Chronographed a Keith 255 in my Marlin...

[45&30-30]

Has anyone chronographed 18.5/2400/255 Keith from a twenty inch barrel Marlin? Today, I got 1404 fps from the rifle and from my 4 5/8" Blackhawk, same load gave, 1117. Does this sound right, I was expecting more from the rifle. Would a 24" give that much more? 1600+?

[Bret4207]

Sounds about right. I think you'll need to go to a slower powder to get more speed in the rifle.

[felix]

Most usable powders with the 255 grainer in the 44 bore won't give you enough velocity gain using a longer barrel than 20 inches. Increase your 2400 powder to make 1500 and call it quits there. ... felix

[Larry Gibson]

Suggest you don't exceed the max load for the revolver and just take what you get with the rifle. Too easy to make a mistake loading one into the firemarm not intended for otherwise.

Larry Gibson

[S.R.Custom]

As you were...

[NSP64]

I believe the advantage of using the same cartridge in rifle/pistol comes from the greater accuracy gained from the rifle, not necessarally(sp?) the velocity increase. That load is still producing 490 ft lbs @ 250 yrds.:drinks:

[missionary5155]

Greetings
My old Lyman book shows an 18.5 barrel Ruger 44 mag with 2400 and a 250 gr...
18 grs = 1375 up to 22 = 1635
So your barrel looks right on the money

This Lyman book shows the same loads in a 44 mag 6.5 " barrel Universal receiver. Would probably be a handful in a short barrel Ruger.
Mike God Bless you.

[45&30-30]

Great information all. Much appreciated. This is the first time I have chronographed any of my loads. I have always based velocity off published data from an e-book on Leverguns and looking at 44 magnum rifle data in the Speer book. Thank you for confirming my findings.

[6pt-sika]

FWIW , in my Marlin 336-44 I've been shooting the Ranch Dog 432-265GC pushed with 23 grains of H110 . And it does pretty well .

I should think you could push the Lyman 429244 with the same charge with no ill effects .

[45&30-30]

Thanks 6pt-sika, I should have defined the caliber I was using, I understand the replies I am getting now. I am shooting a 45 Colt in the 1894 and Blackhawk. I would love to see a 265 from Ranch Dog in 45 Colt. I have used the Speer 44 Mag. rifle data because that is the only place I have found rilfe data with the loads I am using other than Paco's book and article. Sorry for the confusion.
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/reo275/guns001.jpg

[TGM]

Looking in my RCBS Castr Bullet Manual they list a load for Rugers with 2400;

Test fired in a 7 1/2 Black

2400 15.9 gr. 1126 fps
17.9 gr. 1262 fps
The load you are useing is a bit above max.

TGM

[fecmech]

Don't have any data for the .45 colt but much chronographing with my .357 shows that .357 rifles (20" and 24") give 350-400 fps over the 6" handgun with 2400 and 820(296). With Blue Dot 300 fps is pretty close.

[30hrrtt]

Sometime between 15" and 17", velocity will begin to decrease with pistol caliber and fast pistol powder.

[w30wcf]

45&30-30,
When I was using 2400 in my .45 Ruger Blackhawk under the Keith bullet (265 grs. in w.w.) I worked up to 21 grs. for a shade under 1,300 f.p.s. It was not a maximum load in my gun.

Then Hodgdon Manual 26 came out in 1993 with higher pressure loads for the .45 Colt. For a 260 gr. bullet, they listed 20.5 grs. / 2400 giving 1,248 f.p.s in a 7" test barrel. Pressure was 29,400 CUP. Plenty safe in the Ruger and your Marlin.

You should easily be able to achieve 1,500 f.p.s. in your rifle with 2400.

I bought my '94 Marlin Cowboy Ltd rifle in 1997, but by that time I had switched to 4227 since I had gotten a good deal on some. 26 grs. under the Keith bullet clocked 1,390 in my Ruger and 1,725 f.p.s. in the Marlin. Hodgdon shows that load at 29,400 CUP

A 24" barrel will give about 100 f.p.s. more than a 20" barrel using powders in the 2400 / 4227 burning rate.

As we know, different lots of powder can = different results.

45 & .30-30... two of my favorites in addition to the .44-40.:drinks:

w30wcf

[45&30-30]

w30wcf, I like those 4227 numbers, is it more of a push on the hand then a slap, in the pistol? I will give them a try if so. I don' have a problem with taking the hit in the rifle. Little more area to take the hit, if you know what I mean. I've gone as high as 2X grains/2400/ 255 gr. in the Blackhawk, repeatedly with no ill affects, I don't expect anyone to repeat this, as I am reluctant to post it for the fallout that will come. I know this is pushing it and not the norm, but my gun would take it after carefully working up. I am looking for a lighter load now that will work when called upon in a pinch and a crossover for the rifle when hunting deer. I really like that 18.5/2400 load but I don't live where I can shoot every day and it takes a bit to relearn the gun every time I shoot with those loads, especially in the pistol. If your new to reloading or inpatient don't go as high as I did, I knew the risks associated with what I did and worked up slowly.

Edit: I X'ed out my high number so as not to cause anyone to go where I went, reloading is safe to the published data in the books and I find I am wanting less recoil/power the more I shoot and realizing less power is needed with the cast bullets I shoot for what I ask them to do.