44 mag contender

[dragonrider]

Yesterday I went to the range with my 14" contender 44mag. the load was 20 grains of 4227. Boolit was one of Miha's hollow points 240 grain plain base, don't have the # right now the mold is out in the barn on the casting bench. Crimp was heavy. Loaded on my Lyman AA. Was a unimpressive load to say the least. And the unburned powder that left a continuous and heavy line from muzzle to chamber was just awful and the accuracy was dismal. The 20 grain load was the low end with 24 being max. From Lyman 3rd edition Cast Bullet Handbook. I could turn up the heat and hope to resolve the unburned problem but do not have enough 4227 left. Certainly I can have enough for a few shots so I guess I will try that. How ever I also brought my Marlin lever gun and found that this load works very well in it with very good accuracy and a lot less unburned. I could be happy with this load for that rifle. Was getting 5 shot groups in 1.5" at 50 yards which for me is very good. I am not a chaser of tiny groups so when I get groups like that I feel it is a bonus. I simple look for reasonbly accurate clean shooting loads. I have other powders available of course, unique,2400, 296, some from Accurate. Was actualy looking for a load using Red Dot but came up short on that. I tend to use a lot of Red Dot so was hoping to use it in the 44 mag also.

[45-70 Chevroner]

My favorite load for my super 14 44 mag is 10 grains of unique behind a 240 PB home cast, lyman mold for about 1300 FPS. It has been a while since I have check the MV of that load but I think it is right. Unique and 2400 are probably two of the best powders for the 44 mag. I don't find any loads for 44 mag in my 47th addition of the lyman manual for Red Dot. I think you will find that 4227 is a little slow burning for the 44 mag. I guess you could say that I'm not a fan of 4227.

[x101airborne]

Having never tried 4227 in the 44 mag, I wont be much help there. 44 man turned me on to 296 and I have never been happier. As a backup, I will use H-110 or 2400, but since I now buy 296 in 8 pound jugs, it will be some time before I have to do that.

As to your origional post, I would probably try a magnum primer with the 4227 or, like you said, up the charge to near max.

[gandydancer]

x101airborne I'm with you on all the powders you said 296/H110 2400 and some U ni q for plinking once in a while. they have all worked for me for over 40 years. like the man said if it an't broke. stick with it. GD

[Aunegl]

I started shooting silhouettes in the early eighties, my load was 22 grains of IMR4227, mag. primers, 240 grain Hornady TC bullets and Federal brass. When I was shooting my 44 mag. 14" contender, I put no crimp on my loads. The only issues I had using 4227 was that the powder was temperature and pressure sensitive. At the start of the match, the spent cases would drop out of the chamber. Toward the end of the match, I needed a screwdriver to pry the cases from the chamber and the barrel was nice and toasty. At the time, I was shooting in a range west of Tucson, AZ during the summer.
I started using Blue Dot after that.

[dale2242]

With my experience with 4227 in a 44 Mag, I find to get good powder burn you need 3 things:
1. A heavy load.
2. A heavy crimp.
3. A magnum primer.

Don`t get carried away with heavy loads.
Work your way up from starting loads.
If you don`t get the accuracy you want or start getting pressure signs, try a different powder....dale

[BABore]

I'm assuming you slugged the barrel. Did you also check the freebore and throat by long seating a plain based boolit backwards and adjusting til the action just closes? T/C's are notorious for long freebore's on alot of chamberings. Slow powders don't appreciate a long run-in with no resistance.

[Iowa Fox]

I'm assuming you slugged the barrel. Did you also check the freebore and throat by long seating a plain based boolit backwards and adjusting til the action just closes? T/C's are notorious for long freebore's on alot of chamberings. Slow powders don't appreciate a long run-in with no resistance.

I'm with BaBore thinking the LOOng free bore TC is currently using on their 44 mag is a big culpert here. My older 44 Contender barrels have no free bore. On my newer Encore barrels the 429421 has be out of the case 3/8 of an inch before they will touch the first hint of rifling.

I can get them to shoot well but after about 50 rounds I start to get leading in the barrel. I think I'm going to try some poly wads and wax wads to see if I can whip the leading. I think T/C got a little carried away with that amount of free bore.