Trail Boss in .44 Special Revolvers

[Swagerman]

OK, made it to the range today (Friday 9th) got good results with Lee 200 grain SWC bullet (bumped up to .432 dia.) with HP. Used 5.0 grains of Trail Boss that moves 820 fps velocity.

Though one of my bigger Lyman mould's was #429244 GC, I also bumped those bullets up to .432 diameter in my swaging die.

Bottom of target 1.5 inch group...top not quite as good same load.

All in all, this proved that bullet beagling works by increasing moulds to cast .432 diameter. The bigger bullets girth chambers better in my Taurus oversized cylinder throats.



White paper target was a surprise that needs a little more fine tunning with the heavy bullets #429244 slugs 262 to 265 RNFP did pretty good, but should have held a six o'clock hold on my POA.




But Trail Boss looking better as loads develop.

Jim

[daleraby]

I've been playing with .44 special for a while now using a Ruger/Lipsey Blackhawk Flattop with a 5.5" barrel. The bore slugs out at .430 and the chamber throats are .432. When purchased, the forcing cone was constricted much tighter than the bore. A little fire-lapping has somewhat cured the leading issues I encountered initially.

I replaced the original rear sight with a Bowen Rough Country sight. This does require a bit of gunsmithing of a sort, but it can be handled by most people in this game I think. After a bit of grinding on the front sight and some judicious load development, I ended up with a few different loads that impact pretty much to the same point of aim on a 7 yard target... which seems to be about the range I encounter live pests around the outbuildings and about the range where I would likely encounter a dangerous predator I might feel justified in shooting... though such things are rare in these parts.

The first bullet I worked with was the 44 MAG, NOE, 255GR, SWC-K (AUTHENTIC KEITH) bullet by Montana Bullet Works. I wanted a heavy cast bullet for dealing with dangerous things up close, which lead me to the various "Keith Loads". These are not for the faint of heart and the analogy I use is like shaking hands with God. I worked up to a 16.5 grain load of Alliant 2400, but then dropped down to 15.5 grains, which was more manageable. Now I had my sasquatch load.

Using the same bullet over 4 grains of Trailboss gave me an impact point a bit higher on the target, but with noticeably less recoil. It has it uses I suppose, but was not exactly what I was after. 6 grains of Green Dot with this bullet ended up being my version of the "Skeeter load", and impacts to pretty much the same point of aim as my sasquatch load.

The next bullet I worked with was the 44 MAG, LYMAN 429215, 225GR, SWC-PB, again from Montana Bullet Works. 6 grains of Green Dot seemed to match my point of impact as did 5.5 grains of Trailboss. The Trailboss load is much more pleasant to shoot. How this happens to match the impact point of higher pressure loads is some kind of quantum physics that I haven't worked out just yet.

In any case, the Trailboss load with the 225 grain bullet is likely to become my everyday carry load around the home. I'm sure it will handle all the groundhogs, 'coons, possums and other varmints I am likely to encounter... and probably a few things I am unlikely to encounter. It will certainly handle water-filled gallon milk jugs (my most common targets these days) just fine.

I have had some leading issues in this journey, but that is not exactly unheard of. Firelapping did reduce that a bit, though the different charges didn't seem to make much difference. My next order of bullets will be ordered sized to .431. I'm hoping that will reduce leading a bit more. If not, well, I got some jacketed bullets I can load and some bronze wool as well as some solvents that smell like ammonia.

[alfadan]

2008

[Chill Wills]

2008

Yeah, still very interesting blast from the past. I am reading everything I can on the 44 Special again. For me it has been a 40 plus year love affair.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Daleraby, if your throats are 0.432”, then that is what your boolit diameter should be. That or 0.433” or maybe even 0.434”.

BTW I don’t mind a thread from 2008 getting more air play. 44 Special is timeless!

[alfadan]

Yeah, still very interesting blast from the past. I am reading everything I can on the 44 Special again. For me it has been a 40 plus year love affair.

You bet. Just putting it out there so people don't expect a response from OP.

[Chill Wills]

You bet. Just putting it out there so people don't expect a response from OP.

Good point.

[Bass Ackward]

Walk down memory lane. http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/

[racepres]

FWIW: Old or Not...The Cream of Wheat thing worked for me...searched a couple years ago.
and I use Red Dot... or of course Unique!!!

[Rockindaddy]

Good to read all the good testing on 44 Special handloads! My S&W 696 44 Sp likes Unique with a 200 gr Lee. I have about 17-18 lbs of 2400. I will try Ghugly's load of 13.5 grs with a 240 gr Lyman Keith style boolit.

[Tripplebeards]

Trail boss at 5.2 grains if I remember I. My 45 colt vaquero shoots super tight groups to POA at 25 yards using lee 255 grainers. Tried the load with Head shots on trap line raccoons. A standard velocity 22lr knocks the snot out of them vs the 45 colt trail boss load with same shot placement. Just not alot of velocity and energy transfer to shock them.