter barrel groove diameter of .4265 inch to .428 inch (typically found in the Colt Single Action Army and New Frontier SAA), accuracy is still excellent. But in 1956 Keith's efforts culminated in the introduction of the .44 Magnum. Required fields are marked *. Unique is still one of the most versatile powders on the market today. But I'll trade a little sootiness & extra recoil for the added assurance. Unique is a great powder to use and have on your bench. 200 210 grain bullets will hit 800 fps with 5.2 grains of Tight Group or Bullseye. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. The 200- and 240-grain Oregon Trail RNFP bullets are good choices for cowboy action competitors. Since then, even the .44 Magnum's performance has been eclipsed by several bigger bore and more powerful handgun cartridges. The data in Table II was developed in a 2008 Smith & Wesson Model 1950 Target 24-6 revolver with a 612-inch barrel. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. .44 Special is a fun caliber to shoot. No doubt, several long trainloads of .44 Special, loaded with Bullseye, 700-X, and other fast-burning powders have been safely shot, probably before I was born! The traditional .44-caliber bullet weight is 240 grains, and here we have several proven performers. Go Back. 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 reduced it to 6.8/Unique/240 SWC, then to 6.5/Unique/240 SWC, The lighter loads were not as clean-burning, but an intentionally heavy crimp remedied most of that. Jacketed bullets create a bit more wear on the rifling, but it's better than trying to wire brush out a bunch of lead build up. With a 51/2 barreled sixgun, 9.0 grains of Unique is just under 1,200 fps. You'll go far providin' you ain't burnt alive or scalped. The Hornady XTP, Sierra JHC, Speer GDHP and Nosler JHP and JSP versions are all suitable for the .44 Special. Tried TB, "didn't fit my pistols". First, not all guns are of equal strength - some will handle significantly greater pressures, while others cannot. Keith bullets from H&G, Lyman, NEI and RCBS loaded in .44 Special brass. At 700 fps we are equaling the soft shooting of factory ammunition. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. An oversized bullet will shoot OK, but any undersized in my experience won't. Trigger pull on the test sample was set at 4 pounds. For me, the .44 Special and the above loads fit the bill nicely. Your email address will not be published. It is easy to load and shoot while being easy on the budget. The .44 Special was introduced in about 1907 and is an extremely accurate cartridge. (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2022. To use a yet larger case, like the .44 mag with only a .44 special load in it, would make the matter much worse. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. First, not all guns are of equal strength some will handle significantly greater pressures, while others cannot. Powders include Alliant, Winchester, Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, IMR, Accurate With 5.5 to 6.0 grains of Red Dot, that same bullet does yeoman service in target loads, too. These .44 Special single-action sixguns include (1) a custom Colt New Frontier SAA, (2) Keith No. Post WWII revolvers are stronger. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. U.S. Reps. John Rutherford (R-Fla.) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas.) Learn the difference between revolvers and semi-auto pistols and what makes them different. Even the potent .357 Magnum delivers less muzzle energy than a 240/250-grain cast SWC on top of a case full of 2400 or 4227. The .44 Associates and several industry notables helped influence Smith & Wesson and Remington to ultimately develop the .44 Magnum, though it was primarily Elmer Keith that was the ultimate persuader. When considering an all-purpose .44 Special powder, Ken Waters, in Pet Loads noted, Im pretty sure my choices would be Unique and Blue Dot.. Using standard weight 240-gr. Below, are two loaded rounds. A few loads are offered, however, that utilize the Hornady 240-grain XTP-HP and Speer 240-grain Gold Dot HP. For reloading .44 Mag, faster-burning powders are better for practice ammo while the slow-burners are better for maximum velocities. Shooter's Reference Load Data for .44 Smith & Wesson Special .44 Smith & Wesson Special - Published Manufacturer Loading Data Shellholders: Lee #11 Lyman #7 RCBS #18 Recipe Type: Pistol Cowboy Bullet Weight: ALL 165 gr 180 gr 185 gr 200 gr 220 gr 225 gr 240 gr 250 gr 267 gr Powder: ALL Accurate No. All Rights Reserved. