I need to pick your brain about 44 Special and the NOE 429421 HP

[Trey45]

Let me get the basics out of the way first.
The pistol is one of the new Ruger Flattop 44 Specials. 5.5"
The boolit I want to use is the NOE 429421 HP, mine weigh exactly 235gr lubed.
The powders I have on hand are: Blue Dot, Red Dot, 2400, Unique, H110, Power Pistol and Bullseye.
My goal is 1000fps(or faster). The alloy for the bullets is straight range scrap and is fairly soft, which I believe should expand at 1000fps.

Do you think 1000FPS is doable here? If I used the Skeeter load of 7.5gr Unique(This was for the 429421 solid, 245gr, 10gr heavier than my HP version) that will keep me in the safe zone for operating pressure, but will it get me to 1000fps?

Or am I over thinking this and maybe I can expect expansion at a lower velocity. Brinell hardness of alloy is apprx. 9.5, and has antimony in it.

OR, am I expecting too much and expansion with my alloy is not going to happen at my velocities.

This is a new caliber for me, my first foray into the realm of expanding boolits for 44 Special. I know there's quite a few of you who have this mould and use it for 44 Special, what I'm hoping for is to garner knowledge from your experience. What works, what doesn't.

[Larry in MT]

I use both Power Pistol and 2400 to get 1050-1060 FPS from this 4 5/8" NM Flattop Ruger with 240 and 250 grain casts. I could get a bit more more velocity, but don't see the need. H110 gives similiar performance.

My cast bullets are Brinell 14-15 or 21-22, depending on which one I use. The softer cast is a 429421, though not a HP.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/82b11364.jpg

[sixshot]

You will need to soften your range lead to get the HP's to work for you at 1000 fps. Add some pure lead if you have some. I've taken 2 deer with that same bullet in my 44 specials & it works great but if your alloy is too hard the hollow point won't work. Range scrap can be a little harder than you think.
The Skeeter load of 7.5 grs is what I used on Montana whitetails with great success.
My normal alloy for 1000 fps loads is 70% WW's & 30% lead. If you go up to 1100 fps use 80% WW's & 20% lead, etc.

Dick

[376Steyr]

Last batch of Skeeter loads I chrono'ed (at 262 gr. with my alloy IIRC) showed 950 fps out of a 4" S&W 624. 7.5 gr. Unique with a HP just might make your 1000 fps goal.

[Dark Helmet]

Skeeter load'l blow the nose off. ;)

[wl620]

I have the same pistol in the bisley model and have done quite a bit of load development for it with the old ideal single cavity 429421 mould I have it is not a hollowpoint though, my everyday load for this revolver is 8 grs. power pistol in starline brass with cci 300 primer for right at 1000 fps. Have also used 16.5 grs. 2400 in same starline brass with cci 300'sI'll have to look at my notes but if I can remember right it averages around 1175 fps, and shoots a little more " to the sights" than the above load, also have worked up to 18.5 grs. 296 (the same as h-110)in starline brass with winchesters' std./mag. pistol primer wich gave excellent accuracy and top velocoity( again I'll have to look at my chrony notes) but is a little more than I need for everyday use so haven't used it in a couple years. Add a small amount of tin to your alloy and test boolit expansion at the 1100 to 1200 fps muzzle velocity range.Welcome to the wonderful world of the 44 special,there is definetly something special about it!

[wl620]

oops sorry about that having internet problems, forgot to mention if you haven't already get a belt mountain base pin for a small frame blackhawk or "new vaquero" the one that ruger puts in those pistols has no shroud to keep it from turning causing excess wear

[DaveCampbell]

Using a Lyman 429421 boolit with an as-cast weight of 242 grains I was getting 795 fps from my 5 1/2-inch-barreled Flat Top wth Skeeter's load. I went up to 8.0 grains--NOT RECCOMENDED BY ANY LOADING MANUAL!!--and am getting 860 fps. This load has proven to be safe in my guns; YMMV. I use it as a carry load, but for plinking, practice, etc. I still like Skeeter's load best.

Your desire for a 1,000-fps load in a .44 Special is possible with slower burning powders like H110 and Alliant 2400. The question I would ask is why? I have killed deer and wild pigs with my 8.0-grain load. My boolits are relatively hard, usually somewhere between old-style wheelweights and linotype (I have a small hoard of each). With a .44 I have seen no need for boolit expansion provided a SWC with a big, flat meplat is used.

At one time I tried loading 16.5 grains of 2400 behind this boolit and got 1,150 fps from a 5-inch S&W. Recoil was a bit much for a save-my-hide gun, and I decided to load my .44 Specials to more controlable levels. If I feel the need for magnum-level performance, I use a .44 Magnum.

Just my pair of pennies...

[Larry Gibson]

I suggest an alloy of COWWs + 2% tin and then add 50% lead.

2400 will do very nicely. I used 16.5 gr under a very similar weight cast in a 4" M28 S&W and got 1050 fps. Suggest starting at 15 gr and work up to 16.5 gr stopping somewhere in there when you get what you want. Worked for me, may work well for you also.

Larry Gibson

[Trey45]

Thanks to all for your tips, clues and data. I am still working up loads, but with ya'lls help the work is easier.

Thanks again.

[RetAFSF]

Why 1000(+) fps, going to use it hunting?

[Trey45]

Mostly experimenting to see if I can get consistant reliable expansion from my 429421 HP bullets at less than ideal velocity. I figure I may have to fiddle with the alloy and go softer if I can't get mushrooms at a grand.