PP 44 Mag

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

There are two guns I'm considering paper patched bullets for: a Super Redhawk and a 14" SSK Contender. I'm pretty confident I can make PP bullets work in the Contender; after all, it's not really any different from a rifle barrel, only shorter. But I'm not so sure the PP bullets will survive the transition from throat to forcing cone in the revolver. Have any of you tried it, successfully or not?

Thanks, Tom

[Nobade]

I have done that, and it does work. Not any better than normal bullets but I suppose if you wanted to use pure lead or close for hunting it would be a good way to go since you can drive them to full power without leading.

In the Contender, depending on how it is throated, you may be able to seat bullets way out and come up with 445 supermag loads if you want to. (That's how I run my Marlin 1894 when I use PP in it.) Of course such loads won't fit in the revolver.

-Nobade

[Tatume]

Hi Nobade,

Actually, they do fit in the Super Redhawk. I'm running 240 grain Nosler SP bullets seated 0.2" out from the crimp groove. When I load them I use an inline die, with no flare at the case mouth (nice bevel though) and no crimp after seating. They do not migrate from recoil, and the heavy charges of IMR 4227 powder burn almost completely (tiny bit unburned). Accuracy is one-hole at 25 yards, 1.5" at 50 yards, and velocity is 1600 fps. Not quite Supermag speeds, but getting up there.

I developed the load in the SSK Contender. It is the maximum length that will fit, and when I tried it in the Super Redhawk I was surprised that they fit perfectly, with some to spare. The bullet is completely supported by the throat. I've tried partial sizing to get even better alignment with the chamber, and the results are promising.

Thank you for the encouraging words about the PP revolver bullets. I'm going to start swaging soon, and have been considering a die set for concave-base PP bullets. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, so knowing someone else has had success makes it easier to spend the money on the dies.

Take care, Tom

[Nobade]

Well, you are welcome - I am always glad to be of help where I can.

Your Contender must have a much shorter throat in it than my Marlin rifle, I can only keep one driving band of a 240 in the case when they are seated to touch the rifling. I also use 4227, it is one of the few powders that will not overpressure a 44 no matter how much you use but still be fairly efficient. That's great that the same loads will fit in your Redhawk.

I end up needing a .433" bullet, so a off the shelf Lee .427" sizer is perfect for my 9# onionskin paper that adds .006". Of course if you get swage dies you can order them in whatever size you need. A cup base pure lead PP bullet should certainly be effective on game from either gun!

-Nobade

[longbow]

I have not used PP in revolvers but was encouraged to try them in my Marlin 1894 .44 mag after reading an article in a gun magazine many years ago regarding paper patched boolits in revolvers and carbines more specifically for .45 Colt and .44 mag. My application was for my 1894 Marlin .44 mag. in which they worked quite well.

Point being tha they were also tested in revolvers and produced quite good accuracy.

So, obviously they can work well but are PP boolits really needed at revolver velocity's?

No, I haven't tried it but according to the article they worked just fine in both .45 Colt and .44 mag. revolvers.

They certainly worked well in my .44 mag. Marlin.

Longbow

[Tatume]

I heard privately from someone I respect who raised a valid point. Being very soft lead, paper patched bullets have the potential to swell and then be reformed as they transition from the throats through the barrel/cylinder gap, and into the forcing cone. In fact, all revolver bullets do, to one degree or another. The cautionary note indicated that the potential for barrel splitting will be enhanced by the combination of high pressure and soft lead.

[Nobade]

Good point. That could certainly happen, and I hadn't thought about it in this context. I seem to remember "back in the day" that was an issue with the 454 when it was just getting started.

-Nobade

[Tatume]

I developed the load in the SSK Contender. It is the maximum length that will fit, and when I tried it in the Super Redhawk I was surprised that they fit perfectly, with some to spare. The bullet is completely supported by the throat. I've tried partial sizing to get even better alignment with the chamber, and the results are promising.

After shooting four groups rested at 25 yards with full length sized cases and four with partial sizing I measured the five-shot groups and did a formal comparison. There was no difference in the group sizes or the variation in group sizes. Judging from the consistency of the groups, I don't believe a larger sample size will change the results. The jury is in: partial sizing does not improve grouping in my Super Redhawk.

Next up: groups with the charge I've been using compared to groups with a two grain reduction.