Ruger Flat Top 44 Special loading

[Good Cheer]

Fellas, any more .44 Special load recommendations out there?

[Good Cheer]

Medium weight wide point about the best choice for the flat top?

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I tried 17 grs. of 2400 under a 240 gr. xtp and was surprised by how fierce a loading it was. Saving the rest for a lever action rifle. I enjoy 7 grs. Unique under the Keith boolit.

[telebasher]

I've been using 8.5 gr HS-6 under an Arsenal 210 gr RNFP with great satisfaction.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm in rintinglen's camp. The "Skeeter" load is a good place to be. That load will do just about everything you need from a 44.

As for the OP's question about different pressure levels, I think 900-1000 fps with a 250ish grain bullet is entirely safe in a Flat Top Ruger. That will probably land somewhere in his "level 2" range, maybe in the level 1 range.

I've said it many times before and it's worth repeating; The SAAMI pressure limits for the 44 Special are held ridiculously low.
A modern SA or DA revolver chambered in 44 Special can easily handle more than the 14K psi that SAAMI mandates. The spread between 44 Special and 44 Mag (14K vs 40K) in terms of pressure is huge and I really believe there should be some sanctioned rating above 44 Special and below 44 mag. No such thing exists but if it did, it would be sort of a 44 Special +P.

I believe the SAAMI specs for 44 Special are held low because there are old revolvers out there that are weaker than the modern Rugers and S&W revolvers chambered in 44 Special. So SAAMI erred on the side of caution, which is a prudent course of action but limiting in terms of performance in modern, stronger guns.

[44MAG#1]

If one searches the "web" one can find an article bu Ross Seyfried on the exact same caliber and gun and loads for it.

Again I dont mean to offend or to disrespect you or anyone else on this great site with my answer. Also I am not trying to troll, bait, call out or in any way start something by my statements. If you take it that way I am sorry for your misrepresenting my intentions

[Cosmic_Charlie]

If one searches the "web" one can find an article bu Ross Seyfried on the exact same caliber and gun and loads for it.

Again I dont mean to offend or to disrespect you or anyone else on this great site with my answer. Also I am not trying to troll, bait, call out or in any way start something by my statements. If you take it that way I am sorry for your misrepresenting my intentions

That is indeed a good article and spurred me to purchase my 5.5".

[Larry in MT]

I have a 44 Flattop (this one) and find Brian Pierce's loading info to be safe in my revolver. That article was a great service to those of us who want more out of our FTs.

I get my highest velocity with 2400 but use a lot of Power Pistol.

Several FT owners report excellent accuracy -- mine, also. I tried some 200 grain XTPs on a recommendation from a fellow owner -- hard to believe how well they shot (also over PP).

[lazs]

loading data other than powder puff loads for 44 spl has always been scarce. My only dedicated 44 spl gun at this time is a 4 3/4" SAA clone from Cimarron.. it specs out perfectly and is very accurate. I like Accurate #5 powder for this range of handgun. The loads listed by Accurate for the 44 spl were so weak that they would be almost too dirty to shoot. the first third of the case would be black. Their top load was in the 6.8 grain range for the 240 SWC cast. Going to 7.5 made a huge difference in clean burning and accuracy. The 6.8 load ran around 700 fps in my gun. The 7.5 load right at 800 fps. 900 fps from my 629 with a 6.5" barrel.

The 7.5 load is slightly slower than 7.5 of Unique which is a powder I really don't like. I can't imagine that the pressure is much more than bottom of tier two loads.

lazs

[Nogoslow]

I know this is an old thread but I just found it and wanted to share some loads I found for my NM bisley flat top that work well.

1st load is 15.0 2400 with starline brass and wlp primers and 240 swc lazercast. Stout load with near 1/2 " groups rested, at 25 yds.

2nd is 8.0 power pistol with same boolit. Very nice load with 1" groups common.

3rd load is 7.0 Unique, it is more accurate then 7.5 in my gun and I do not have chrono data for it at this time but get a little under 1" at 25.

4th load for plinking and mild and clean burning is, Lee 200 rnfp with 4.0 clays . Don't have data on it either. The set 10 data with trail boss was my firelapping loads could call a popcorn far lol.
These loads are not in order on the chrono data they are just my personal picks.

I also noticed my speeds with 2400 powder seems to be higher than the data I found on it. The 17.0 grains was 1262 fps average with a 240 swc. That is magnum territory and a handful in the blackhawk, I won't test that load anymore since I have a SBH bisley hunter pushing that at 1500 fps with 21.0 2400 which is listed on the chart also.

