44 Mag Shorter Cases and Heavy Bullets

[Scrumbag]

Hi folks,

I have recently been playing around with some heavier bullets in my .44 mag lever action and getting some good results accuracy wise:

https://i.imgur.com/ntFq0p0l.jpg

This load was developed from 25,000 psi data for 44 SPC + P listed in American Hand Loader (https://www.handloadermagazine.com/44-s-w-special-p)

However, the issue is that with these longer bullets I am having to load them in .44 Special brass as they are too long to go through the action cleanly in .44 Magnum cases.

I was wondering, would it be worth trimming down some .44 mag brass shorter than usual "Trim to" length in order to get the case mouth in the crimping groove. This is what Hornady recommends with their FTX bullets in .44 mag (FTX bullets are rather long).

The issue of course is load data with the shorter case and reduced case capacity.

My thoughts would be to pick a powder that would be forgiving in terms of having a wide min - max charge and 2 powders come to mind: 2400 and Vihtavouri N110
(Certainly wouldn't use Hodgdon H110 / W296 for this).

So, starting with 25,000psi 2400 (from Hand Loader) and Viht N110 tested load data from https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?410374-44-SPL-the-RCBS-44-250-KT-and-VV-N110 and here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?448606-44-Special-P-First-Foray/page2&highlight=Special).

I would then work up a load checking against Gordon's Reloading Tool predictions to determine a max load (Making sure to come up in small increments)

Any thoughts folks? Am I crazy?

Best wishes,

Scrummy

[black mamba]

If it was me doing it, I would take 50 cases and trim them to the length that would put your bullet in the crimp groove at the max length that will work in your rifle. Mark the cartridge box with the case length and bullet you are using so there is no confusion.

[longbow]

What make is your lever action rifle?

For Marlins it is easy to file the cartridge stop to allow longer COAL. Mine now feeds the H&G #503 SWC that it would not before filing the cartridge stop. Like the Lyman 429421 the crimp groove to nose length is too long to give factory/SAAMI COAL.

Not sure about Winchester, Cjiappa, Uberti, etc. but it is an easy mod for a Marlin.

https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/modifying-the-1894-for-a-longer-cartridge-oal.10588/
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnLObb4ldfRrn1ugYZeeB6_liqIE1rm _7QlcVPs6eTyg&s

There was a thread somewhere with lots of pics but I cannot find it now unfortunately. Might have been this one but the pics are gone now:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?7750-Modifying-the-Marlin-1894-for-a-longer-cartridge-OAL

Lots of good info here you may be interested in:

http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html

Longbow

[Scrumbag]

What make is your lever action rifle?

For Marlins it is easy to file the cartridge stop to allow longer COAL. Mine now feeds the H&G #503 SWC that it would not before filing the cartridge stop. Like the Lyman 429421 the crimp groove to nose length is too long to give factory/SAAMI COAL.

Not sure about Winchester, Cjiappa, Uberti, etc. but it is an easy mod for a Marlin.

https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/modifying-the-1894-for-a-longer-cartridge-oal.10588/
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnLObb4ldfRrn1ugYZeeB6_liqIE1rm _7QlcVPs6eTyg&s

There was a thread somewhere with lots of pics but I cannot find it now unfortunately. Might have been this one but the pics are gone now:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?7750-Modifying-the-Marlin-1894-for-a-longer-cartridge-OAL

Lots of good info here you may be interested in:

http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html

Longbow

Hi Longbow,

It's a Chiappa.

Best wishes,

Scrummy