So I was working with a Redhawk 44 Maggie

[TCLouis]

I have had this gun for probably 10 years and never got great groups out of it and a coworkers soon want it so I have it ready for him when he gets money together.

He asked about a plinking load and since I really did not have one decided to work one up.

Not sure why but I picked a HS-7 load out of Lees book to work with. My HS-7 is really WC-820 FAST which was to be loaded using HS-7 data. I got some hints of a load yesterday before being rained out, and so went out to try to tie something up. 12.5 grains of WC-820 FAST and 429421 shot kind of hurriedly gave me a group about 2.5"X3" at fifty (using a scope).

He was also asking about a hunting load.

Well QuickLoad estimated I should be getting 1272 fps with that loading and so he has a reasonable plinking load and hunting load combined.

He is not completely set up to load so I ran him up 60 rounds to play with when I give him the gun.

I figure it will take him some ammo to get the sights on target then he will have 50 rounds to shoot for fun at an upcoming shoot.

[DougGuy]

Have you ever tried to measure the cylinder throats?

The way Ruger used to ream cylinders, they used a Hitachi machine with 3 reamers and they gang reamed 3 holes, turn the cylinder one hole and ream the other 3. Problem was as the reamers wore, they would replace them at random, not all at once so you got cylinders that have two adjacent throats that might be .432" and the two next to them might be .429" becuase the worn reamers, cut smaller throats. I had a SBH that had 3 "pairs" of throats, all different sizes.

Uneven throats will shoot to different points of impact and that could be a lot of why your RH doesn't group very well. Can you pass the boolit you load into the cylinder throats from the front?

[TCLouis]

Yes I bought a pin set several years ago and found all three of the Rugers I had at the time to be far more consistent than usual compared to what I was reading on the net. When I found good loads at 25 yards this gun was just like my Super Redhawk at 50 . . .

5 bullets in a cluster and 1 about an inch away.

That level of accuracy he can work on if he wants to or kill a deer with either.
I will let him shoot the 50 rounds I loaded and then he can decide if he wants to buy the gun after all.

[MT Gianni]

Best plinking load in my Redhawk 44 is 429421 and 6.5 gr Red Dot.

[TCLouis]

I have Red Dot and PROMO so I will try both with that powder amount, but have already taken off the scope so may get the sights set for him somewhat.

I am assuming that you are getting about 750 - 850 fps with that loading?

[trapper9260]

I have a redhawk in 44mag 7 1/2" and do not have a problem with it being on point.I did have a scope on it but took it off for now because of the weight but with it on it was on point.the same round I use in the redhawk I also use in my marlin also.I shoot mainly 240 lee in SWC and HP .

[MT Gianni]

I have Red Dot and PROMO so I will try both with that powder amount, but have already taken off the scope so may get the sights set for him somewhat.

I am assuming that you are getting about 750 - 850 fps with that loading?


Closer to 900 fps.

[fragman]

Hmm. I picked up a Redhawk 7.5 recently. Lovely blued Hunter version. I've only put a couple loads through it but they seemed pretty decent seeing as I was firing off hand. No apparent accuracy issues. I now just made up some loads to test off a rest, but haven't gotten to the range yet to do so. And I only JUST started getting into casting, so these loads are with MBC bullets and Hornady XTP's.
But, when I finally DO get to test them out, I can update on what the overall accuracy looks like.

[TCLouis]

Mt Gianni

Had just enough time when i got home to put together 12 rounds of your suggested load using PROMO in place of Red Dot.

Got her sighted in close to the mark at 25 (don't think I had ever shot that gun with open sights) Picked one of my hilside rocks at about 70 yards leveled the sights and pulled one off. Thought that I had shot off to the side so adjusted and let two go at a rock at a known 85 yards and got two hits about 3" apart and 4" under the target and dead on for windage.
Thanx, that load is a performer.

Quick load gives me an estimated velocity of 975 fps, is that about what you have found?

I had 35 pieces of brass primed and expanded so I ran them for him to play with.

[Thumbcocker]

+1 on 6.5 of red dot as a walking around load in any .44 magnum.

[TCLouis]

After today's performance I will support it as a good load, but of course the gun will be 50 miles from here with the new owner so I will just pass the load info along.