Ok I got the mould working.

[Bigscot]

I got a new RCBS 250 gr K mould and finally got some good boolits out of it. Now what should I stuff it with? I bought some Keith booits from Leadheads and put about 22 grs of 2400 behind them. I am curious what others are using to launch them. I would like to use them for deer hunting and for any other varmint what gets in my way.

Bigscot

[Buckshot]

...............Don't know about hunting but a good general purpose all round load should be fround somewhere between 5.5 and 7.0grs of Unique. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

..................Buckshot

[Bass Ackward]

Scott,

Boy howdy. I sure hope that is an old can of 2400.

Because @ 20 grains of the new stuff in a 44 Mag approximates the old Elmer load. And that was a 34,000 - 36,000 psi load with around a 10 BHN bullet. Just so folks know.

But that load aught to dispatch almost anything that walks kicks or crawls.

[Bigscot]

I'll those Buckshot.

Bass, I double checked the load and it is 22 grs of 2400. I never had any problems with it in my SRH. I worked up to that load. I don't know if the bottle of powder is old or new as this is my first bottle. When I got it though, the bottle looked as if it had been on the shelf for a while.
Usual load was a 240 gr Horn XTP with 22.3 grs of 296.

I am not looking to build an artillary round but looking for something between a plinker and hog round. I am just curious what others were using and had success with. For my 44 loads I have used 296, 231, 4227, 2400 and Unique.

Thanks

[NVcurmudgeon]

Big Scot, My favorite non-elephant load in .44 Magnum is 7.0 gr. Green Dot, about 900 fps. curmudgeon

[StarMetal]

Boy Bass sure is right about that old and new 2400 powder. In fact Mike Venturino of Shooting Times did an article on that as it's one of his favorite 44 mag powders and he liked that Elmer load for a 240 gr bullet. Then when the new powder come out he noticed pressure signs and has since dropped back the powder charge accordinly.

Joe

[beagle]

Bigscot......I'm using 15.0 grains of WC820 milsurp under a 250 grain Keith in both Super Blackhawks and the M94 .44 Mag.

Runs about 1100 something in the peeeestols and is pleasant to shoot for plinking.

Blue Dot is also a good load and for darn sure, don't overlook WW231.

Good shooting with it and glad you got the mould straightened out. Having a good supply of sized and lubed bullets gives you a warm feeling. Kinda like having a hole in your pocket./beagle

[Bigscot]

With the use of small charges (6-10grs) of powder, does anyone notice any changes in performance with the position of the powder in the case. ie: all the way at the bullet or primer? I was at the range a couple of weeks ago shooting .44's with another guy, long range for fun. We were spotting for each other and taking turns every shot. I was holding that same and the shots were way off (at 100 yds). I was bringing the gun up and shooting and he suggested to start with the gun up and bring it down. The shots seemed more uniform. I know this is far from scientific but this used to shoot silouette and having the powder against the primer seemed to work better. I do know not to reduce charges of powders like WW296 and H-110 Any thoughts?
For what purposes do you use plinking or reduced loads. Plinking, target, hunting ect? Is there a performance level you require for plinker/target loads.
My couriousity is really going now.

Bigscot

[beagle]

Normally in a case the size of a .44 Mag, using Large Pistol primers, you'll not detect a "position sensitive" change in your loads or at least I haven't.

I wouldn't use the reduced charges in WW296 or H110, I agree. These powders are for the "big blast" loads and I normally reserve them for "big bullets" in the 300 and 300+ grain range and normally, you don't need them.

I think for most of us, having a range that is 100 yards is about the norm. I usually carry a peeestol and a box of ammo and do a bit of 100 yard plinking every week to keep my hand in. I do have one place where I can walk about a 1/2 mile of creek and plink at both animate and inanimate targets as there's a 100 foot bank on either side leading down to a river.

To me, shooting paper is boring and when our "clangers" are in repair at the range, that takes up a bit of lead with me.

When I was in the Army, we had access to a range that ran back into the impact area. That was great fun as the sniper school used it during the day and during the week. After duty hous and on weekends it was ours. They'd erected armor plate targets starting at 100 yards out to a tank hulk about 800 yards away. It was great long range plinking when the weather was dry as it faced slightly west and you could see the bullet impact quite a ways out with a spotter watching through a spotting scope.

Now, I have no place like that and 100-200 yards plinking is about all I get.

I've shot a bunch of 9.2 grain Unique loads under a 250 grain Keith for these practices. That about all the velocity I needed.

You'll have to "spearment" around and see what your needs are and wee what works for you and what is most economical due to today's powder prices./beagle

[Pb head]

I used 9 1/2 of unique for a long time in a contender and a 629 S&W and found it to be fine for general pistol duties. Then my wife took over the 629 and wanted something with a little less recoil. I then loaded 7 1/2 of bullseye for her which she found easy to handle and just as accurate. I hate to admit it but she has a habit of out shooting me and my buddies on a regular basis, and we have been shooting a lot longer then her. What is it about a woman and young teenagers that make them so good so quick? BTW The only boolit I use in the 44 pistols is a Lyman 250 Keith PB, never found anything better.

Pb head

[Beau Cassidy]

Bigscot,
While I can understand your concern over SD with small charges in small cases, I can just about assure you it has absolute zero to do with anything at standard pistola ranges and is thus a non-issue.

I spent the sunday before last testing 3 different molds in 3 different .44's with several powders. In each instance, 7.5 grains of Winchester Super Target gave less than 15 SD- usually single digit SD. I have found this to be true in my .45 ACP's also.

Another load I feel has potential is 10.5 Grains of Herco. In each gun/bullet combo, it gave groups less than 2 inches for 6 shots at an average velocity of 1175 FPS. That's quite an accomplishment for my 4" mountain gun.

The bullets were 2 mountain mold designs and a Ballisticast Keith. All were at .431 with Felix lube.

Beau

[454PB]

I'm with Beagle, except I push a little harder. His suggestion is a good starting load, I use 22 gr. WC820 with a 250 gr. cast, and 15 gr. Bluedot. Both of these can be reduced, of course. I've gone as high as 17 gr. of Bluedot, but only in my Redhawk. I've always leaned towards powders that fill the case more. Even though I check every case for proper charge with a light, small charges fit twice with anything faster than Unique.