heavy boolits (continued)

[calsite]

I loaded up my 253 grain 429421 boolits over 11.6 grains of H110, boolits were pan lubed (felix lube). I went to the indoor range yesterday morning to try them out. very, very dirty, almost like not all of the powder was burning, and there was a noticeable recoil difference between some rounds as well. After shooting about 3 cylinders full, I couldn't close my cylinder (???). I'm hoping that it is just terribly fouled. My other experiences with H110 have mainly been with (j)bullets and have thought that it was a pretty clean powder. The pistol I was using is a brand new S&W Model 24, I've shot alot heavier loads through it without a problem. (Scratch -- Scratch)

[cbrick]

What caliber and where did you get this load?

I don't know of any 44 cartridge that could use an H-110 charge that small. Reducing H-110 below listed start charges could be extremely dangerous.

[calsite]

.44 SPECIAL, Sierra's manual states, 11.6 for a 250 grain bullet as a starting charge weight. I've shot 13.0 grains (H110) with a 225 gr. GC boolit and it (the same pistol) shot wonderfully. I will certainly double check my load data though, thanks for the response

[cbrick]

Really, well, I confess that I only checked the Hodgdon online data and they don't even list H-110 in the 44 special. Or any of the smaller cartridges like 38 special etc.

If I'm wrong I apologize. That sure sounded like an awfully light charge of H-110 though.

Rick

[44man]

My thoughts exactly. Too light with H110 and 296 is way more dangerous then a little heavy.
I hope the gun is OK.
I can't even find an H110 load for the special in any of my books.

[runfiverun]

my sierra manual [circa-1978]
shows 44 special 240 gr jacketed, at 17.2-18.5 with h-110
and the 44mag at21.1-25.8.
with cci-300 primers in the special
and cci-350 in the mag

[44man]

Those loads are more realistic. The light loads he is using are dangerous.

[Wayne Smith]

Sierra Manual #5

44 Special

250gr FPJ Match

H110 14.3 14.8 with 14.8 being Max

240 gr JHC

H110 11.6 13.3 with 13.3 being Max

Not a very flexible powder in this cartridge

I find it hard to believe the earlier Sierra had the 240gr up around 17gr H-110? 17.7 is Max for the 180gr JHC in my manual.

[calsite]

I was on the Hogdon website tonite, didn't see anything for a 250 grain boolit at all, I noticed the 11.6 gr charge pop-up in another guys reply but it was listed for a 240 grain boolit. that's probably where I got this charge, as the 429421 is supposed to be casting a 240 gr. boolit. I won't be using H110 in my specials anymore and am going to pull the rest of what I've got loaded. My gun turned out to be fine, just had some powder under the extractor that was causing some headspacing issues, a good cleaning fixed that. I've got some 700X I've been wanting to work with so sounds like a good time to start. Thanks for all the comments.

[runfiverun]

yep thats why i put the date in here
but i don't use sierra bullets, and only have this manual from some stuff
i bought a while ago.
it is not uncommon for older manuals to show a higher powder charge for a case
as powders change and so does pressure testing equipment.

probably a good idea to skip a box of bullets once in a while and buy a new
reloading manual eh??

these guys are making/buying this stuff and testing it might want to know what
they found out!!