Short seating the Lee 310gr 44

[tek4260]

Anyone seating this boolit to the shorter OAL crimp and using H110? I finally have a few ready to load and have been searching loads and they seem to be 21-22gr of H110, seated long, which will leave a bit of space I think. I say "I think" because I have never loaded any and am basing the capacity on what I get with my Mihec, which when seated long will get you into 25-27gr range. Considering I am shooting a 4 5/8, the shorter OAL might be just the ticket since more boolit in the case means more neck tension to help get the pressure up.

[subsonic]

I have never played with that boolit, but I think you're on the right track....

[kelbro]

I shoot it in the 'shortest' crimp groove. Don't think that I want any more H110 in it than that :) especially not in a 4 5/8 incher.

[Paul105]

Here's a data point -- I used Speer's Rifle Data (short seated, 1.585" OAL, 300gr Jacketed bullet) as a starting point -- FWIW, Speer shows max of 20.5 H110, 21.0 W296.

310 gr Lee FNGC DCG, 19.8gr H110, Fed 155 mag primer, top crimp grove (shortest OAL), new Top Brass,

60 deg F
5 paces from muzzle
3 shots

4" S&W 329 ---- 1,106 fps

7 1/2" S&W 629 PC ---- 1,203 fps

(Actual bbl length of PC 629 about 6 1/2" due to port at muzzle)

(The 329 seems a bit slow with all loads I've chronoed)

Paul

[paul h]

When I had my sbh that I cut to 4 5/8", I shot alot of 300, 310 and 330 gr cast bullets. The 310 gr was from the lee mold, the 330 gr was a 240gr swc lee that I re-cut the nose to produce a wfn type shape. What I found is that 21.5-22.5 gr of H-110 is the sweet spot with those bullets, don't worry about how much case capacity they take up. Velocities will be in the 1200 fps ballpark. Alot is made of seating depth and powder capacity, but I personally haven't found it have a huge effect on velocities or accuracy when using H-110 launching heavy for caliber cast bullets in revolvers. Personally I like to seat the bullets longer as I think it helps with accuracy as the bullet doesn't have as long to jump to the throat of the barrel, and pressure should be slightly lower.

[44man]

I have not loaded any of the Lee boolit in a long time but I am sure I seat long by using the lower crimp groove. Old age and not writing things down!!!!!
I use 21.5 gr of 296 with a Fed 150 primer in the .44 SBH. I never checked velocity with it, I have a 10" barrel. The 320 LBT with the same load gives 1316 fps so it will be around there somewhere.
You need to deduct for barrel length but it will still be good.
I have been using my 330 gr for deer with 21 gr of 296 and the standard primer. Other boolits just gather dust because my GC supply is running very low.
The Lee is a great boolit lubed with Felix.
Tek, DO NOT GO TO THE 25 to 27 gr thoughts. Stay off that horse!
I don't go to 22 gr until I drop to the 265 gr RD. That much will open groups with the Lee no matter what groove you crimp in.
Turn off the velocity lamp, it will burn you.

[tek4260]

I have no intentions of going over 21-22gr. I just was thinking of seating short to bring that 21-22gr load closer to 100% density for better accuracy. The heavy loads were for the Redhawk only since it has offset bolt notches.

I will also be loading them in once fired R-P brass and standard primers rather than CCI-350's. Before I got great accuracy with the odd flyer and I know it was from mixed brass with some of them requiring no force whatsoever to resize and seat, and others that were normal. I figure using consistent brass will fix the fliers. On top of that, the boolits have been sized to .430 in the Lee before getting lubed in the 4500 with my Lithi-bee, so they won't be sized off center. And for the final accuracy aid, they will be seated and crimped separately.

[44man]

I have no intentions of going over 21-22gr. I just was thinking of seating short to bring that 21-22gr load closer to 100% density for better accuracy. The heavy loads were for the Redhawk only since it has offset bolt notches.

I will also be loading them in once fired R-P brass and standard primers rather than CCI-350's. Before I got great accuracy with the odd flyer and I know it was from mixed brass with some of them requiring no force whatsoever to resize and seat, and others that were normal. I figure using consistent brass will fix the fliers. On top of that, the boolits have been sized to .430 in the Lee before getting lubed in the 4500 with my Lithi-bee, so they won't be sized off center. And for the final accuracy aid, they will be seated and crimped separately.
Great, you are on top of it.
But it was a scary thought! :roll:

[TCTex]

There is an article entitled the 10.9 Magnum that covers this very subject. If you PM me with your email I will get a copy out to you. Basically loading you are creating more case capacity. My “go to” load with a 300gr XTP on the second crimp line was 24gr of H110. Well over the max for the first canuler, but safe when loaded out on the second crimp line.

I am loading at least 5 powders with the Lee 310gr bullet at 1400fps, or better, out of my 9.5 SRH in 44Mag, (H110, 2400, AA#9, Blue Dot, 4227.) I haven’t had the chance shoot any of them for accuracy yet because of my leg, and it might be a couple of months before I can do so… LOL However, those figures were the result of a range session with a whole box handloads and the crony…

I am all about the accuracy and will gladly give up vel of in the quest of. On the flip side, I have found loading my bullets “out” has produced better accuracy for me.