Things one could hope for

[curioushooter]

I've been playing around with heavy 44 special loads lately and realizing that this is about the perfect load for a hunting revolver. The prophet Keith was right. About a decade ago I sold all my 44 Magnum stuff (I had a Ruger Bisley Super Blackhawk and a Marlin 1894). I loaded to book max loads or just under thinking this was necessary for "performance." The only deer I ever lost was due to that Marlin and all that Blackhawk did was set back my shooting ability by developing flinches and anticipation.

After reading Sixguns I decided it was time for me to move up to big bores after playing around with 357 mag/38 special for a long time. So I did. I bought a S&W 624 (a 44 Special N-frame). With a 6.5" barrel it still weighs just a touch over 40 oz (the same weight at my 5" barreled 686+), and doesn't have all the added weight of the 29/629. It is nearly a pound lighter than my Super Blackhawk was. Loading the 429421 with 7.5-8.5 grains of Unique for about 950-1075 FPS is an excellent load. Stunningly accurate and not the least abusive, yet not a cat sneeze target load either. When loaded with 16-17 grains of 2400 for 1200-1250 FPS it has some real punch but still is nowhere near as abusive as my Blackhawk was when loaded with 240s or 265s pushed with charges of 296 into the low twenties. And for what? At 100 yards that 2400 load will still be going 1000 FPS+ and still punch through basically any quadrupedal herbivore in North America, same as the magnum. Even the unique load will fully penetrate a deer when a solid cast bullet is used and expansion will not occur with any of them. The hardness needed to not lead up that Blackhawk (water quenched wheelweights +tin) precluded solid bullet expansion. With cast HPs the heavy 44 special load will still do the job, and I can cast it with softer alloy...I've been using an alloy that is air cooled 2% antimony and 2% tin and getting great performance (it is made by adding a pound of lead to two pounds of COWWs and an ounce of tin).

I sort of feel like the shooting community (I know others have had this realization) got more than it bargained for with 44 magnum. What we really needed was a 44 Special +P, which still doesn't exist. I believe that an official designated 44 special +P capped at 22kPSI or 25kPSI would be just the ticket with appropriately labeled brass.

Now if one really wants to dream...it would be great it S&W re-introduced a Model 24 "outdoorsman" in 44 Special +P with a 5.5" tapered barrel and finished in phosphate. Sort of like a M1917 update. Could also make a Model 25 chambered in 45ACP/45 Colt and stainless versions for those that prefer it. And lose the Hillary Hole. One can dream, right? Maybe I'll save up the money and have Clements or Bowen or someone make one for me.

[smithnframe]

I'm also a 44 special fan.......I load 17 grains of 2400 with Elmer's bullet in my Ruger Blackhawk Bisley!

[rking22]

Of the same mind, myself. Have said for a long time that a Skeeter loaded 44Special will do anything I will ever need of it in the field. Small er and lighter than the big 44. Same can be said of the 41 Special. I like mine in GP100 or L Frame persuasion. I think most serious shooters out grow the “250 and all the 296 it’ll hold”, some earlier than others.

[Land Owner]

Never got the "44 itch". Ruger 45 Colt fan here. First revolver. Won in a lottery for a $5 ticket! My youngest son shoots 18" hardened steel disc plates at 100 yards remarkably well with it. I can' hardly see the target that far through open sights.

[MT Gianni]

While I enjoy my 44 Special I load my 44 Magnums to the same speeds you quoted for much of my shooting needs, My 4.2" S&W 69 is listed at 37.2 oz so lighter still than a full sized N frame. My 14" Contender bbl can handle much faster loads and the Redhawk is just a heavy beast for heavy beasts. Glad you like your special, I like mine too but keep the mid-frame Blackhawk loads at closer to 1000 fps.

[Thumbcocker]

The new flat top Ruger .44 specials are some of eh best guns I've ever had. Dead on spec and crazy accurate. I also have a 4" model 24 that shoots lights out. Love them .44 specials. As far as dreams; Scarlet Johansson and I are stranded on this island and.........

[onelight]

My 2 favorite pistols "today" are Ruger 44 specials a 3" gp100 and 45/8 Bisley that made a range trip this morning it makes me look like I am a better shot than I am :mrgreen:

[Outpost75]

I have found that 16 grains of #2400 in the .44 Magnum also makes a milder, but stout enough load which is very accurate.

261753

[onelight]

Nice group Outpost , I might need to try that 2400 load

[megasupermagnum]

You know where I stand on the issue of the 44 special. One potential opportunity is the 41 special. I do not believe it is yet a SAMMI recognized cartridge. It seems many of the 41 special loads out there are rather strong, likely in the mid 20k psi range. I would rather have the 41 magnum, but if Ruger came out with a 41 special GP100 instead, I could get on board with that.

[megasupermagnum]

Another one I've thought about is having a 10mm auto GP100 rechambered to 10mm magnum, and forming cases from 41 magnum. It would essentially be an old 401 powermag.

[curioushooter]

I load 17 grains of 2400 with Elmer's bullet in my Ruger Blackhawk Bisley! That's what I should have done! :veryconfu


The new flat top Ruger .44 specials are some of eh best guns I've ever had. Dead on spec and crazy accurate.

