44 Special loads

[monkeymt]

I got a new USFA single action recently and also was given about 350 Bull-X 240gr SWC .230 bullets. The gun measures .429 in the barrel and .431 for chamber mouths. The bullets will go through the chamber mouths tightly so everything looks good. These bullets appear to be a bit hard. Don't have a tester just comparing them to some 45 255gr SWC bullets I have had for a long time and the old finger nail test.
The reloading manuals (and I have quite a few of them) are all over the place as far as loads. A Lyman manual from the mid 60's will list a load of Unique at 8grs and the latest Lyman manual lists a max of 6.5grs for the same bullet weight.
Was hoping some of you could shed a little light on real life loads for this modern single action. The cylinder walls of the USFA are clearly thicker than any of the two Colt SAA's that I have.
Mark

[MT Gianni]

I use 5 gr Green dot with a 429421 in my Charter Arms bulldog. Accuracy is good.

[Rocky Raab]

I always recommend to use current data if you are using the current formulation of powder. If your powder is of a previous age, you might be able to use data from then, but mixing old with new is risky.

Like MT Gianni, I have to keep loads pretty mild for the Bulldog. Not because the gun wouldn't take more, but recoil would be (and has been) excessive with hotter loads. His load is a good'un. I use Speer swaged 240 SWCs because I came into a bunch of them, and strive for 700 - 800 fps loads. That's Start level in most load tables, and they work fine.

[StrawHat]

Even the powder companies did not have access or make use of pressure testing equipment until recently. (Probably something to do with an overabundance of lawyers in the last couple of decades) A lot of the old data that was freely printed and circulated has become suspect under reliable testing methods. Even the data from Keith has been shown to be rather high on the pressure scale and scaled back accordingly.

Since you are asking that question, you apparently don't have a favorite load so go with the new manuals and work from there.

Unique was a good powder for the 44 Special, when I had one.

[monkeymt]

Thank you all. I have a Bulldog in 44 Special as well and have shot some cowboy action loads I got with the gun and they are very managable in the little gun. I also agree that powders have changed over the years and some are even fickle to changes from lot to lot. The loads that Rocky and MT Gianni have worked up sound just like what I am looking for. I have some new Unique and Bullseye. Have not tried Green Dot but have a friend that uses it quite a bit and might borrow a little to try it out. 700 to 800 fps sounds fine. If I wanted to push the envelope I would have gotten a 44 mag. Anyone feel a particular primer works better with a certain powder?
Thanks for your help.
Mark

[monkeymt]

Thank you all. I have a Bulldog in 44 Special as well and have shot some cowboy action loads I got with the gun and they are very managable in the little gun. I also agree that powders have changed over the years and some are even fickle to changes from lot to lot. The loads that Rocky and MT Gianni have worked up sound just like what I am looking for. I have some new Unique and Bullseye. Have not tried Green Dot but have a friend that uses it quite a bit and might borrow a little to try it out. 700 to 800 fps sounds fine. If I wanted to push the envelope I would have gotten a 44 mag. Anyone feel a particular primer works better with a certain powder?
Thanks for your help.
Mark

[Rocky Raab]

I prefer Rem 2 1/2 primers in the 44 Special. I am convinced that the mildest primer that gives full ignition is almost always more accurate than one so hot it dislodges the bullet before the powder can light. An alternate would be the CCI 300, which is also mild.

Some good loads with a 215 SWC are 7.0 Universal or Unique (near max at 900 fps), 6.5 Nitro 100, 6.0 700X, 6.0 Bullseye, 6.0 RedDot, GreenDot or American Select. You can cut any of them by a full grain and still have good workable loads, if you choose.

With a 240 SWC, try 5.0 Bullseye, 5.5 W231 or 6.5 Universal or Unique. Or any of the loads above cut by a half grain.

[monkeymt]

Thanks Rocky. I happen to have some Unique, RedDot and Bullseye on hand. Don't have any Remington primers but do have quite a few CCI 300. Will begin the fun part of all of this today making up several different loads to shoot this weekend.
Mark

[Rocky Raab]

Mark, I have something like 30 pistol powders on hand, and try most of them with cartridges like the 44 Special. So if you have questions about darn near anything, please feel free to ask.

