Taurus Tracker 2", non ported 44 Mag loads

[bearmn56]

Just got a new 2" non ported 44 Mag Taurus Tracker. I came up with a Kick Butt defense load by accident. I bought, at a gun show, a older Lee mould that is a 200gr full wad cutter. It looks just like its 38 cal cousin. Essentially just a cylinder, with three lube grooves and a little hump in the flat front. I had some lying around that I had casted last spring to shoot in my S&W 624, 6". I decided to try some in the short barreled Tracker in Win Nickle 44 mag cases. I finally decided to use some Hodgdon Longshot. With 11.0 gr of this powder, standard primers, I got a whopping 1200fps. This load is way under the listed 44 mag loads on Hodgdon's website and my loading manuals. Primers show no pressure. Extraction of fired cases is good. Want to say something here about the Tracker 2". It shoots very well, if quite a bit high with 240 gr bullets. However, it has the roughest chambers that I have EVER seen on a revolver. Factory 44 mag loads are very hard to extract. (The 11.0 gr Longshot loads with the 200 WC extract Ok....this is another indicator that this load is on the mild side). This WC load punches HUGE holes thru a coffee can....in some cases more than 1" holes! It will blow a hole in the ice here and send ice chips 20 feet in the air. Very good self-defense power to my way of thinking. Recoil is noticeable but completely controllable. The Taurus soft rubber grips really work. After 50 rounds today my hand is fine. I have been carrying it with these loads. (I have concealed carry permit).
On the rough chamber thing..... I contacted Taurus by phone and am waiting for a reply.. My gunsmith says that the chambers are too rough to polish out. The annular reamer grooves are just too deep. With full power factory loads, the chambers leave rings on the brass cases. Not good enough for me. I like the way this little revolver shoots and will send it back to be repaired as soon as I hear from Taurus.
Bearmn56
Montana Territory

[MT Gianni]

I bought one they called a 208 gr wadcutter on a closeout a few years back. I've only shot it in the Special but it grouped OK.
Where do ya have ice at? Is it fishable? Georgetown should be getting close especially after the forecast for this weekend. Gianni

[waksupi]

Gianni, six inches of ice on Smith Lake west of Kalispell. Temps hitting the minus column this weekend, should make a lot of fishable ice!

[bearmn56]

Hey guys, I live very rural south of Helena in the mountains. The ice is in my driveway. Have had some snow and this is from the melt. As noted by Waksupi, we will be having some sub zero weather this weekend and all of the lakes in the area should freeze up pretty good. The largest lake nearby is Canyon Ferry Lake.
I have a simple small range at my house....about 25yards. Just right for initial testing of most loads.
The wad cutter that I was shooting is approximately #2 alloy. No leading. Want to try some cast from 1-20 and see how they flatten out and see if they lead.
These wad cutters, due to their flat shape and seated nearly flush with the case mouth, will not feed from a speed loader. They catch on the charge holes. So, the speed loader becomes a "speed holder" : a convenient way of carrying 5 extra rounds.
Also, the ejector stroke on the Taurus is quite short and at least some of the long 44 mag cases need to be extracted by hand. This is not as bad as it seems. Most self defense situations are not going to become "shoot outs" 99.9% of the time.
Anyway, I hope that I hear from Taurus today. I want to get this rough cylinder thing resolved.
Bearmn56
Montana Territory