S&W 629 loads

[Deadeye]

I'm picking up a 629 .44 mag tomorrow and need some good data for a 240gr. lead bullet. I'm not looking for anything hot just some good starting & max points.
I have the following powders:
W-231
Red-Dot
Titegroup
Universal clays
Unique

Thanks Deadeye

[felix]

7-8 grains 231/RedDot; 8-9 grains Unique/UniversalClays. Don't know about TG. ... felix

[Dale53]

Here is what you need direct from the Hodgdon web site:

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Dale53

[Dale53]

In case you have a problem figuring out the web site, here is the page data from their site.

Dale53



Cartridge: 44 Remington Magnum
Load Type: Pistol
Starting Loads
Maximum Loads

Bullet Weight (Gr.) Order BW Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 Universal .430" 1.620" 6.5 852 11,700 CUP 10.2 1276 37,500 CUP

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 HP-38 .430" 1.620" 5.5 800 12,000 CUP 11.0 1334 38,100 CUP

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 Titegroup .430" 1.620" 4.7 801 11,100 CUP 10.0 1288 38,400 CUP

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 Clays .430" 1.620" 4.3 759 14,000 CUP 6.2 940 21,800 CUP

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 Trail Boss .430" 1.500" 6.0 828 19,100 PSI 7.3 917 21,600 PSI

240 GR. LSWC CAST 240 231 .430" 1.620" 5.5 800 12,000 CUP 11.0 1334 38,100 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 H4227 .429" 1.600" 22.0 1301 28,400 CUP 24.0 1458 36,100 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 H110 .429" 1.600" 23.0 1413 25,200 CUP 24.0 1522 36,200 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 Lil'Gun .429" 1.600" 22.5 1465 30,100 CUP 24.5 1582 38,100 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 Longshot .429" 1.600" 11.0 1249 29,400 PSI 12.1 1331 34,500 PSI

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 HS-7 .429" 1.600" 13.0 1144 24,000 CUP 16.5 1394 38,200 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 HS-6 .429" 1.600" 12.0 1144 22,800 CUP 15.1 1417 38,200 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 Universal .429" 1.600" 8.0 1018 21,900 CUP 10.2 1246 38,200 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 HP-38 .429" 1.600" 8.0 1021 23,800 CUP 11.0 1272 37,800 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP 240 Titegroup .429" 1.600" 9.0 1219 33,500 CUP 10.0 1292 37,700 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP* 240 296 .429"* 1.600" 23.0 1413 25,200 CUP 24.0 1522 36,200 CUP

240 GR. NOS JHP* 240 231 .429"* 1.600" 8.0 1021 23,800 CUP 11.0 1272 37,800 CUP
NEVER EXCEED MAXIMUM LOADS
Hodgdon web site IMR Smokeless Powders web site Winchester Smokeless Propellants web site

[d.thomson]

Hay Dead eye I use 23.5 grns of h110 for my loads with 240grn boolit and 24.8grns with my 210grn boolit. hope this helps a bit Dave T.

[duke76]

I have a 629 and I use 7 grains of unique with the 240 grain cast Vance bullet and love it shoots very well and very little recoil.

[G50-70]

Deadeye.

My all time favorite cast .44 boolit is the RCBS 250 Keith. It weighs 258 cast from WW's and is sized at .431. 8.5 grs of Unique give me 950 fps. 9.5 grs of Unique gives me 1050 fps. This is a good shooting load for me and it's not straining the 629 too hard.

Although you didn't mention 2400, it's a favorite of mine. 17.8 grs gives me about 1170 with the above listed boolit with good accuracy.

I have also used 6 grs of Red Dot with 240 grn store bought lead boolits. Nice easy shooting load, but not up to the accuracy of the above listed loads in my 629.

Gary

[Deadeye]

Thanks for the info guys. I've got most of the data on the web. I'm working up some light, med.& close to max. loads. I'm planing to load the max. as follows:

Red Dot-8.8gr.
Unique-11.8gr.
W231-11.0gr.
Titegroup-10.0gr.
Universal-10.2gr.

My 629 is S.S. with 6" barrel.
Do any of these loads sound too high for my pistol?

Thanks again
Deadeye

[Dale53]

I will state, again, that I use fast powders for target loads (Bullseye and Win 231, for example), medium powders for "service loads" (Unique for example) and H110, Win 296, and WC 820 for Magnum loads. You will get nothing but grief trying to use fast burning powders at high pressures.

Whereas, using this little prescription will have you shooting well with little fuss.

Dale53

[MtGun44]

RCBS 44-250-K or various versions of 429421 with 10.0 Unique
has been a consistent winner in the medium power range
for many different S&W 44. For more power, Elmer's load --
20.0 2400 with 429421 or 250 RCBS works great.

Use std primer (CCI300) NOT magnum primer. Much better
velocity consistence and fewer fliers with std primer and
for these two powders. Use mag primers for lots of ball
powders like H110. Heavy crimp helps accy for all loads,
esp heavy loads.

Have fun, size bullets to match cyl throat (front) diameter.

Bill

[Lloyd Smale]

he stole my favorite load and favorite 250 class bullet for the .44s. The rcbs 250 kt is a great bullet. Ive had much better luck with it then i have the 429421 lyman. The rcbs 250swc is another good bullet. Load it with 9.5 grains of unique or universal clays or 10 grains of herco for a nice light recoiling load that is more then capable of killing deer black bear and hogs. Other good bullets are rcbs 240swcgc and the lyman 225swcgc. These bullets have all proven themselves to be accurate in about all the 44s i shoot. Accuracy champ would probably have to go to the 240swcgc rcbs bullet but then your dealing with gas checks.
Deadeye.

My all time favorite cast .44 boolit is the RCBS 250 Keith. It weighs 258 cast from WW's and is sized at .431. 8.5 grs of Unique give me 950 fps. 9.5 grs of Unique gives me 1050 fps. This is a good shooting load for me and it's not straining the 629 too hard.

Although you didn't mention 2400, it's a favorite of mine. 17.8 grs gives me about 1170 with the above listed boolit with good accuracy.

I have also used 6 grs of Red Dot with 240 grn store bought lead boolits. Nice easy shooting load, but not up to the accuracy of the above listed loads in my 629.

Gary