Is that so? My bro in law is thinking of picking up a a big bore single action and it's a tough decision between the 44 Special and the 45 Colt. On one hand that Case hardened 5.5" incher in Colt in gorgeous and there's not doubt that 45 colt in a Blackhawk is perhaps the finest big big bore cartridge there is. On the other hand I have a whole lot of 44 molds now and he doesn't cast, so I am pretty sure he'd want to mooch some from me. His father in law does 45 acp but I think he only has lightweight, no crimp groove molds in various states of decay.

The Special blackhawk is lighter and cheaper too, so this may be the decider.

[onelight]

That's what I should have done! :veryconfu



Is that so? My bro in law is thinking of picking up a a big bore single action and it's a tough decision between the 44 Special and the 45 Colt. On one hand that Case hardened 5.5" incher in Colt in gorgeous and there's not doubt that 45 colt in a Blackhawk is perhaps the finest big big bore cartridge there is. On the other hand I have a whole lot of 44 molds now and he doesn't cast, so I am pretty sure he'd want to mooch some from me. His father in law does 45 acp but I think he only has lightweight, no crimp groove molds in various states of decay.

The Special blackhawk is lighter and cheaper too, so this may be the decider.
If he doesn't reload a 45 convertible , if he does I like my 44 special Bisley better but they are both keepers.
It seems easier to me to find loads that shoot good in the 44. In my experience with Rugers my 45s have all had more thread choke than my 44 , but that may be luck of the draw.

[megasupermagnum]

That's what I should have done! :veryconfu



Is that so? My bro in law is thinking of picking up a a big bore single action and it's a tough decision between the 44 Special and the 45 Colt. On one hand that Case hardened 5.5" incher in Colt in gorgeous and there's not doubt that 45 colt in a Blackhawk is perhaps the finest big big bore cartridge there is. On the other hand I have a whole lot of 44 molds now and he doesn't cast, so I am pretty sure he'd want to mooch some from me. His father in law does 45 acp but I think he only has lightweight, no crimp groove molds in various states of decay.

The Special blackhawk is lighter and cheaper too, so this may be the decider.

How about that Ruger 0475? It's a 3 3/4" barrel 45 colt or 45 acp convertible. There has been many days I've been THIS close to pulling the trigger on one.

[Thumbcocker]

They shoot pretty well.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200508/bb5a2782efb61e85d72770f29dd3324d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200508/0c22d6921dec0f16a631c5ecf4344040.jpg

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[onelight]

Those are nice groups Thumbcocker !
I tried to get some power pistol a week or so back but they were out.

[megasupermagnum]

Those are nice groups Thumbcocker !
I tried to get some power pistol a week or so back but they were out.

If you are ever in MN, you can have mine. I've never found a more consistently poor performer as far as accuracy goes with power pistol. Both 800x and CFE pistol are superior.

[onelight]

If you are ever in MN, you can have mine. I've never found a more consistently poor performer as far as accuracy goes with power pistol. Both 800x and CFE pistol are superior.
I don't really need any I was just going to experiment have heard quite a few people say it works well for them, I mainly use red dot , be-86 , and unique for most of my handgun shooting light to moderate loads.

[curioushooter]

PowerPistol I have found to be an excellent powder for 38 special/357 and 44 special. In fact, most if not all the classic "Unique" loads can be done with PowerPistol. For example, 7.5 grains of Unique in the 44 special with 429421 generates over SAMMI spec pressure and gets in my 624 ~1000 fps. 8.0 grains of PowerPistol is within SAMMI spec (from both Brian Pearce's data and Alliant's) and gets the same velocity. No powder I'm aware of achieves better velocity in SAMMI spec 38+P than PowerPistol.

Aside from ballistic performance accuracy has been good basically everywhere. I've not found PowerPistol defective in any load, incuding 10mm and 44 mag when I loaded for those in the past. It is an outstanding powder for 9x19.

For years it was the powder I consumed the most because of competition until I started to compete in major class with 9x19 using Vitavouri 3n38. 3n38 does edge it out on velocity. Later I found out Blue Dot does too with 147s. But accuracy was no better with any than PowerPistol.

[Thumbcocker]

PowerPistol I have found to be an excellent powder for 38 special/357 and 44 special. In fact, most if not all the classic "Unique" loads can be done with PowerPistol. For example, 7.5 grains of Unique in the 44 special with 429421 generates over SAMMI spec pressure and gets in my 624 ~1000 fps. 8.0 grains of PowerPistol is within SAMMI spec (from both Brian Pearce's data and Alliant's) and gets the same velocity. No powder I'm aware of achieves better velocity in SAMMI spec 38+P than PowerPistol.

Aside from ballistic performance accuracy has been good basically everywhere. I've not found PowerPistol defective in any load, incuding 10mm and 44 mag when I loaded for those in the past. It is an outstanding powder for 9x19.

For years it was the powder I consumed the most because of competition until I started to compete in major class with 9x19 using Vitavouri 3n38. 3n38 does edge it out on velocity. Later I found out Blue Dot does too with 147s. But accuracy was no better with any than PowerPistol.

Yup. Pretty much my experience.

[Jack Stanley]

Amen to losing the Hitlery hole !!

Jack