Got a Model 69 today, Loads for the NOE 432/210 HB, Handloader 312 44 Special+P

[Leadmelter]

I took the step and picked up a new Model 69. It looks very well finished and cocks a little tight. I have mold Lyman 180 Trash can mold and the NOE 44-210 hollow base.
Any loads ideas? I will look through some manual but I have Titegroup on hand.

The current Handloader #312 has a extended on 44 Special +P loads.

Lastly, why are gunshop owners and such a sour group? I went to 3 shops who know me for the same gun and either indifference or just plain poor salesmanship? You have a guy with a 50% deposit and you turn him away and will call you in a week. No call.
Lucky for me, I have a FFL at my gun club who put the pistol in my hands in three days for $710 plus state sales taxes. No wonder we are own worst enemies? Shooting since I was 16 sn will turn 64 nest month.
Leadmelter
MI

[three50seven]

You will enjoy that one. Is it the 4" or the 2.5"?

My 4" loves the classic Skeeter load, 240gr swc over 7.5gr Unique in a special case. I've also had success with the 200gr Speer JHP over W231 in a mag case for around 1100fps, can't remember the exact load though.

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[Groo]

Groo here
I have a 2 3/4 in 69 and think it is about perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!![ after grips and a trip to the trigger doctor]

[three50seven]

Groo here
I have a 2 3/4 in 69 and think it is about perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!![ after grips and a trip to the trigger doctor]I have no complaints about the trigger on mine. I've tried a few different sets of grips and actually settles on a set of Pachmayr presentation grips for now...it's a working gun after all!

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[Binky]

You will like it! I shoot mostly special loads through mine. (Skeeter load) I have also run a few true magnums through it. I did change the grips to the X frame grip and it made the shooting of Magnums a lot more pleasant! Enjoy your new shooter!

[Warhawk]

I have a 69 in each barrel length. I think they make a Great 44 Special with ability to use 44 magnums.

Fantastic guns, both of mine had trigger that felt a little rough out of the box, but they smoothed up after a few rounds and are very nice now.

[Shuz]

I have a Mdl 69 4-1/4" that I've modified with an 11 lb Wolff RS spring to achieve a 36 to 38 ounce trigger, and installed a Patridge front sight to give my tired old eyes a better sight picture than the sloping factory front sight. A real accurate load in mine is 9g of Green Dot behind a Lee 44-200RNFP sized to .429, with an OAL of 1.650 and a Rem 2-1/2 primer. This load chrono's 1060 fps and the recoil is such that I can shoot this all day and my hands and wrists don't smart.

[bluelund79]

You got yourself a winner! Shoot it a lot, that’s all the trigger work mine needed. I use the Skeeter load, but in magnum cases. I also use a slightly heavier load that shoots just as well, and still well within book for magnum loads and the 255gr K boolit

[Leadmelter]

Groo
Who is your trigger doctor? Feel free to PM me. Thanks
Leadmelter
The Frozen Mitten

[murf205]

You got yourself a winner! Shoot it a lot, that’s all the trigger work mine needed. I use the Skeeter load, but in magnum cases. I also use a slightly heavier load that shoots just as well, and still well within book for magnum loads and the 255gr K boolit

Did you chronograph those Skeeter loads? I am wondering what they clock from a magnum case. I'm guessing a little slower but the chrono will tell.

[Forrest r]

These are the last loads I tested in a 2 1/2" bbl'd ca bulldog.
https://i.imgur.com/fo57jjU.jpg

I tend to like to use/shoot 200gr to 220gr bullets in the 44spc cases. As you can see I tested 3 different hb bullets in that test (hbswc/hbwc/rfhb) along with 1 of my favorite hp's, a h&g #142 (h&g version of the lyman 429215. The mihec 220gr hbwc I cast is a real thumper in that bulldog, turned backwards it makes a pretty good hp.
https://i.imgur.com/x9A4Siv.jpg

You might consider looking into a forster hp tool. When you shoot a hb bullet with the hb base in the position it was intended (in the case) and hp the nose of that bullet. You end up with an extremely lethal combo (the old fbi 38spl bullet). That keith hbswc pictured above (top left) was cast from a lyman 429422 mold and then a hp was put into it using a 9/32 60* center drill. What most people don't realize is that a hp hb bullet compresses into itself as both ends expand/flatten/widen.
https://i.imgur.com/9Ht2FPC.jpg

Next time I hp some of those 220gr hbwc's I'll have to save some of the recovered bullets. They pretty much flatten turning into a 3/4" piece of lead that resembles a coin sinker.

