Heavy 44 sp load?

[fabricator21]

I am looking for a very stout 44 special load using power pistol and laser cast 200 grain LRNFP.
Anybody use this combination? This load will be shot from a s&w N frame

[MT Gianni]

No but you might get more response if you define what you mean by heavy. How fast do you want to go, etc. By heavy most of us think boolits over 275 gr in the 44 bores so you have asked a bit of an analomy.

[MtGun44]

Alliant will probably list what the safe max is.

There was this guy a long time ago in Idaho, used to shoot up to 17 grains of
2400 under a 250 gr SWC of his own design as a heavy .44 Spl in the S&W N-frame
guns. . . . . . . . . . . . everyone said he was crazy and nothing would come of it.






Elmer kept at it tho. :wink:

But that was a long time ago.

Bill

[Lloyd Smale]

yup you probably wont get into any problems in your N frame by substuting the 200 grain bullet for elmers 250 and using his load

[EDK]

I am looking for a very stout 44 special load using power pistol and laser cast 200 grain LRNFP.
Anybody use this combination? This load will be shot from a s&w N frame

Brian Pearce has suggested POWER PISTOL in recent articles in HANDLOADER magazine. It seems to be one of his favorites. He has had some very extensive lists of loads and boolits there.

Maybe just me, but POWER PISTOL seems a bit noisy. I used 8.0 with a 250 grain Keith boolit in 44 magnum and previously had used 7.0 of either TITEGROUP or HP-38. I got groups around 2 inches at 25 yards from 5.5 and 7.5 inch VAQUEROS, BUT I had a two week non shooting period (10 degree weather and a slippery hillside down to my back yard shooting range) previously. A tuned SUPER BLACK HAWK or BISLEY will cut the groups about 35-to-50% because of better sights.

Let me know how your experiments work out. I've got a 624 and 629 gathering dust in the safe....AND 200 grain RNFP and full wadcutter moulds to play with. Full wadcutters in a 44 or 45 make impressive holes!

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[9.3X62AL]

Fabricator, you are the second poster this month trying to drag me out of my "Keith/429421 comfort zone" with the S&W 624 x 6.5". I may have to just get this outta my system, drag out some of the SAECO #446s intended for the 44-40 and see what they will do. I can't recall using a 200 grain-class cast boolit in either the 44 Special or the 44 Magnum at any past time.

[GabbyM]

Alliant list a 44 Special Power Pistol load for the Speer jacketed 200gr GSHP.

8.6 grains for 976 fps.

200 gr Speer GSHP Power Pistol CCI 300 Remington 1.490" 8.6 976

As a rule of thumb cast will give lower pressure than J bullets. As long as the boolit doesn't protrude down into the case more using up your powder space.

Alliant list some 44 mag loads also which I plan to try with my Saeco 200 grain RNFP in my 6" magnum. Data is for the Speer 200 grain JHP but it'll work for my 200 grain lead boolit. Not going to load it to max anyway as that's for 1573 fps. I'll start with it backed off 1 ½ grains. They show the Power Pistol at 173 fps faster than their Unique laod with a 200 grain bullet. It's 78 fps faster than Blue dot while using .5 gr less powder.

[Rodfac]

I use Win 231 a lot (it meters beautifully in my Dillon presses) in both a Ruger/Lipsey's .44 Spl and a S&W Model 24. I'm also fond of Lyman's 429215 gc at 220 gr when cast from wheel weights. That bullet with 7.0 gr of Win 231, in Starline brass and Win LP caps chrono's at 985 fps from the 4-5/8" barrel of the Ruger, and prints nice round 1.5" or less gps at 25 yds. The Smith goes 50 fps faster with similar grouping.

Not the hottest load, but definitely authoritative if you're looking for a good wood's loafin' load. For defense on two legged threats, it's enough. For bear in the lower 48, I'd pack one of my magnums. In Alaska, my pals up there carry as big a gun as they can buy...the bears look to me (admittedly a flat-lander from KY) like Buicks with a fur coat on. It's been said before on this forum...and I agree with the sentiment...if you really want a fast load, get the magnum. I'm too fond of my specials to risk pushing them to the limits.

Sierra's DVD Loading data gives the following for a 6.5" S&W Model 24:
Win cases and CCI 300 or 350 caps, 210 gr JHC for 1000 fps.
8.8 Unique
16.5 H110
14.3 2400
18.7 IMR-4227

Their accuracy load is 8.2 of Unique for 900 fps
Their hunting load is 8.5 gr of Unique for 950 fps and 421 ft/lbs energy

As always...work up to the loads, your pressures may and probably will differ from mine or Sierra's.


Regards, Rodfac