x101airborne
12-12-2011, 11:38 AM
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61a4a7a4c4.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2968)
Our man, Jim was kind enough to send me some of his custom 44 wad cutters made out of swaged black powder boolits. Here is the report.
Jim and I both seem to have an affection for the Charter Arms Bulldog in 44 Special. A most handy firearm, I have carried mine and shot mine enough to know that three home made ratshot followed by two 260 swc's over 7 grains unique is a heck of an all day in the woods load. The ratshot will chop a copperhead or a rattler up into sushi at 10 feet, kill a skunk quite readily with two shots, drop a close passing dove, etc. The two 260 grainers will cleave through a 150 pound pigs shoulders so cleanly, it even kills the squeal. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61ba06e226.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2969)
So I loaded them in new Winchester cases and took them to the cabin with me this weekend. I did not get to shoot a pig with them, but did finally get to do my shoot test. By far the most accurate was a starting load of SR4759. And quite comfortable to boot. While not what the full potential of the 44 special is, remember..... LOADED this thing comes in at a pound and a half. Quite light comparitively.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61c814da50.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2970)
At higher charges, the cases became difficult to extract. Not stuck, just not that easy. Now before I get flamed, I did not clean the weapon prior to shooting these groups. it could be the incredibly thin walls of the cylinder allowing case expansion, it could be that this thing has a permenant place in my back pocket year round, hard to say.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61d5d09573.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2971)
Upon shooting the blue dot load, I noticed something lock up the weapon between rounds 3 and 4. Upon extraction, I noticed the extractor was damaged. This was not to my knowledge due to hard extraction, although I could see how it could be. All I know is I did not use a rock to push out the shells. They came out by hand and the ones that did not, were pushed out with a pencil one at a time.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61e3822117.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2972)
Now, as far as groups, I enjoyed the SR4759 load. For hunting, I found the 2400 load hot as the mid day sun from that little revolver. In fact, if you notice, The blue dot load and the 2400 load were terminated after two rounds. I noticed something slick on my fingers of my right hand, it was blood from my thumb. The cylinder latch was tearing the side of my thumb off with every shot. The pic is from this morning, 24 hours later.
All in all, I am VERY impressed with the performance of the custom WC's from Jim and the Charter Bulldog. A better and lighter woods companion, I could not want. By the way, these loads were shot offhand at 20 yards. And By God, 35 rounds a day from this thing is ENOUGH!!!!!!
Our man, Jim was kind enough to send me some of his custom 44 wad cutters made out of swaged black powder boolits. Here is the report.
Jim and I both seem to have an affection for the Charter Arms Bulldog in 44 Special. A most handy firearm, I have carried mine and shot mine enough to know that three home made ratshot followed by two 260 swc's over 7 grains unique is a heck of an all day in the woods load. The ratshot will chop a copperhead or a rattler up into sushi at 10 feet, kill a skunk quite readily with two shots, drop a close passing dove, etc. The two 260 grainers will cleave through a 150 pound pigs shoulders so cleanly, it even kills the squeal. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61ba06e226.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2969)
So I loaded them in new Winchester cases and took them to the cabin with me this weekend. I did not get to shoot a pig with them, but did finally get to do my shoot test. By far the most accurate was a starting load of SR4759. And quite comfortable to boot. While not what the full potential of the 44 special is, remember..... LOADED this thing comes in at a pound and a half. Quite light comparitively.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61c814da50.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2970)
At higher charges, the cases became difficult to extract. Not stuck, just not that easy. Now before I get flamed, I did not clean the weapon prior to shooting these groups. it could be the incredibly thin walls of the cylinder allowing case expansion, it could be that this thing has a permenant place in my back pocket year round, hard to say.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61d5d09573.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2971)
Upon shooting the blue dot load, I noticed something lock up the weapon between rounds 3 and 4. Upon extraction, I noticed the extractor was damaged. This was not to my knowledge due to hard extraction, although I could see how it could be. All I know is I did not use a rock to push out the shells. They came out by hand and the ones that did not, were pushed out with a pencil one at a time.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_155754ee61e3822117.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2972)
Now, as far as groups, I enjoyed the SR4759 load. For hunting, I found the 2400 load hot as the mid day sun from that little revolver. In fact, if you notice, The blue dot load and the 2400 load were terminated after two rounds. I noticed something slick on my fingers of my right hand, it was blood from my thumb. The cylinder latch was tearing the side of my thumb off with every shot. The pic is from this morning, 24 hours later.
All in all, I am VERY impressed with the performance of the custom WC's from Jim and the Charter Bulldog. A better and lighter woods companion, I could not want. By the way, these loads were shot offhand at 20 yards. And By God, 35 rounds a day from this thing is ENOUGH!!!!!!