Venturino 44 Special/Magnum data?

[SquidBilly]

One of my pet loads is 7.0gr of 700x under a 240-250gr Keith SWC, in either a Special or Magnum case.

From what I've found on the internet, this is supposedly a recommended load from Mike Venturino, who apparently doesn't care for the 44 Special anymore...

Regardless, I have cross checked this load with my 1980 Hornady manual and various Hodgdon annuals that list max for this 700x recipe at around 9.5gr.

I like the load for light Magnum work in my SBH and Marlin 1894.

Long story short, does anyone have a source or could list some of Venturino's other 44 Special loads? I have read much of what Brian Pearce has done with the 44's, but am curious about Venturino's treatment of the cartridges also. Especially considering the somewhat unconventional powders used.

Any feedback appreciated.

[Paul D. Heppner]

A friend of mine and myself have been playing around with Alliant 20/28 (a shotgun powder) and 200 grain in both jacketed and plated with some very promising results. 20/28 is right next to Unique on the burn chart. We are using an S&W 29, a SBH, a '57 Blackhawk flat top magnum, and three Ruger 44 spl, a Vaquero, a Bisley, and my GP 100. With 8.0 seemingly to be the sweet spot (~ 950-1010 fps) in OUR guns. Yours may be different. Next step is to come up with a mold for a 200 grainer. Any suggestions?

[clum553946]

Get a 200 gr rnfp for the 44-40 & size it for the 44 mag/spl, that's what I use, mine is an Accurate mold 43-200f, but he has a bunch of choices in his catalog.

[Thumbcocker]

Mike did 2 articles I remember. One was on 700X specifically and the other was in an old G&A annual called "Learning Loads for Bog Bore Revolvers" that had data with Bullseye and 231. I scanned the 700x article and may still have that annual around somewhere.

[Moonie]

One of my pet loads is 7.0gr of 700x under a 240-250gr Keith SWC, in either a Special or Magnum case.

From what I've found on the internet, this is supposedly a recommended load from Mike Venturino, who apparently doesn't care for the 44 Special anymore...

Regardless, I have cross checked this load with my 1980 Hornady manual and various Hodgdon annuals that list max for this 700x recipe at around 9.5gr.

I like the load for light Magnum work in my SBH and Marlin 1894.

Long story short, does anyone have a source or could list some of Venturino's other 44 Special loads? I have read much of what Brian Pearce has done with the 44's, but am curious about Venturino's treatment of the cartridges also. Especially considering the somewhat unconventional powders used.

Any feedback appreciated.
Mike Venturino is a member here, he is usually very busy, perhaps he will comment on it for you himself. It's been a few months since I saw him post but he is around.

[TXGunNut]

He touches on the 44 Mag (and 44 Spl) in his "Shooting Leverguns of the Old West" and his reasons why he didn't feel it had any connection to the old west. I always got the impression he is a fan of the 44 Spl but since I chose the 45 over the 43 years ago I haven't paid much attention to his writings on the subject.

[SquidBilly]

Thanks all. For now I'll stick to the data I have on the 700x loads until I can track down that G&A issue.

[shoot-n-lead]

If ya' want some of the standard loads for the Special...there are tons of them around using Unique, 231, 2400, Power Pistol, HS-6, etc...

[Char-Gar]

As I recall, Mike's favorite 44 Spl. load was a standard weight Lyman RN cast bullet and some HP38. I think I remember the charge weight, but will not post it here from decades old memory.

I do agree with Mike, that the need to load a 44 Spl hot stopped the first day the 44 Magnum appeared. Over the decades I have owned a half dozen or so 44 Spls and that number or more 44 Mags. IMHO the 44 Magnum is a far superior round, giving sterling accuracy all the way up and down the velocity scale. It seems hard to find a really bad 44 Mag load.

Skeeter and a few others bragged on the 44 Spl to high heavens, but I have found nothing in them special at all.

[shoot-n-lead]

Skeeter and a few others bragged on the 44 Spl to high heavens, but I have found nothing in them special at all.

Just depends on what you want...I wouldn't swap any 44 special that I have for another 44mag.

[Thumbcocker]

With the Flat top .44 specials that have come to live at our house I see no reason to download the .44 magnum. Magnum loads in magnum guns specials in special guns.

[DougGuy]

I do agree with Mike, that the need to load a 44 Spl hot stopped the first day the 44 Magnum appeared.

I disagree with this on one account. On account of the Ruger New Model Blackhawk Flattop, and New Model Vaquero revolvers.

