Ruger SRH 44 Rem Mag loads

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

A few years ago Brian Pierce published an article in Handloader magazine on +P+ 44 Rem Mag loads for the Ruger Super Redhawk. Unfortunately, I cannot locate my copy right now. Would someone be willing to scan the data and send them to me? It won't be a copyright violation, because I already own the magazine.

Thanks, Tom

[44man]

I had it at one time but found most of the loads were well over the accuracy point.
The SRH is a wonderful gun, proven deer killer and just does not need sky high loads, just what the twist needs. I use heavy boolits and have good loads. Friend came with his SRH today, shoots my 330 gr, Lee 310 and the LBT 320 lights out.
I use 21 gr of 296 with the 330 and 21.5 with the Lee and LBT but I use a Fed 150 primer with all loads. The gun loves the 240 XTP with 24 gr and the Hornady 240 SIL with 23.5 gr. With a scope I could hit pop cans at 200 yards.
RD 265 with 22 gr.
As I worked up groups just opened.
What a great gun but my friend talked me out of mine but I still get to shoot it.
Remember the primer, it will cut groups by 2/3's.

[mold maker]

As said above the max loads are counterproductive. Your wrist and elbows will give out long before that Ruger. I had to give up handguns for almost a year because of the damage done by the heavy recoil
Dead is dead no mater how many miles the boolit goes after pass through, weather paper or dear.

[W.R.Buchanan]

+ 1 on the above I do have the magazine but would have to dig for it, and if you go here and watch this you will see it is not necessary.

Linebaugh knows his stuff.

http://www.customsixguns.com/index.htm Then watch this; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzwhsRRA52w

He fully explains why a .500 Linebaugh doesn't need to be gong any faster than 1000 fps to take anything on earth.

A .44 Mag works exactly the same way IE: Big Heavy Boolit traveling at moderate velocity pokes a big hole in the intended victim.

And to use my favorite Brian Pearce Quote,,, again,,, A 250 gr SWC at 900fps will go clean thru an Elk in any direction.

I can get that out of a midrange load from my 3" S&W696 .44 Special,,, and it is pretty pleasant to shoot too.:holysheep

The only place where I personally can see shooting very heavy loads in your gun would be with Boolits in the 350 gr range aimed at small pick up trucks, or large cars like older Cadillac's or Lincolns.:evil:

If shooting at Mexican Gardeners or Pimpmobiles is what you are planning then I will dig the mag out and scan a copy of the article for you. [smilie=w:

Otherwise you are only contributing to noise pollution, and Obama will hate you! :mrgreen:

Randy

[Tatume]

RD 265 with 22 gr.

Is your mold the gas check or plain based version?

Thanks, Tom

[seaboltm]

I have a SRH. I have used all the way to 25 grains of H110 pushing a Lee 240 TL and 2500+ lube to about 1570 fps. I had significant leading. Any velocity with that boolit and lube over 1350 fps starts to lead excessively in my gun. I learned that with cast boolits H110 may not be needed as I can generate 1300 fps with Blue Dot (15 grains) or even Unique (11.5 grains).

[Tatume]

I have two SRH revolvers, a 44 and a 454. Today I was shooting Accurate Molds 265 grain bullets in the 454 at 1600 fps without leading. Groups were very small (you might not believe me if I said how small!).

[44man]

Is your mold the gas check or plain based version?

Thanks, Tom
I have one of the original molds and it takes a GC but a tough enough boolit in a PB is good. I don't use a GC in my larger calibers. I shoot a PB from my BFR 45-70 over 1600 fps with no problems.

[denul]

I believe the article is in Handloader #265, April 2010,but Mr Pearce is talking about the Redhawk, rather than the Super Redhawk.he has a similar article about the Redhawk in 45 Colt in this month's issue(October - November,2014),#292,giving 45 Colt loads approaching 50,000 psi.

[Tatume]

Thank you. Yes, I saw the article on 45 Colt loads this week. I'm going to have to dig for the April 2010 issue. I know I have it, but my copies of Handloader are not organized, nor are they all in one place. But, I'll find it.

Thanks again.

[DougGuy]

11.5gr Unique in a .44 magnum case? Under a Lee 310? Disaster just waiting on the instant in time to occur. So is 25.0gr of H110 both these loads are WAY over the top. Let one of those sneak it's way into a SBH...

Anything over 10gr Unique is scary as it is spiky and unpredictable at those charge weights.

[Dale53]

Tatume;
If you can't find the article, I have it in pdf. Just send me a private message with your email address and I'll send it to you by attachment.

Dale53

[Tatume]

PM on the way. Thank you.

[seaboltm]

11.5gr Unique in a .44 magnum case? Under a Lee 310? Disaster just waiting on the instant in time to occur. So is 25.0gr of H110 both these loads are WAY over the top. Let one of those sneak it's way into a SBH...

Anything over 10gr Unique is scary as it is spiky and unpredictable at those charge weights.

Doug, checked my logs again. The 25 grain load was using a 240 grain SWC Lee TL. I edited my post. I maxed the 310 grain Lee at 22.5 grains of H110 and noted pressure signs in my log, as well as a note that says 21.5 grains H110 maximum.

As far as your Unique powder advise, my reloading manual, as well as Alliant's, lists loads of Unique over 10 grains. You are right about Unique being spiky, as is Bullseye and Blue Dot. That's why I was working up loads with H110, which is of course very predictable.

[44man]

You will be hard pressed to find a better powder then H110 or 296. Burn rate is about perfect.

[Tatume]

Just FYI, I use WC820 because I was able to buy a fair quantity of it for a fair price. My lot compares very well to Accurate #9. Accurate #9 is not quite as good as H110, but gets the job done handily (with perhaps a bit less muzzle flash).

[44man]

Just FYI, I use WC820 because I was able to buy a fair quantity of it for a fair price. My lot compares very well to Accurate #9. Accurate #9 is not quite as good as H110, but gets the job done handily (with perhaps a bit less muzzle flash).
Both are fair powders, just a little faster.
The best thing you can do is work to best groups and when they start to open , go back to best no matter how fast, deer do not know the difference.
I am kind of stuck on 296 for Rugers because H110 used to be a tad different in the burn rate due to WW getting one batch and Hodgdon another. I did not believe it myself until 296 would not shoot good from a RH but H110 did wonderful but my SBH and SRH did best with 296. I tried to work loads with each out of all the guns with no luck. I do not know why I could not match them but at the time H110 needed a little more in the case to equal 296 velocities. Yet I never matched the accuracy differences.
I shoot my SBH, BFR .475 and BFR .500 JRH with 296 only. Batch differences seems to be greater then lot to lot. SRH also preferred 296. So did all the S&W 29's I had. I just never got H110 to equal it except in the RH. Too strange to get any answer from me.

[Tatume]

I'm getting five shot groups at 25 yards of less than 1/2 inch with iron sights (literal one hole groups). Speed is 1580 fps average for five shots. This is the 454 Casull SRH. I haven't worked with the 44 Rem Mag SRH extensively, yet. I will soon.

[DougGuy]

Doug, checked my logs again. The 25 grain load was using a 240 grain SWC Lee TL. I edited my post. I maxed the 310 grain Lee at 22.5 grains of H110 and noted pressure signs in my log, as well as a note that says 21.5 grains H110 maximum.

As far as your Unique powder advise, my reloading manual, as well as Alliant's, lists loads of Unique over 10 grains. You are right about Unique being spiky, as is Bullseye and Blue Dot. That's why I was working up loads with H110, which is of course very predictable.

GOOD! I was hoping there was a mistake in there somewhere and you weren't really loading that kind of charge under the 310..

296/H110 is as mentioned by 44man about perfect but please adhere to the minumum starting weights as this powder is not recommended to download over 3% or something like that, it's fine if you are working between min and max charge weights as both of those result in a pretty high case density which is what 296/H110 really likes.

I put up a thread once asking about downloading to get in a certain velocity and many of the replies were against downloading H110 which is all I had at the time, so I listened, and I was able to work up my slightly less than minimum charge weight of H110 with H2400 and also LilGun. I found either of these to be very well suited for hitting that 85% power band of .45 Colt and also .44 magnum, it is accurate and seems to be fairly consistent and I am happy.

The point of that, was to slow down a .45 Colt load I was shooting to give it more dwell time in the barrel and "bring the boolit to the sights" as it was shooting a couple inches low with the min charge of H110. It worked great and I have my treestand load for when deer walk right up under the tree or close to it.

Apologies to the OP for steering a bit I'll STHU now..

[Tatume]

No apology needed; good information.

[cbrick]

I had it at one time but found most of the loads were well over the accuracy point.
The SRH is a wonderful gun, proven deer killer and just does not need sky high loads, just what the twist needs. I use heavy boolits and have good loads. Friend came with his SRH today, shoots my 330 gr, Lee 310 and the LBT 320 lights out.
I use 21 gr of 296 with the 330 and 21.5 with the Lee and LBT but I use a Fed 150 primer with all loads. The gun loves the 240 XTP with 24 gr and the Hornady 240 SIL with 23.5 gr. With a scope I could hit pop cans at 200 yards.
RD 265 with 22 gr.
As I worked up groups just opened.
What a great gun but my friend talked me out of mine but I still get to shoot it.
Remember the primer, it will cut groups by 2/3's.