The real eye opener of that test above was those fnhb bullets that I put a hp in. Grabbed the wrong bullets (cast from #2alloy). They went thru 16" of wet pack newprint from 50ft away. Wet pack newsprint ='s bundles of newspaper stacked in 12" bundles and taped together then put in a 32qt cooler. The cooler is then filled with water and left to sit overnight. The next day the cooler is taken to the range and the bundles of new print are setup and used as needed.

Enjoy your model 69. Been a huge fan of the 44spl for decades. I'll never quit carrying my light weight snub nosed bulldogs. But the 4" bbl'd l-frames (huge 586/686 fan) keeps calling me.

[bluelund79]

Did you chronograph those Skeeter loads? I am wondering what they clock from a magnum case. I'm guessing a little slower but the chrono will tell.

Sir, unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to chronograph the loads. Admittedly, I am a hunter first, so experimentation stops during that season, and right now, the weather precludes me from doing so. I will as soon as either my move to Montana is completed, or the weather gives me a break here. I’m curious as well.

[bobthenailer]

I like my 69 4" , installed a Wilson spring kit as I do with all S&W revolvers , I did not like the factory grips the back of the trigger guard hits my middle fingers bone in recoil , I tried Houge rubber grips that have work well on all my other S&W revolvers, and Pachmayr Diamond Pro, still getting busted , then I tried the Pachmayr Gripper Decelerator ! what a difference there excellent on my 69

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The .44 is friendlier than an lot of gun shop types. Gun shop owners have a hard time knowing how the guy they’ve hired treats people walking in while he’s in the back. It’s sad to hear about customers in the sport of shooting getting a sour experience while trying to spend hard earned cash to shoot.

Don’t own a M69 however do own several .44 Specials plus other calibers, powders and moulds. I’ve concluded you can’t go wrong with the .44. I’ve loaded up 1,400 rounds already this winter.

[Leadmelter]

Ordered some springs from Wolff.
Getting ready to do some loading for some fun.
Leadmelter
MI

[Rodfac]

I get good use out of mine; and it's become my most carried .44 here on the farm...light weight and good accuracy. I like Skeeter's load (7.5 gr of Unique pushing a 240 gr LSWC, for ~950 fps in Special brass) and have duplicated it's superb accuracy in magnum brass with 8.0 to 8.3 gr of Unique. The same can be put up with 7.2 gr of Win 231 in magnum brass. Herco is good too, if you have some rat-holed away...it uses a half a grain more (~8.8-9.0 gr) than Unique for the same velocity.

Bullets: for knocking around and easy recoil, I like Lyman's 429215gc sized 0.430" from ACWW's. It's almost as accurate w/out the gc. Same loads as above for it do well...2" or better at 25 yds from a rest. Lyman's 429244gc is also great with the same loads. I don't have my notes in front of me but IIRC, 15.0 of 2400 will do ~1100 fps with good accuracy. Mihec's H&G copy of their 503 bullet ~250 gr., is as good as or better than Lyman's 429421 and you can get him to supply some HP pins. I find that the tetra shaped HP is especially easy to cast and as accurate as my best of the solids. These drop at 245 gr from my molds.

For jacketed, if you care to go to the dark side, Hornady's 200 gr XTP & 8.5 gr of Unique will do 1021 fps with a 23 fps ES when put up in Special brass...and throw those authoritative copper slugs into 1-1/4" at 25 yds for me. In Magnum brass, for a great fast load, I use 18.5 grs Bartlett's 820 (the one for ACC#9 data) with CCI Magnum caps for 1330 fps and just over an inch at 25 yd. accuracy. It's a bellowing SOB & a bit of a handful, but will no doubt do the deed on KY white tails out to 50 yds at least. Through my Marlin 336 Texan in .44 Magnum, I get less than 2" gps at 100 yds with a 2.5x scope mounted.

It's a great gun for carrying, especially so if you aren't loading to full magnum velocities...kind of super .44 Special in my way of thinking. I like it a lot.

As always, these loads were safely worked up in my guns. If interested you should work up to them after consulting a GOOD loading manual and considering all the pressure implications.

Look up Brian Pearce's articles on the .44 Special and his write-up on the M-69 for some load info. I've tried many of his recommendations and all were first rate.

Best Regards, Rod