Ruger has given us some of it's FINEST production with these lighter, thinner, smaller, medium framed revolvers, their fit and finish rivals the best revolvers of any production era Ruger has had from the beginning. Both the 44 Special and the 45 Colt in the medium frame are prime candidates for refining the "tier 2" level of power, which peaks at 25,000psi in the 44 Special, and 23,000psi in the 45 Colt and it's companion convertible cylinder chambered for the 45 ACP.

Let's re-introduce the 45 Schofield into the medium frame game, via a simple conversion of a 45 ACP cylinder.

These medium capacity big bore cartridges really are the best of both worlds, they can be loaded down to the most mundane target velocities, and yet take the 250gr boolit right up to and slightly into the lower end of the magnum levels of performance, either one being a quite capable big game getter.

The need for warm loaded midrange 44 Special and 45 Schofield calibers did not end with the advent of the 44 magnum, it was brought back to life perfectly in 2005 when Ruger tooled up for and began production of the medium framed guns..

[Char-Gar]

One thing I have learned about gun boards, if you question either the divinity of Jesus or the 44 Special, you will get push back.

:groner:

[shoot-n-lead]

One thing I have learned about gun boards, if you question either the divinity of Jesus or the 44 Special, you will get push back.

:groner:

Yeah, I know...as I have no use for the 45colt...I have gotten a lot of push back on that. I am just under impressed with it, much like you are the 44 special.

[Thumbcocker]

Me and the .45 Colt just can't get along. The .44 special and I like each other.

[telebasher]

Variety is the spice of life !

[veeman]

I have and enjoy both the 44 Spl and 45 Colt, have both in the Flattop. But push comes to shove, I'll take my 44-40's every time. Wish Ruger would make a Flattop in 44-40.

[Walla2]

Venturino on the 44 Special is in this month's Handloader

[rintinglen]

Until I got my Flattop, I was underwhelmed with the 44 special. I have had a Colt SAA, a 1926 S&W, a charter arms, a Model 24 and a 624. None of them were especially accurate, in fact, I could find nothing "special" about it. IME, You have a much better chance of landing an accurate .357, 38 Special, or 44 magnum than you will of getting a good 44 special. UNLESS, you get one of the Ruger Flattops--those are the best! The one I have is everything that adherents have claimed for it.

[SquidBilly]

Venturino on the 44 Special is in this month's Handloader


I read his article this month, he only touches on data for factory reproduction loads.

[TXGunNut]

Long ago I decided that I would pursue either the 45 Colt or the 44 (or the 43 as I prefer to call it). I figured there wasn't much point in chasing after both of them but some day I'll break that promise to myself. I love the 45 Colt but an old shooting buddy taught me to appreciate the 44 Special so someday I'll have a Ruger (or maybe a Colt) in 44 Spl. I don't enjoy shooting a full-house 43 Mag but there's something very "special" about the magnum as well. The 43 Mag is unusually accurate in more than a few loads, it's one of those cartridges that seems to be inherently accurate. Rumor has it I may even own a pistol with a .43 bore, possibly even a set of dies. I'll neither confirm nor deny at this time. ;-)

[salvadore]

The only thing I ever got from the 44mag was a flinch, same with Keith,s 44 spec. load. I love the versatility of the special from my mountain lite to the flattop and N frame. I wish my a.d.d. would allow me to concentrate thru the magnum's recoil but ain't gonna happen.

[scattershot]

I notice a few references to 700X powder. How do you get accurate drops with those big soft flakes? I have a couple pounds of it that a friend gave me, but I get erratic charges with it.


UPDATE... I just answered my own question. I loaded 50 rounds of .45 ACP with 4.5 grains, and weighed 10 of them. Each was exactly 4.5 grains. Apparently it's not a problem with a Dillon.

[Lloyd Smale]

another fan of the 44 spec and even more so of the 44mag that is far from a fanboy of the 45 colt. Ive yet to find a 44 spec that wasnt a great shooter and its very rare to find a 44 mag that also isn't a tack driver. 45 colts on the other hand are a much bigger challenge to get to shoot well and its an exceptional one that will shoot a 3 inch 50 yard group and the ones that do 9 times out of 10 require a bullet heavier then 300 grains and a fairly stout load to do it.
Me and the .45 Colt just can't get along. The .44 special and I like each other.

[km101]

Apparently, regarding the .44spl, you either love or hate it. There seems to be no middle ground.
I am one who loves it, but it's frustrating me right now. I am trying to find load data for the .44spl with 220 grain lead bullets. Apparently no one shoots them because my Lyman book has no data and neither does Hornady. If you could point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.

TIA!

[Thomas Traddles]

http://www.nzha.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Lyman44.pdf

There are some loads for the lyman 429215 in here.

[km101]

Thanks! That info is hard to find! I really appreciate it.

Ken