.44 mag and H-110 users, I have a question

[the_ursus]

So I went to the range yesterday with some test loads; 255 swc (263 lubed and checked) H-110, LPM primers, and WW brass. The charges were 19, 20, 21, and 22 grains. Groups were shot @ 30yds and have room for improvement since the best group was roughly 2" with 22 grains. Also, I've never split so many cases before! These are old cases so that may be the problem since I've since read 110 will do that if the cases are not fresh. I did notice that as I went up in charge the splits started going away and my last 6 shots of 22grns didn't split any cases. Maybe I started with too low of a charge and I was getting unusual pressure but the primers looked ok with no flattening. These loads seemed much milder in recoil than I expected so I'm considering working up to 23-24 grns.

[runfiverun]

go on up, 110 is best at max.
the only time i even use 110/296 is when i want/need max power. it is king there. for the medium levels it's 2400, or a even faster powder[titegroup/clays] for the poofy loads.

[Echo]

I believe it's not the '110', it's the 'old' that did your cases in. How many times had they been reloaded in the past? How much are they sized down on re-sizing? Brass will work-harden, and split.

[chg]

I use alot of H110 and have never had problems with cases spliting. It's a great powder, stay at the upper end of the loading data with it and enjoy!

[the_ursus]

Yes, it sounds like the old cases are likely the cause. They've been fired 6-8 times with light-moderate loads prior to the splitting. I'll continue working up the charge with fresh cases. Thanks!

[mrmeanbean74]

I use 110 in my 44mag rifle loads.I started with 24 grains witch had a alot of recoil but give tight groups.so i started working down 5ths of a grain at a time until i found a pleasant load and load being 22 grains has less recoil and did not change my groups .

[bisley45]

I would try new cases and get rid of the mag primers just cause it says mag on the cases dosent mean you have to yous mag primers I shot alot of h110 out of my 45colt bisley and redhawk 21.5gr and none mag primer will keep them at 1 to 1.5" at 50 yards if I do my part but if you need more help contact 44man he nows way more than me

[MtGun44]

They specifically warn against exactly what you are doing!

The manuals says not to reduce the charges on H110/W296 below the book numbers.
This is due to unpredictable results.

NOW - do I think this has something to do with the split cases? Not certain, but it
doesn't fit the high pressure behavior that I have observed with too hot loads in
a revolver in the past. I find sticky extraction as a reliable - "Back off!" warning.

Never get split cases in my .44s.

Bill

[44man]

!9 gr with a 255 gr boolit is a little low but only by a gr or so for a starting load. You would be better off at 21.5 to 22 gr and should be able to go to 23 without a problem.
However, I don't think that is the cause of split brass. Old brass will do that and I mean age, not how many times it was shot. I have cases for my .44 that have exceeded 40 reloads and I never lost a single one. I use 296 and it is the same as H110. Powder will not split brass.
What kind of crimp are you using and how tight are you crimping?
Do you have oversize chambers and working the brass too much?
I have to ask what brand of brass too? I use Fed, Hornady, Rem and Starline and I swear you can't wear any out. (Yeah, I still have Fed brass!) I don't like WW brass.
Something strange is going on and I can't put my finger on it.

[waco]

i dont need mag primers when using h110 and 296??????

[cohutt]

I've never had issues with regular primers with 110.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

IMHO you don't need mag. primers with H-110/296 in the 44 mag. I've been shooting it a long time, I tried mag. primers, they did nothing for the loads and I think the LP primer makes for a more accurate load.

The case splitting is probably caused by over working the case mouth, IMHO
Good Luck.

[dougader]

I had some split cases that has been used only once. And this was not with hot loads or H110. The only thing I can trace it to is the bad advice I got ~25 years ago to use Brasso in my tumbling media... and Brasso has ammonia in it and ammonia can cause corrosion in brass. My cases were corroded from the inside out and split on firing light loads.

[Trey45]

Stop using magnum primers and I bet you stop splitting cases. I had problems with a 357magnum, when i stopped using magnum primers, my case problems went away too.

[Tom W.]

I doubt that the mag primers are a problem. I have some very old brass that I use w/ mag primers and heavy loads of H110 that don't split. I do wonder if your lighter loads aren't detonating.....

[454PB]

Bad brass. I've been using magnum primers with H-110/WW296 for 35 years and have never had a split case.

After 30 firings, I start getting mouth splits, then I trim them down to 44 Special and start all over.

[Ole]

I use H110 exclusively in my full power .44 loads and have never had a split case in well over 3,000 reloads.

[MtGun44]

Make 10 loads with reg primers and 10 with mag primers.
Chrono both.
See if you get better consistency of velocity with the mag primers.
Shoot at least 5 10 shot groups with each type before making any conclusions
about accuracy difference. Is one more accurate?
If yes, use mag primers (recommended by the powder makers), if no, forget it.

Key concepts:

1 - absent solid scientific data, follow the info provided by the powder companies.
Their goal is for you to have safe and accurate ammo.

2 - each gun is a thing unto itself. If careful testing shows that some "standard method"
does not work as expected in YOUR gun, then do what DOES work properly in your gun.

3 - The targets and chrono will tell the story.

Bill

[44man]

Mag primers triple my group size with 296!

[Dale53]

I have shot tens of thousands of .44 magnum loads in several revolvers. My practice load (I only load "full" loads in my .44 magnums as I have .44 Special revolvers for light and medium loads), to repeat, my practice load is Federal 150 primer, 23.0 grs of H110, Keith .430" (Lyman 429421 or H&G #503) medium roll crimp in crimp groove. My hunting load is 24.0 grs of H110 and every thing else the same. My bullet alloy for this is WW's/linotype 5/1-8/1.

Both loads will penetrate a large whitetail deer 200-250 lbs end for end (or any other way) regardless of bones hit. Shot through the lungs, a deer will travel a bit but leaves a large blood trail that is easy to walk up on. No meat loss but the deer will generally go 30-100 yards. If you need to drop them "right now" due to the presence of other hunters, then a shot through the shoulders will ground them nicely but WILL damage more meat.

I have had good luck with neck shots at reasonable ranges (35 yards or so). My range limit is 125 yards - NOTHING FURTHER. Most have been dropped from 10-85 yards. Other than my first deer, these have all been one shot kills.

Dale53