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Most casting companies use hard alloy, it casts better and ships better. #375. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. JFP, 240 gr. 5.6 gr . My favorite load with this bullet is 7.5 grains of TiteGroup for a modest velocity of 745 fps, light recoil and one-hole groups. Contest void where prohibited by law. At left is a reproduction of Keiths original No. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Groups run 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" at 25 yards with this load if a decent bullet is used and accuracy follows to 50 yards, which is the maximum distance . Just saying. The accompanying data has been listed in tables at 22,000 psi (Category 2) and 25,000 psi (Category 3) loads, with 15,500 psi standard pressure (Category 1) loads suitable for all revolvers covered in Handloader No. Deployed military should use stateside address. cast SWC; Hornady 200-gr. A World Record Attempt and everyone is out at the range shooting and practicing. For more than 100 years it has served the shooting public, the military and handgun hunters with distinction. For many decades this was the standard load from Winchester and Remington and is still available. ( 6) Write a Review Q&A (4) Our Price: $73.99. But don't be misled. Reloading Press & Equipment; Molds; Share. Ammunition Reloading. we are talking about. Using bullets from Hornady HP-XTP , Hornady FP-Cowboy, Hornady HP-XTP, Hornady SWC-HP or SWC, Hornady HP-XTP or CL-SIL. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. What kind of gun? 5 built by Bowen Classic Arms. Contest void where prohibited by law. A Colt Model P will probably not blow up, but it will loosen up pretty quick. SWC-JHP, .44 with 250 gr. The idea of .44 Special for Everyday Workin Loads is a relatively lightweight sixgun, around 1/2 lb. Experimenters such as Elmer Keith proved that a heavily loaded .44 Special was very effective on big game. Bullet weights ranged from 180 to 240 grains. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Besides, a carry revolver can always be charged with four .44 Specials and a pair of .44 Magnums. Tightgroup is an excellent fast pistol powder. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. Not even in a .44 Magnum pistol. I push this with 16.3 grains of #2400 yielding 1,217 fps from a 51/2 barrel. It was left to handloaders to fill the power vacuum. 1.450 in. If you have a fixed sight revolver 250-260 grain bullets will probably shoot close to the sights. Nonetheless, many shooters still recognized the virtues of the .44 Special, especially when handloaded, because it offers low extreme spreads, lower recoil and muzzle report, and fired cases clear the chambers with ease. Factory loads are readily available and range into the dozens, but reloading is the way to go. Make sure they are a snug slip fit inyour cylinder throats. Contest void where prohibited by law. 44F. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. I can't agree more. SWC-JHP, .44 with 250 . Factory warranties may apply in some cases. bullet. With member reviews, stories, and creativity! JFP, 240 gr. Explore our articles, guides, and join our community to get started on your reloading journey today. The .44 Special is an ideal cartridge for cast-bullet loads, with literally dozens and dozens of designs and weights readily available. I used the M24 for jacketed bullet loads and the M624 with cast bullets. Current industry maximum average pressure is established at a rather low 15,500 psi, which is in deference to early sixguns and select U.S.-manufactured and imported guns. 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. 2, Alliant Bullseye and Red Dot. After a while, however, even the most recoil-tough shooter looks forward to toning things down a bit. and Western, were weaker in construction and have often deteriorated with age and should not be reloaded. cast RNFP; 240-gr. 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. The Hodgdon site on-line has loading data for ~15,500 PSI loads. | Nosler, the world's finest bullets, ammunition, rifles, & brass. The Best of both worlds: After nearly 4 years of waiting, Dan Wesson's DWX is here. 5 by Bowen Classic Arms, (3) custom USFA with Smith & Wesson adjustable sights, (4) Ruger Blackhawk Flattop No. Instead of using it in my lighter weight .44 Special sixguns, I mostly use it in .44 Magnums.

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