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Thread: Gp100 44 about ready for ride along

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    My Speer no.12 manual shows loads the 240gr lead SWC at 841 FPS from a 3" barrel and they say these are below 15,500 psi , the Brian Pearce 44 special article his category 2 loads 22,000 psi he exceeds 1100 FPS with a Lyman 250gr Keith (I have a 4 cavity of that mold) in a 41/4 " barrel.
    So I think I should be able to work up a 900 to 950 FPS load for the 3" with a 250gr keith at lower pressure than the Pearce's category 2 loads . I don't want to beat up the Gp100 for a few FPS with non expanding boolits , just not needed for my use.
    I need to cast me some Boolits.

  2. #22
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    I have that same manual and see the load you are referring to, 9.5 grs of HS-7 with a magnum primer and a 240 gr LSWC.
    That same chart shows 820 fps with 6.3 grains of Unique. I think the GP-100 is more than strong enough to handle the traditional "Skeeter" load of a 7.5 grains of Unique and a 240-250 gr LSWC.
    In an older manual (yeah, I know), Speer shows 921 fps with a 250 gr LSWC, 6.9 grains of Unique, out of a 5.5" barrel. Now that data is a bit suspect these days but I think 900 fps with a 240-250 grain bullet isn't a huge stretch in a modern gun.
    Getting to the 900 fps range with a 240 gr lead bullet shouldn't be too difficult. You may end up a little outside of the 15,500 psi limit but I doubt you will be far outside of it.

    If your carry load is going to be that 200 grain Underwood JHP, then your practice load should probably be a 200 grain bullet as well. With that lower bullet weight 900 fps is easy to obtain while staying well within SAAMI specs.
    Another option would be to get a mold for a 250 gr SWC and have pins added for a hollow point. That will deliver a bullet that comes in under 250 grains. A HP coupled with a soft alloy would help achieve rapid expansion. That would give you a bullet a little heavier than the 200 gr Gold Dot bullet and still limit penetration. Just tossing out ideas here.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder View Post
    I have that same manual and see the load you are referring to, 9.5 grs of HS-7 with a magnum primer and a 240 gr LSWC.
    That same chart shows 820 fps with 6.3 grains of Unique. I think the GP-100 is more than strong enough to handle the traditional "Skeeter" load of a 7.5 grains of Unique and a 240-250 gr LSWC.
    In an older manual (yeah, I know), Speer shows 921 fps with a 250 gr LSWC, 6.9 grains of Unique, out of a 5.5" barrel. Now that data is a bit suspect these days but I think 900 fps with a 240-250 grain bullet isn't a huge stretch in a modern gun.
    Getting to the 900 fps range with a 240 gr lead bullet shouldn't be too difficult. You may end up a little outside of the 15,500 psi limit but I doubt you will be far outside of it.

    If your carry load is going to be that 200 grain Underwood JHP, then your practice load should probably be a 200 grain bullet as well. With that lower bullet weight 900 fps is easy to obtain while staying well within SAAMI specs.
    Another option would be to get a mold for a 250 gr SWC and have pins added for a hollow point. That will deliver a bullet that comes in under 250 grains. A HP coupled with a soft alloy would help achieve rapid expansion. That would give you a bullet a little heavier than the 200 gr Gold Dot bullet and still limit penetration. Just tossing out ideas here.
    All good ideas I know Hornady used to offer the 240 swc with or with out a hp. But my past experience with the Speer and Hornady lead bullets in 44 and 45 if I go much over starting loads I get bad leading .
    But that 240swc hp Hornady would be like a big boy FBI load. Even if it did lead once I had my load worked out it would not be a big deal . I could Practice with my Hi-tek 240 bullet .
    Something to think about.
    The Speer 200gr gold dot and the Barnes copper X designed for the special are two of the only factory bullets I am finding that have much chance of working at 44 special velocity with a chance of expansion . I don't mind the expense of factory loads in the revolver . I don't think I want to take the time , trouble and expense to test and set up to cast a working HP for this one gun , for most use I prefer a keith or large fp cast solid. But interesting to look at the options.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder View Post

    As a carry gun, I might round the outer edges of the hammer spur just a little. Same for the outer edges of the rear sight blade, particularly the corners.

    And BTW, I really like the factory grips on that GP-100 for a carry gun. That's a good grip for a "working gun" that is carried concealed.
    You got that right , I have carried it the last two days to get a feel for it , it tucks into my side pretty tight and I think the hammer will wear holes in my clothes if I don't clean it up a bit , the corners on the the rear sight are rounded just enough to be okay I think.
    I love that about stainless guns so easy to fix things like the sharp spots on the hammer.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ickisrulz View Post
    Send an e-mail to Lipsey's and Talo concerning the GP-100 in 41.
    Sign me up!

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by osteodoc08 View Post
    Sign me up!
    I've sent an email to those two, plus Ruger for the past four years, about once a year. Both Talo, and especially Lipsey seems quite excited for the idea, and have been wanting Ruger to introduce one as well. I feel we will see one sooner or later. In particular, I was asking for a 5 shot 41 magnum, not the 41 special. With the introduction of the 10mm auto model, it just seems pointless to introduce a 41 special at this point. I've also thought about having a 10mm auto rechambered to 10mm magnum. I've seen where guys have resized 41 magnum down to 10mm for a 10mm magnum rimmed cartridge.

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by onelight View Post
    ............. I don't mind the expense of factory loads in the revolver . I don't think I want to take the time , trouble and expense to test and set up to cast a working HP for this one gun , for most use I prefer a keith or large fp cast solid. But interesting to look at the options.
    If you're going to go with a factory HP [and I think that's an excellent idea] and that HP is going to be a 200 grain bullet, the Underwood 200 grain JHP looks like good choice. If it's going to be a 200 grain bullet you want to drive it as fast as possible and the Underwood load looks like it will fulfill that requirement. Speer makes an excellent JHP bullet and the Underwood load uses a Speer bullet. In fact, you can also get s similar load directly from Speer with their excellent Gold Dot bullet. Albeit a bit slower than the Underwood load. https://www.targetsportsusa.com/spee...80-p-1167.aspx

    It's very difficult to find a factory 44 Special load that utilizes a HP over 200 grains. This is unfortunate because the 44 Special does its best work around the 240 grain weight. A 200 grain HP might penetrate a bit less than a 240 grain, so that lighter weight may be a plus.

  8. #28
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    I had ordered a Lipsey Ruger BH in 44 Special, but checked on factory ammo which kind of staggered me: $44 for a box of 50. Therefore I got back into reloading with a vengeance. Worked out very well as I could not find factory ammo that was very accurate anyway. Example - HSM cowboy action 44 Special almost key holed at 15 yards.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  9. #29
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    I need a 44 GP100

    Brian Pearce has a good article on 44 special loads, the PDF is online.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...NWcznkyUKnljYP

    get a Wilson combat or Wolff spring kit, and a shim kit off ebay, follow this tutorial and you'll have a wonderful trigger job.
    http://www.sp101trigger.com/
    .


    NRA LIFE Member

    USPSA/IPSC

  10. #30
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    I ordered 500 starline cases and got them before the gun came in. Only way to go .

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check