44 Russian

[bigbear]

Anybody load for this calibre?Exoeriences, advice appreciated.

[45 2.1]

Loaded for it a few times, exclusively with the Lyman 429251. Good shooting caliber in the right revolver. Stay with the original factory balistics and you'll do fine.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Currently loading for it. It's my CAS cartridge of choice, after switching from the 44-40 (WCF) and 44 Spl.

The short answer is that it is as easy to load as 44 Special or 45 Schofield or 45 Auto Rim. Straight-walled case, just like the others. Simple sizing and bell-mouthing, and seating. Keep powder charges MILD. (Almost all of the guns in this caliber are replicas of yester-years' guns, like the S&W#3 or Colt Open Top, or they're really old originals. No sense in hot-rodding either an original or a weak-actioned replica.)

The only "tricky" thing to loading is getting a crimp die that's short enough to crimp the case. I've been considering the options and currently I run the loaded round back into the sizer just enough to iron out the small bell, which works OK. But, when I start loading for the lever-gun's tube magazine, I'm going to need a real crimp. I prefer the Redding Profile Crimp, and will probably get one in 44 Magnum and cut off the bottom of the die in a lathe, so that I can get these short rounds up inside far enough...

I load mine with 210gr RNFPs (MAV Dutchman's group buy from SASS many years ago - it's a big-lube boolit for loading w/ black powder). So far, I've sized and lubed w/ the NRA-formula 50/50 alox/beeswax lube, and loaded them over 4.4grs of W231. Shoots very nice in my Cimarron 1872 Open Top. (Of course, the Open Top - made by Uberti - pierced almost every single primer, due to it's sharply pointed and overly-long firing pin nose... It's been filed down and re-profiled, and I'm going to the range tomorrow to test my handi-work.)

Eventually, I will load these with 24-26grs of Black Powder to duplicate the original 44 Henry load for CAS. (That's why I needed the big-lube boolit mould.)

What gun(s) are you considering?

[missionary5155]

Anybody load for this calibre?Exoeriences, advice appreciated.
:-D Great old round. I have loaded for it for 16 years. There were dies avilable made for it... or you can just buy any 44 special or mag dies and cut down the crimper. As with all revolvers... mike your cylinders... hopefully you barrel is the same or smaller... some old guns have generous bullet swallowing bores. But at the real "Cowboy Match" distances I have never felt handicaped.
I understand the Henry Big Bore 44 will cycle 44Russian. The Uberti Spencer is another route for a lever gun but rather pricey....
Loading has no special tricks... I stick with 170-200 grain bullets. You have plenty of space to generate any sane velocity... Unuque.. AA5.. have been my most used powder. You can get New brass from Starline... When I started I bought 300 pieces of once fired 44 mag and special and started turning it down... UGH !
Enjoy the round !:Fire: