Unique Loads for 38/44 and 1950 44 Special

[trouthunterdj]

Hello all,

I am looking for your favorite loads using Unique in a 38/44 and a 1950 Target 44 Special. I bought a couple kegs of Unique a couple years ago, so it has been my "everyday" powder. I'm not looking to duplicate 2400 type loads but am looking for shooting/plinking loads. I will shoot a 158 SWC out of the Outdoorsman and a 250 Keith out of the 44 Special.

Thanks for the help and sharing information.

ddj

[Char-Gar]

My favorite loads are found in every edition of the Lyman Handbook published since the end of WWII.

[trouthunterdj]

I'm sorry for my elementary post. Just looking for some favorite recipes.


ddj

[Larry Gibson]

Try 6 gr in the .38/44 and Skeeter's classic 7.5 gr load in the .44.

Larry Gibson

[trouthunterdj]

Thank you Larry. I really appreciate it.

I had seen the 6.0 gr. of Unique listed for the 38/44 but is this to hot for a K38? I don't want to have to worry about getting loads mixed up or my son shooting to hot of a load.

Thanks again,

ddj

[Bret4207]

I was going to say 5.0-5.5 Unique in the 38/44 and 6.0-7.0 unique in the 44.

Can I just mention my insane jealousy of your handgun collection?

[trouthunterdj]

Bret4207 - Thank you for your kind words.

I have been lingering around castboolits for awhile and have been impressed by the knowledge here. I have found a 38/44 Outdoorsman and a 1950 Target 44 Special and would like to prep a few loads for each in anticipation. I'm not going to try to be Elmer with these guns. I have a 357 and 44 Mag for those velocities but I want to enjoy them.

Thanks guys,

ddj

[992B]

ddj,
I have been loading 5.5 grains with a 158 SWC for 38/44 Outdoorsman and 7 grains with a 240 grain cast in 44 Special for a Clements Custom converted old model Ruger 357.Neither load show any signs of pressure and accuracy is excellent in my guns.
Gary

[exile]

I must be a wimp. I load my .38's with 158 grain SWC over 4.1 grains of Unique, and my .44 Specials with 200 grain RNFP over 6.7 grains of Unique in my S & W Mountain Gun which may be about the same weight as your 1950 Target.

Nothing out of the ordinary or spectacuar, but I mostly just shoot cans at the farm anyway.

exile

[trouthunterdj]

Thanks guys. Very helpful info.

It seems that there is more variation in the 38's but there is probably a big difference in loading for a N frame 38 and a J frame 38.


ddj

[Larry Gibson]

Thank you Larry. I really appreciate it.

I had seen the 6.0 gr. of Unique listed for the 38/44 but is this to hot for a K38? I don't want to have to worry about getting loads mixed up or my son shooting to hot of a load.

Thanks again,

ddj

The 6 gr Unique load is a very top end +P .38 load. I've fired lots of them in my M15 and other K frame S&W .38s. However, the current +P load manual load is 5.4 gr Unique with the 155 gr cast bullet. I have pressure tested the 6 gr Unique load under a 358477 in a Contender .357 barrel with an Oehler M43. It was at the very top of the SAAMI PMAP of 19K psi for +P loads. If you are uncomfortable having the 6 gr load around then drop back to 5.5 gr load which is quite safe in S&W K frames "just in case" and certainly is safe in the 38/44 N Frame S&W.

Larry Gibson

[HATCH]

I would not go over 5.5 grains in the 38 and thats a HOT load.

[exile]

I shoot those light .38 loads in a S & W 686 with a five-inch barrel. My wife enjoys shooting them too.

exile

[LowPE]

GLL is a member here with wonderful posts on the 38/44. Do a search on him or outdoorsmen and you will get tons of great reading material and loads.

[9.3X62AL]

What Bret said concerning both calibers, and your preference to not strain the revolvers.

I use "Skeeter's Load" in the 44 Special extensively (Model 624 x 6.5"), that being 7.5 grains of Unique under Lyman #429421. This gives about 950-975 FPS over my chronograph, and about 75% of my shooting with this revolver involves the use of these loads. The cases extract easily and have lasted forever. Just a useful, accurate load.

You DO have some fine hardware, sir!

[MGySgt]

I loaded 5.5 gr Unique under the 358477 for many years and shot a boat load of them.

However, they were shot in a Ruger Security Six and a Model 28. I was very hesitant to put them in a 38 special revolver of any make or model. They were hot and very, very accurate.

I have been loading the same 2K lot of mil spec 38 cases since about 1980 and the only ones that I lost were because I dropped them in high grass and the grass ate them up - no splits!

Just my 2 cents worth!

[Bass Ackward]

That's why you test / chronograph. If 6 grains isn't giving you anymore velocity than the gun used in the reloading manual produced with 5.5 grains of Unique, then 6 grains is about the same pressure.

We have two K-frame Mod 15s from the early 70s that have shot no other load as far as I can remember using the 358156 seated in the top (deep) crimp groove. And they are just as tight today as decades ago.

Can't produce velocity without producing the pressure using the same powder. It's possible that 5 grains could be too much for some guns. The chrono tells the tale.

[ChuckS1]

I have a pre-24 and I use 6.9 grains of Unique and a Lyman 429421, though my Ruger .44 Special likes it a lil hotter with 7.1 grains of Unique. I've also used the Skeeter load of 7.5 grains of Unique, but it's not as accurate.

[Char-Gar]

For many years the Lyman manuals contained two sections of 38 Special loads. One regular and another "High Velocity" loads for the large frame (38/44 Smiths and Colts SA) revolvers. Go to Ebay and buy a #40 or #41. They are a good resource to have when loading for this big frame Sixguns in 38 Special.

The big issue, of course, having these loads slip into a medium or small frame sixgun. It is not likely the pistol will be destroyed with a few rounds, but it will get considerable stress.

I load above standard 38 Special pressure for my Smith Heavy Duty sixgun. But I make darn certain the loads are clearly marked and not stored near any standard 38 Special loads.

[Shooter6br]

In my Mod 10 3.5 Unique with 147 wc nearly flush and 4. 5 Unique with 158 Lee TL. Pretty standard stuff