WSF In 44 Magnum

[Bazoo]

Can anyone give me a starting point in using WSF with the Lee 310 grain 430-310-rf boolit.

Thanks.

[DougGuy]

This powder isn't listed at Hodgdon (Winchester) data for this cartridge. Neither is Unique, and WSF is only a tad bit slower burning than Unique which pretty much runs out of headroom and reaches the pressure ceiling with heavy boolits real quick.

What are you hoping to accomplish loading such a heavy boolit on top of a fast burning powder? There are much better choices of powder to use with the 310.

If I *had* to use WSF in the .44 magnum I would definitely use a lighter boolit, I think you will reach the maximum pressure with WSF long before it makes enough velocity to even stabilize that boolit. You can't shoot that 310 slow it won't achieve enough spin to stabilize.

[Bazoo]

I was thinking a milder load. But, i never considered if the bullet would stabilize.

[DougGuy]

Do you have any 2400? AA#9? LilGun? These are good choices with that boolit if you want less than the lowest starting weight of H110/W296. Since this powder is not safe to download below minimum starting weights, use of a slightly faster powder will get you about as mild as you will get with the 310 and still have accuracy.

I run mine at 1180 ~ 1200fps with WLP primers and 17.0gr 2400 with the boolit seated out long in the bottom crimp groove. This is about as mild as it gets with the 310, matter of fact it gains so much dwell time in the 7 1/2" SBH barrel that the rear sight would not go nearly low enough to sight in so I took it and stood it upside down on a belt sander (gasp!) and hit the switch.. Stopped with the rear sight blade sanded flush with the sight body then filed a new notch in the center with a file.

Very crude way of sighting in and I wouldn't recommend this method to others but it works, the gun is stupid accurate at handgun hunting distances and it's dialed in now to probably the only load I will shoot out of it any more. So, moral of this story is that if you DO manage to slow the 310 enough to consider it a mild load, you may not be able to sight in without modifications to the rear sight at the very least.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing your experience. No 2400, but i have some AA9 and w296. Now that it dawns on me that the bullet might not stabilize, i will shelve the midler load idea. I didnt get it for that, but was brainstorming.

[Petrol & Powder]

I can't help you with WSF and a 310 grain bullet but I agree with DougGuy's assessment. WSF is a great powder in other applications but that's just not one of them.

[ironhead7544]

I checked loaddata.com. Nothing for the 44 Magnum. Seems to be close to Unique but you cant go by that.

I have used Unique with heavy bullets in the 44 Magnum. Worked OK and the bullets stayed stable.