[JoeJames]

I have had my Lipsey Ruger 41/2" Blackhawk for several years and it is my all time favorite revolver. I am not into heavy loads, but rather I try to come up with the most accurate loads for the Ruger. It depends a bit on boolits. With the Speer swaged .430 240 grain SWC's I have found 6.8 grains of Unique to be the most accurate, and with Oregon Trail .431 240 grain SWC's I have found 6.5 grains of Unique finds the same sweet spot. Here are my results: VELOCITY TESTING
44 Special
Unique and Win 231 .430 Speer vs. .431 Oregon Trail
Ruger Single Action Blackhawk

1. a. Speer .430 grain swaged SWC -
6.8 grains Unique: Ruger SA 4 1/2"
907, 875, 881, 899, 906 - average 890 fps
1.b. Speer .430 grain swaged SWC -
6.2 grains W231: Ruger SA 4 1/2"
796, 837, 786 - average 806 fps

2. a. Oregon Trail .431 laser cast 240 grain SWC -
6.8 grains Unique: Ruger SA 4 ½"
900, 1011, 1005, 933 - average 962 fps
-----------------------------------
6.5 grains Unique: Ruger SA 4 ½"
886, 912, 918 - average 905 fps

2. b. Oregon Trail .431 laser cast 240 grain SWC -
6.2 grains W231: Ruger SA 4 ½"
845, 903, 911, average 886 fps.


I was expecting the W231 to jump about 80 fps with the .431 laser cast Oregon Trail, and it did. I was hoping that the slight reduction from 6.8 grains of Unique to 6.5 grains would drop it back into my supposed sweet spot for the Ruger SA of around 890 - 900 fps, and it did. I was prepared to drop it to 6.4 grains but do not see any need to considering the velocity and the accuracy. I have also played around with Win 231, but I still think Unique is the most accurate.

[35 Whelen]

Man, I have tested jillions of loads for the .44 Special. My favorite powders are Alliant's 20/28, Unique, Power Pistol and Herco, and I'd hate to have to choose just one. 20/28 and Unique are practically interchangeable in the .44 Special with velocities all but identical with identical charges. There's even a Sticky on the Subject

Cutting to the chase, I loaded 17.0 grs. of AL 2400 under a 260 gr. cast SWC (429421) and achieved a little over 1200 fps with respectable accuracy-



I'm a big fan of light loads for practicing and learning to shoot and have a couple that shoot tiny groups with most any 250-255 gr. cast RN-





But a general all around load that shoots well in all four of my .44 Specials is 6.5 grs. of Unique or 20/28 under a 255-260 gr. cast SWC for around 850 fps-





Bumping up to 7.5 grs. also gave good accuracy and velocities of around 950 fps with 250-260 gr. cast bullets-





Moving up to 8.0 grs. worked well too-





8.5 grs. of Unique with the 429244 bullet is a Tier 2 load and worked well in one of my Uberti's-



I have lots more, but am only allowed to post 10 pictures!

35W

[JoeJames]

Man, I have tested jillions of loads for the .44 Special. My favorite powders are Alliant's 20/28, Unique, Power Pistol and Herco, and I'd hate to have to choose just one. 20/28 and Unique are practically interchangeable in the .44 Special with velocities all but identical with identical charges. There's even a Sticky on the Subject

Cutting to the chase, I loaded 17.0 grs. of AL 2400 under a 260 gr. cast SWC (429421) and achieved a little over 1200 fps with respectable accuracy-



I'm a big fan of light loads for practicing and learning to shoot and have a couple that shoot tiny groups with most any 250-255 gr. cast RN-





But a general all around load that shoots well in all four of my .44 Specials is 6.5 grs. of Unique or 20/28 under a 255-260 gr. cast SWC for around 850 fps-





Bumping up to 7.5 grs. also gave good accuracy and velocities of around 950 fps with 250-260 gr. cast bullets-





Moving up to 8.0 grs. worked well too-





8.5 grs. of Unique with the 429244 bullet is a Tier 2 load and worked well in one of my Uberti's-



I have lots more, but am only allowed to post 10 pictures!

35W

As you may have noticed, my velocity increased about 80-90 fps, when I changed from a .430 Speer SWC to an Oregon Trail Laser Cast .431 SWC. I was running the Speer on top of 6.8 grains or Unique for about 890 fps, but after I saw the results with the Oregon Trail I cut it back to 6.5 grains of Unique for the Oregon Trail in order to get about the same velocity - @890 fps.

[Firebricker]

I so not have anything add on pressure limits but agree with Thumbcocker. Power Pistol with a 250 Keith has been excellent in mine.

[TCLouis]

It looks to me like you have the 44 SPL dialed in . . .

Mild to full bore!

I would love a 5.5 or 6 inch Bisley 44 SPL

[ddixie884]

Yeah..................