Wise advise. Work up in 1/2 grain increments with a given boolit, as the load comes in groups should get better. Once you go past that point groups open up and usually fast. You may well have a safe load but you've gone past the accuracy potential in that revolver with that powder & boolit. It's been my experience that the hottest load is never the most accurate load.

The Hornady 240 Silhouette bullet with 23.5 gr H-110/296 has won more International, National and State Championships in the 44m than all other 44 loads combined. This load is so infamous in long range revolver Master Class it's known simply as the house load. At the California State Championships a few years back folks thought the Hornady 357 Silhouette bullet in a FA was the top bullet in revolver until I showed them the superiority of the RCBS 35 180 Silhouette boolit.

Striving for more velocity past the accuracy potential is simply wanting it buried deeper in the dirt after it goes through Bambi but Bambi isn't any deader. Some folks just want a big bang but for me if it isn't accurate it just isn't interesting, I'll gladly give up a few fps for smaller groups.

The advice to not download the ball powders H-110/296 is also wise advice. I tried this in a FA 454 back when they first came out and while I didn't run into any pressure problems as has been reported what I did run into was a load that would be lucky to hit a barn if you were standing inside it. These ball powders need the pressure to burn efficiently and if they don't have it they simply don't burn well. A full book load is certainly best, heavy for caliber boolits help a great deal also.

Rick

[44man]

Thanks Rick.
What most don't know is we shot the hardest game of all, IHMSA to 200 meters and actually extended revolver shooting to 500 meters (547 yards). We actually get cast to shoot better then the condom bullets.
With the .454 we had failures to ignite with starting loads of 296 and sad accuracy if they did fire. I keep a brass rod in my range bag and a little hammer. It is the SR primer. Going to cut down .460 brass and a Fed 155 cured that in a hurry.
If you use .454 brass go to near or max loads. We still found a .454 prefers a hot load even with the primer change. I got super accuracy at max with a PB boolit I made a mold for out of a Freedom and SRH.
The .44 is different because of capacity and if you are shooting mag primers at IHMSA, I would beat you, no matter the bullet/boolit or powder.
Rick knows his stuff so please listen instead of reading gun rags.

[cbrick]

If you use .454 brass go to near or max loads. We still found a .454 prefers a hot load even with the primer change. I got super accuracy at max with a PB boolit I made a mold for out of a Freedom and SRH.

That's not entirely true. I found a great 454 load loaded down to 44 mag velocities of about 1425 fps & shot several 40's with it. 34.0 gr of IMR 4198 over the Sierra 240 gr 45 HP, standard primer. The downside to this load is that it is a real PITA to load, to get 34 gr of this stick powder in a 454 case and still be able to seat the bullet you need to use a 8" drop tube and trickle it in slowly so the kernels lay out flatter.

Rick

[44man]

That's not entirely true. I found a great 454 load loaded down to 44 mag velocities of about 1425 fps & shot several 40's with it. 34.0 gr of IMR 4198 over the Sierra 240 gr 45 HP, standard primer. The downside to this load is that it is a real PITA to load, to get 34 gr of this stick powder in a 454 case and still be able to seat the bullet you need to use a 8" drop tube and trickle it in slowly so the kernels lay out flatter.

Rick
Agree but it was not 296. Yes, the .454 can be downloaded but never with H110 or 296. You are over 100% load density and need my 36" drop tube. Sounds like a good load.

[Tatume]

The Hornady 240 Silhouette bullet with 23.5 gr H-110/296 has won more International, National and State Championships in the 44m than all other 44 loads combined.

Hi Rick,

Is this bullet now out of production? I can find no reference to it either at any retail outlet or the Hornady web site.

The Sierra 250 grain 44 bullet is still cataloged (though sadly not available on any shelves I can locate).

Take care, Tom

[Tatume]

I'd like to point out something, just for the record. I'll preface it with a hearty "thank you" for all the good advice I've gotten.

I never said I was trying to load super hot 44 Magnum loads. All I asked for was a copy of the article and data because I wanted to read them.

Thanks, Tom

[cbrick]

Hi Rick, Is this bullet now out of production? I can find no reference to it either at any retail outlet or the Hornady web site.

The Sierra 250 grain 44 bullet is still cataloged (though sadly not available on any shelves I can locate). Take care, Tom

Had to go look this up. My bad . . . It's the Sierra .4295" 240 gr JHC bullet (#8610), not the Hornady. In the 357 it's the Hornady 38 Cal .357 180 gr HP XTP they use. I've not used either myself, I never felt I could afford the handi-cap of them and poured my own.

Rick

[44man]

I still find the bullet at Midsouth. It is 240-CL/SIL 003-4425.