[monkeymt]

Thank you for your help. I went to my local sporting goods store a little while ago and you will never guess what they had on the shelf, 600 Remington 2 1/2 primers! They were priced at $3.50 a box so I bought them. He said he probably had some more stored downstairs but I left those for the next guy. I live in a very small town and for some reason this guy gets some small shipments of primers from time to time. These Remingtons were some he had for several years and just forgot to put them out. Looking forward to testing them out this weekend.
Went to you web site, very interesting information.
Look forward to talking to you again soon.
Mark

[bowhunter]

Unique is a good powder for 44 sp. But what i find better is 17 gr. Of h4227 with a lyman 215 gr. This bullet drops from my mold around 220 gr. Also you want to use a mag primer with this load. I use it in my s&w 696

[cohutt]

6.5-6.7g of unique is a nice shooting plinker- 240g lead runs around 730- 770 for me depending on gun

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The load mentioned by Bowhunter a couple of posts ago is an old Elmer Keith load. 17 Grains of IMR 4227 behind a 245-250 grain bullet...something like Lyman 429421 or the RCBS equivalent will definitely get your attention and group well. I have successfully used it as well in my 44 Mags. LLS

[monkeymt]

As far as the Unique load by cohutt I shot some 6.5 loads with a 240 gr SWC and they were very comfortable to shoot and grouped well also.
I have never tried IMR 4227 but I see it shows up quite a bit in my reloading manuals. I will see if I can get some locally tomorrow.
Thanks to all of you again.
Mark

[Slow Elk 45/70]

#1- 246gr boolit 7.5gr Unique about 940fps depending on barrel length

[MtGun44]

You may find a bit better accy with slightly larger boolits, .432 or even .433 for .431 throats.

7-7.5 Unique is a great load for .44 Spl.

Bill

[358wcf]

Talk about an easy to load cartridge!
I've settled on the RCBS 245SWC plain base over 7.0gr Unique (the old, smoky stuff!)-
Shoots to point of aim, and is easy to manage, with no leading at all if you size to .431"
Revolver is a 4" S&W model 27 (YES, a 27!) I had Hamilton Bowen convert to 44Special last year-- fabulous job, accurate, great action job!!!!! Waited years to do this, can't remember why it took me sooooooo long!
Thinking of trying 6.5gr Unique this year to tighten up the groups a bit-

358wcf

[xtimberman]

Looks like Unique has been covered pretty well by the other fellows. Excellent choice!

For a little more performance, I have shot my own keith-type 250gr. SWCs and that same Magna SWC with 13.0gr. 2400 in a SAA and a S&W M-21 - ~980fps w/ 4"-4 3/4" Bbl.

For lighter-recoiling needs:

200gr. RNFP - 5.2gr. RedDot - ~800fps
200gr. RNFP - 5.6gr. GreenDot - ~800fps

All three of these loads are very accurate in my revolvers. P.O.I./P.O.A. may determine what weight bullet you want to shoot in that USFA revolver. If that front sight is too short, you might prefer 200gr. bullets. - like I do for my M-21.

xtm

[Larry Gibson]

That SA clearly calls out for Skelton's classic load of 7.5 gr of Unique under that 240 gr cast SWC. You don't say what length barrel but that load will produce 900-1000 fps in 4 5/8 to 6 1/2" barrels. I've tested new Alliant" agains old Hercules Unique and other than normal lot to lot variation I can find 2 cents worth of difference. I still use Skelton's load with neww Alliant Unique. I would suggest you tumble lube those bullets in LLA if they have a hard wax lube in them. This will cut down on leading.

Larry Gibson

[Dframe]

I use a 200 grain oregon trail RNFP and Trail Boss for my 44 specials. Since I don't have to punch holes through the steel I usually shoot, my loads are in the middle of recommendations from the IMR people. They shoot cleanly and the plates drop smartly.
They are also quite tolerable in a bulldog.