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I have looked but cannot find load data for my Ranch Dog .432-265 gas check boolit in a handgun.
Can someone please point me to some min/max load data for this boolit in a handgun? (S&W 6.5" 629 Classic) I have H110, Lil Gun and Unique powder on hand.
Again, thank you if you can help me.
Measure the bearing surface, or area of the bullet that is in contact with the bore. Use data from a similar bullet.
You're not going to see any load data for the Ranch Dog series in authoritative published sources. It's a custom bullet design, but admittedly a popular one.
I don't think bearing surface figures much into the equation. A bigger factor is probably how deeply the bullet seats into the case. From what I've seen, the Ranch Dog designs tend to seat deeper into the case vs. other cast bullets of similar weight. This would require you to back the powder charge off a bit vs. other designs of similar weight.
I would look up load data for other 260-265 grain cast bullets, and drop the starting charge maybe a half grain or so. I'm specifically thinking of H110/296 here, but it would apply to Lil Gun as well.
For Unique, I'd just start at 8 or 9 grains and work my way up to 10. I don't think I'd go much beyond 10 grains of Unique though.
In Ruger Super Blackhawks I had success with 22.0 of 296/h110 and standard primers. My guns, my loads, my shooting. Use at your own risk.
Just use STARTING data from the Hornady 265 grain bullet.
Good Luck,
Rick
Of the powders you mention Unique would be my choice.
You can always use heavier bullet data for lighter bullets & work up. Lots of data for 300gr bullets. Yes bearing surface matters.
Powder choice depends on what you are trying to achieve. I use Unique for low to midrange but you need slower powders for highest vel with lowest pressures.
I've used 22-24 grains of H-110 in my SBH, seated to the crimping groove with a pretty solid roll crimp for a while. I've never had any high pressure signs in my gun. Note: I have chronographed the 24gr load around 1580fps out of my 7.5" barrel. NO WAY I WOULD GO THIS HIGH IN A SMITH!! I don't have the book in front of me, but I think the Lyman data starts at 20gr and goes up to 23gr for H-110.
My favorite load is 13gr of HS-6. This gives me just over 1300fps and is accurate as all get out.
For Unique, I've loaded 9gr of powder for just about every boolit from the 265 down to 200. It's a pretty tame load that just seems to be accurate in every combination I've tried it in.
Thank you guys! As you can see I am still in the learning process, but I will get there with your help.
NOE has load data. Compare it though with a commercial source.
I load mine, in 44 Magnum, at 22.0 grains W296. I worked the load up in a Super Blackhawk, but I currently am running it through a Winchester 92.
It's a MP bullet and not a Ranch Dog, but your results should be similar. This is from my 5.5" Lipsey 44 special Flattop, using the Skeeter load (7.5 Unique).
https://i.imgur.com/kAToFIkm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/OvNVD5Cm.jpg
The data are here: https://hodgdonreloading.com/Quote:
Originally Posted by RickinTN
There's not much point in posting a link to Hodgdon's load data when they have never published any load data for any of the Ranch Dog bullet designs. Please understand--they never will.
When you get down to it, NONE of the bullet manufacturers, or powder manufacturers, or mold manufacturers, or any other source of authoritative load data will ever publish load data for any Ranch Dog bullet design. Why would anyone expect this when we know that the Ranch Dog bullet is a custom design?
What's unique about the Ranch Dog bullet designs is that they seat deeper in the case than most other bullet designs of the same bullet weight. This is key, and unfortunately this is also ignored by most folks here.
Earlier in this same thread I was jumped on because I said that the increased bearing surface of the Ranch Dogs wasn't much of a concern. I absolutely stand behind this, because the Ranch Dog bullets are cast bullet designs. Increased bearing surface with cast bullets isn't nearly the same problem it can be with jacketed bullet designs.
Increased bearing surface with cast bullets is meaningless vs. increased seating depth.
The best advice that can be given to the original poster, Bluesman423, is that when you embark on something like this with a custom bullet design, you should expect to be on your own.
I think the ranchdog design's were made to fit and fill the throats of marlin lever action rifles and also feed from the magazine. This particular one was designed for a 444 marlin, but I guess it also works in a 44 mag marlin. So if one wanted a bullet that was heavier or lighter the only thing that would change is the length of the bullet, the nose would stay the same since it fit the throat and fed from the magazine.
This is a statement from him on noe bullet molds site from 2014,
"About 15 years ago, I became interested casting for my Marlin leverguns. I immediately saw a need for bullets specifically designed for specific cartridges as nothing worked perfectly, bullet designs where too generic in nature. Everyone seemed to be “beagling” molds for greater diameter and worrying chamber fit, so I decided to put my money into bullet design rather than buying existing designs.
My interest was in developing a bullet that was simple to cast, lube, and size, fit like a glove, in the specific chamber, and had superb killing authority. My first efforts were directed at my beloved 444 Marlin and with that as a test bed, I went to work.
What I learned, is what I applied to each of my bullet designs;
[*]Bullet diameter – .015 to .020 over the actual groove being cut in the target firearm[*]Bullet Nose – A round flat nose for cartridge fee using an ogive that fits the throat of the chamber, fills freebore, and allows a maximum overlength.[*]Meplat – Based on my hunting experience, well over a thousand big game animals taken with these designs, a 72% meplat for killing authority.[*]Micro Bands – For tumble or dip lubing with liquid Alox. I’ve tried all the lubes and have not found ANYTHING better for bullets shot a Maximum SAAMI pressures and maximum possible velocities. I shoot all my ammunition at factory ammo velocities!"
They weren't necessarily designed to seat deep, this particular one just happens to do that in a 44 mag case as compared to other bullets.
He also made some for 30-30, 32 Winchester special and 45 colt. All designed to fit and fill the marlin throat and feed through the magazine.
You would be wrong about bearing surface not being an issue. It matters when loading the top end. Just as seating deeper matters. Everything matters at the top end.Quote:
Originally Posted by AlaskaMike
Well no, I'm actually not wrong. I never said bearing surface wasn't an issue. I said that the deeper seating of the Ranch Dog bullets is much more of an issue than the bearing surface of those designs. I said this about three different ways in both of my earlier posts.Quote:
Originally Posted by fredj338
I'll try to be more clear--while bearing surface matters somewhat with cast bullets, the deeper seating depth of the Ranch Dog bullets matters far more.
If you're especially concerned with bearing surface, keep in mind that the Ranch Dog bullets are tumble lube designs, which means that they actually have less bearing surface than some other cast bullet designs of similar weight and length, especially those with no lube grooves which are intended for powder coating, for example.
When you get into jacketed bullets, bearing surface becomes much more important, because copper and other gilding metals are much, much harder than lead alloys and present much more resistance to the rifling, so maybe that's what you had in mind. But we're not talking about jacketed bullets here--we're talking about cast bullets, and specifically the Ranch Dog designs.
Hopefully that helps.