44 Special Load for TLC432-265-RF?

[Fire_stick]

Has anyone loaded a 44 special load for this bullet? My mold drops about 270 grains. I have not found any data for Unique, Universal or Long Shot, which is what I have on hand at this time.

I am just looking for a plinking load for Ruger SBH and my Rossi M92 44 caliber guns.
I don't have a lighter bullet either, thus the heavy bullet wish list.

Thanks...

[Bass Ackward]

Has anyone loaded a 44 special load for this bullet? My mold drops about 270 grains. I have not found any data for Unique, Universal or Long Shot, which is what I have on hand at this time.

I am just looking for a plinking load for Ruger SBH and my Rossi M92 44 caliber guns.
I don't have a lighter bullet either, thus the heavy bullet wish list.

Thanks...



6 grains of Unique is what I am using with my 275 grain. That's between 14k and 15k psi and is 793 fps mean from my 5 1/2" slug at 10 BHN.

[Ole]

I have shot 4.7 grains of Bullseye with this bullet before.

It worked, but I prefer lighter bullets in my Bulldog.

Now a days I shoot the 200grain RNFP bullet over 6.5 grains of Unique.

Firestick: My intuition tells me 5.0-5.5 grains of Unique should be a safe load with the 265 ranch dog in a full sized .44 special.

[blackpowder man]

I have used this bullet for a number of loads and guns always without gc's because i have thus far been too cheap to shell out $35 for them. In my 7.5" SBH and rossi M92 I found 6.8 grains of 231 and 6.5 grains of unique to be a good cowboy load in mag brass. Recently I bought a beautiful S&W 21-4 in .44 special and while loading some lee tl 240 swc's and RD 432-265 RF with 6.0 grains of unique I accidentally loaded 25 of each with 7.0 grains of unique. 6.9 grains is listed as max for the 240's in a number of manuals, but I keep talking to folks and reading about folks shooting kieth and skeeter loads so i cautiously shot them and they shot accurately with no pressure signs. I must add that I load the RD with an extra groove exposed in mag and special or I might have been more concerned with pressure. Anyway they chrono'ed at 865 fps and shot accurately and recoil wasn't bad. So i'm loading another round at 7.0 unique and see how they do a second time.

[Fire_stick]

Thank you for the replies.

I have loaded this bullet unchecked in 44 mag cases using 8.4 gr of Universal. This has been a pleasant round to shoot and it is very accurate with the SBH. But I was not sure what I could do with 44 special cases. I don't have a 44 special only pistol yet, but I keep dreaming about a little CC bulldog or something like it in my future.

I will try these loads out the next chance I get.

[Rocky Raab]

I've done limited work with these, but have fired the loads below in a 4 5/8" Flattop. I load the bullet bare-base, LLA/mica and unsized. WW brass and RP 2½ primers. Bullet seated one groove out of the case mouth.

7.5 Unique 900 fps
7.0 Universal 890 fps
6.0 W231 785 fps
13.0 2400 900 fps

The most accurate load was with Universal, 5 in 2" at 25 yards. The 2400 load shot 4 into 1.5" but had one wide flyer. I shot a cylinder of these bullets over 5.5 W231 in my Charter Bulldog at 700 fps, but recoil was more than I like for long test strings.

[targetshootr]

With 250-260 gr cast I like 6.0 or 6.5 gr Universal for plinking. It all depends on how much recoil snap you like.

[catboat]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

This report by Seyfried indicates he has loaded the 44 Special with a 280 grain WFN cast bullet with 18 grains/H110 for a MV of 1120 fps. This is from a Lipsey's flat top Ruger Bisley, with the smaller frame/cylinder, not a full-sized Bisley. He was estimating the pressure was ~30,000 CUP (near top end for that revolver).

...My modern favorite .44 caliber bullet is a 280 grain LBT cast ( he is referring to the 44 Special in this quote). These flat nose designs have a few advantages that Elmer Keith did not get to experience. The accuracy is extreme and because the meplat or flat on the nose is larger than the Keith design it really hits harder and does more damage on the way through. With 18 grains of H-110 this bullet goes 1120 fps, just 10 fps behind the 250s, with a grain less powder. (Remember what I said about the efficiency of bigger bullets!)...

I would presume a 265-270 grain cast bullet in the 44 Special would be on the safer side of chamber pressure with that load. Many of the suggested powders seem "fast" for my comfort for a 270 grain cast bullet in the 44 Special. I'd be more comfortable with Unique on the fast side, and then going with "slower" powders from there (Herco, Blue Dot, 2400, H110 etc).

I have a blued Ruger flat top Bisley, 5.5" barreled configuration in 44 Special. I just picked up the Ranch Dog .432-265 mold-but in a plain base version. I haven't fired the Ruger yet, or cast with the mold either. I'm researching my options. Due to these new toys, I have in interest in this thread.

[taco650]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

This report by Seyfried indicates he has loaded the 44 Special with a 280 grain WFN cast bullet with 18 grains/H110 for a MV of 1120 fps. This is from a Lipsey's flat top Ruger Bisley, with the smaller frame/cylinder, not a full-sized Bisley. He was estimating the pressure was ~30,000 CUP (near top end for that revolver).

...My modern favorite .44 caliber bullet is a 280 grain LBT cast ( he is referring to the 44 Special in this quote). These flat nose designs have a few advantages that Elmer Keith did not get to experience. The accuracy is extreme and because the meplat or flat on the nose is larger than the Keith design it really hits harder and does more damage on the way through. With 18 grains of H-110 this bullet goes 1120 fps, just 10 fps behind the 250s, with a grain less powder. (Remember what I said about the efficiency of bigger bullets!)...

I would presume a 265-270 grain cast bullet in the 44 Special would be on the safer side of chamber pressure with that load. Many of the suggested powders seem "fast" for my comfort for a 270 grain cast bullet in the 44 Special. I'd be more comfortable with Unique on the fast side, and then going with "slower" powders from there (Herco, Blue Dot, 2400, H110 etc).

I have a blued Ruger flat top Bisley, 5.5" barreled configuration in 44 Special. I just picked up the Ranch Dog .432-265 mold-but in a plain base version. I haven't fired the Ruger yet, or cast with the mold either. I'm researching my options. Due to these new toys, I have in interest in this thread.

For the heavier cast bullets (>250 grains) in the 44 special, I'd feel more comfortable with Unique being the "fastest" powder to use, and then consider slower powders ( Herco, Blue Dot, 2400, H110 etc).

Good article from the link you shared. After reading it, you might consider doing the fire lap thing before you shoot your new 44 special.