Load for a Charter Arms .44 Special..........

[leadhead]

Anyone here shoot cast in a .44 special bulldog? I have one I would like
to play with. I have the brass and dies and a couple molds.
Thanks for any info.
leadhead

[pworley1]

I like mine. I just shoot middle of the road loads from the lyman manuals.

[racepres]

for Business, My Bulldog responds very well to the Store-bought Speer 240 swaged SWC... with 3.8 gr Red dot under 'em.. Chrono at 650fps.
Warmer?? the Lee 200FP, over 6.0 gr Unique.. 775fps
I have run Hard cast 255 lee thru it... but, I don't like 'em... same 6.0 gr of Unique gives up only 650fps..

[HWooldridge]

200 gr flatpoint cast to about 12 BHN, Winchester Large Primer, 5.0 gr IMR Target powder. Less recoil than 250 gr pill and shoots to point of aim.

[Kosh75287]

I liked 5.4/Red Dot/215 gr. LSWC or 240 gr. LSWC. I also liked 5.8/Bullseye same bullets. The 6.0/Unique load should work with either. I quit using Unique in barrels under 4", because it struck me as something of a waste. If all I had was Unique, however, I'd use it in any barrel length.

[deltaenterprizes]

I have the Magma 180gr FP mold that I bought for my Ruger 44mag rifle that I use in my 44 Special loads around 950fps that makes it equal to a 40 S&W!
I found load data for Cowboy loads, 5.6gr WW 231.

[paul edward]

Reduced loads are more pleasant to shoot in the CA Bulldog.
I have loaded commercial cast 200 grain RNFP and cast Lee 429-214-SWC over 4 grains of Bullseye or 5 grains of Win-231.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Back when I thought I was going to buy a Bulldog, I went ahead and tacked some 44 Russian brass onto an order with the idea that it would clear the cylinder easily upon ejection. Never bought the Bulldog, but you might give it a try.

[ABJ]

I have not had mine long, but started with 180 TC and 200 round flat with 700/750 ish book loads and they hit low at 15/18 yards. Used my standard load of a 240 swc on top of 5.0 Bullseye or 4.8 Tightgroup and it shot to the fixed sights. little bit of a handful but not real bad.
I have not had time to bump up the charges on the lighter bullets and check POI so unsure if a higher velocity will solve the POI issue.
It has been my everyday carry for about a month now. Using an IWB "Sideguard" leather holster. I think I could lower the charge on the 240 a little and still be on target. All the boolits I tried grouped well. I size to .432.
Tony

[racepres]

I liked 5.4/Red Dot/215 gr. LSWC or 240 gr. LSWC. I also liked 5.8/Bullseye same bullets. The 6.0/Unique load should work with either. I quit using Unique in barrels under 4", because it struck me as something of a waste. If all I had was Unique, however, I'd use it in any barrel length.
3.8 gr Red Dot is about the same as My Unique loading... Can't remember the "Why" of preferring Unique. Probably recoil sensation, or accuracy

[rintinglen]

I used to load 4.5 grains of Red Dot under a store-bought, 180 grain, cast wadcutter. The heavier bullets were just too much fun for me, even with light loads.

[racepres]

I used to load 4.5 grains of Red Dot under a store-bought, 180 grain, cast wadcutter. The heavier bullets were just too much fun for me, even with light loads.

Tougher than me... for a Charter

[MT Gianni]

I used the Skeeter load for a carry and shot 5 rounds a year to verify function and sighting. I shot it for fun with a lower charge of Bullseye. I found the sights regulated for 240-250 gr bullets.

[ioon44]

For my Bulldog I load a 200gr RNFP sized to .4315" with Hi-Tek coating and 5.0gr PB for a practice load, for my carry load I use Hornady 180gr Critical Defense.

[georgerkahn]

Anyone here shoot cast in a .44 special bulldog? I have one I would like
to play with. I have the brass and dies and a couple molds.
Thanks for any info.
leadhead

I found that moderate/light loads work best for me in my Bulldog with cast bullets. My cast SWC's come out sized & lubed at ~180 grains pushed by Hodgdon HP38 powder ignited by plain-Jane CCI primers. I do not know if it's "legal" to offer exact powder weight used, so I'll just say that -- if you check published data (from whence I got my load) -- mine is 2nd from lightest. Enough to get all shots on paper at 25 yards without either hurting the wrist or leading the barrel.
Fun little revolver!
geo

[leadhead]

I found the throats on mine mike at .430 dia. I sized a couple cast at .431 and they seemed to
big to slip thru the cylinder throat. Do you think .431 would be OK to size to?

[racepres]

I used the Skeeter load for a carry and shot 5 rounds a year to verify function and sighting. I shot it for fun with a lower charge of Bullseye. I found the sights regulated for 240-250 gr bullets.
Mine seem to be... but...going to experiment with heavier/lighter powder charge with 200gr Lee FP, In Hopes Lighter, gets me on paper as more comfortable to shoot


I found that moderate/light loads work best for me in my Bulldog with cast bullets. My cast SWC's come out sized & lubed at ~180 grains pushed by Hodgdon HP38 powder ignited by plain-Jane CCI primers. I do not know if it's "legal" to offer exact powder weight used, so I'll just say that -- if you check published data (from whence I got my load) -- mine is 2nd from lightest. Enough to get all shots on paper at 25 yards without either hurting the wrist or leading the barrel.
Fun little revolver!
geo
What I'm After.. But sounds like 5.5 - 5.7 gr Red Dot to Start... as I don't have HP38

[MT Gianni]

The description I like best about the Bulldog is "made to be carried a lot and shot a little". I liked mine and own CA products but recognize it for what it is.

[SGM5091]

As a shooter, I load the 44 Special, the 44 Colt, and the 44 Russian. They all fit in my Bulldog, and function well. They give me a nice variety of loads. I normally load 200 grain lead semi-wadcutters in all three.

[racepres]

The description I like best about the Bulldog is "made to be carried a lot and shot a little". I liked mine and own CA products but recognize it for what it is.
Heard that also...After I shot the livin crap outta mine... may as well keep shootin it now I guess!!
Ignorance is Bliss... and Luckily, I have reloaded since my First handgun purchase...mid '70's.. late bloomer!!!!
Being a Handloader showed its Worth with More than just the Bulldog!!


As a shooter, I load the 44 Special, the 44 Colt, and the 44 Russian. They all fit in my Bulldog, and function well. They give me a nice variety of loads. I normally load 200 grain lead semi-wadcutters in all three.
I already dread the Cost of More 44spl brass...sure don't need them others!!
Luckily.. I stocked up on .44 Mag brass starting in the '70's.. what does neck split...becomes 44 Special!!!!!

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have a S&W 696. It is a 5 shot .44 Special. I chased loads for a while then went to 6.0 gr of w231 with a 240 gr Keith Boolit (429421) This load was the only one I tried that shot to the sights.

The Skeeter Load probably would too? All the Cream Puff loads I tried shot way high and were unusable. PC'd Boolits work best in my gun and all that happens at the end of the day is running a piece of paper towel down thru the barrel to push out the unburnt power residue from the last shot.

My mold is from Mihec and will make 3 different HP's adn one solid. I shoot mostly solids but all of them produce the same results. I need to shoot that gun more as it is one of my Favorites..

Randy

[racepres]

I have a S&W 696. It is a 5 shot .44 Special. I chased loads for a while then went to 6.0 gr of w231 with a 240 gr Keith Boolit (429421) This load was the only one I tried that shot to the sights.

The Skeeter Load probably would too? All the Cream Puff loads I tried shot way high and were unusable. PC'd Boolits work best in my gun and all that happens at the end of the day is running a piece of paper towel down thru the barrel to push out the unburnt power residue from the last shot.

My mold is from Mihec and will make 3 different HP's adn one solid. I shoot mostly solids but all of them produce the same results. I need to shoot that gun more as it is one of my Favorites..

Randy
Lighter Boolit...pushed Faster... will shoot lower....

[Eddie Southgate]

I gave my dad's original Bulldog to my son and bought a stainless Target version so I load for two. My solid bullet load is the standard Keith bullet with 7.5 grains of Unique. In HP I use the same HP version of the Keith bullet with 8 grains of Unique. I sometimes load lighter bullets and either 5 or 5.5 grains of Red Dot.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Lighter Boolit...pushed Faster... will shoot lower....

All the "Creampuff" loads were slower and spent more time in the barrel during recoil, and thus shot higher.

Randy

[racepres]

I gave my dad's original Bulldog to my son and bought a stainless Target version so I load for two. My solid bullet load is the standard Keith bullet with 7.5 grains of Unique. In HP I use the same HP version of the Keith bullet with 8 grains of Unique. I sometimes load lighter bullets and either 5 or 5.5 grains of Red Dot.
Makin my hand hurt just reading it.. For my 4-5/8 Blackhawk I generally only use 8.6 Gr Unique!!!

[georgerkahn]

I have a S&W 696. It is a 5 shot .44 Special. I chased loads for a while then went to 6.0 gr of w231 with a 240 gr Keith Boolit (429421) This load was the only one I tried that shot to the sights.

The Skeeter Load probably would too? All the Cream Puff loads I tried shot way high and were unusable. PC'd Boolits work best in my gun and all that happens at the end of the day is running a piece of paper towel down thru the barrel to push out the unburnt power residue from the last shot.

My mold is from Mihec and will make 3 different HP's adn one solid. I shoot mostly solids but all of them produce the same results. I need to shoot that gun more as it is one of my Favorites..

Randy

Randy -- my all-time favourite .44 S&W Special is my S&W J-frame five-shot 696! Just "for it" I bought the 432-256 4 Cav HP PB H&G 503 clone from Miha (MP), and sadly I have not shot this bullet enough to give a credible report on performance. Interestingly, you use Winchester 231 while my powder of choice for this loading employs HP38. If memory serves me well... they are just about (if not?) the same powder. Relatively speaking, my loading is much lighter.
geo