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Thread: 44 Special Range Day

  1. #61
    Boolit Master

    alamogunr's Avatar
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    I got the 5.5" barrel. Plug gauges show my cylinder to be .429 in all throats. I haven't been able to shoot a whole lot since I got it but about 50 rounds loaded with a couple of cast bullets from RCBS GC molds were sized and lubed in a .431 die. Lube was NRA Alox that I mixed myself. These bullets shot well, at least to my level of competence. No leading.
    John
    W.TN

  2. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by alamogunr View Post
    One more thing. I appreciate the caution by Randy to be careful about shooting jacketed behind cast. I don't and am unlikely to do so but there will be a note to the son that ends up with the gun to follow that advice.
    That came direct from Brian Pearce and I talked to him directly about it, after reading an article he wrote in Handloader. The gun can handle magnum pressures, but that problem with a leaded forcing cone and firing a jacketed bullet thru it are death to the gun. There are no replacement barrels.. Best solution is to just stay away from Jacketed bullets altogether, and if you PC your boolits you won't have any problems with leading. But even so, you need to check the barrel often to make sure it's not leading..

    My gun is quite happy with the 6.0 gr of w231/HP-38 with a Keith/MP 240-260 gr SWC PC'd. Probably around 750-800 fps. It will do anything you would need to do with that gun and you might actually be able to hit something with it. With a 3" bbl these guns are not that easy to connect with, and take lots of practice to get good with. Once I got mine settled down with the above load that shot to the sights, and I could hit a man sized target consistently at 25 yards I used it in some Local IDPA Matches and did OK. I can't load it as fast as Uncle Jerry can, but it was still usable. Certainly not a Glock, but a 250 gr slug will hurt more than a 115 gr slug, everyday.

    I have a really nice Mernickle Holster for mine and I also have a Kydex Holster for IDPA and a complete gun belt with speed loaders.

    Randy
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20140663.JPG   100464318.JPG   100464328.JPG  
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  3. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by rking22 View Post
    In my 696 no dash the Lee 200 shot very well and a Lyman 200 designed for the 44-40 was excellent. The Lyman was a 2 1/2 inch shooter at 25 yards, sorry I don’t remember the load as I just had a bunch but no mold. There is a 235 gr NOE RF that I really like in the GP, works well on hogs and deers at 7.5 unique Most of my shooting was with the Skeeter load, and I don’t have a .429 jacket in the house. After Larry Gibson’s pressure tests on the Skeeter load I have dropped to 7.2 grains for my 696 and GP100, just being prudent and the difference is meaningless on the receiving end.
    Note: on that statement about polygonal rifling, my 696 no dash is standard rifling, no idea about the later ones. I bought mine used in 97, has been a favorite every since. There were 2 in the case, wish I’d bought both, a helpful buddy suggested just that as I was trying to decide between the two!
    I was just looking at my 696 No Dash and after cleaning the barrel until it was sterile, I saw that it appears that the lands are slightly tapered on the sides. But that might be a little subjective because seeing a taper that is only .004 long might be a bit presumptive?

    This may have been a concession to the EDM tooling used to rifle the barrels on these guns? The barrel has a mirror finish on he inside

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  4. #64
    Boolit Master

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    Checked my 696 today. It is a -1 and the barrel is the standard S&W 5 grooves I haven't tried to find when it was made and don't really care.
    The grooves don't appear to be very deep but I don't do much barrel gazing so am not sure that means anything.

    Think I will hold off on molds for awhile and use what I already have. I'm not that interested in spending a lot of time on the 696 when I've got the .44Spec 97 and converted Hwy Patrol. to play with.
    John
    W.TN

  5. #65
    Boolit Master

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    Love the 44 special! Nice round to shoot and easy and fun to reload. I have a Charter arms Bulldog that I bought used, it was hard to open and the cylinder release felt odd and worked hard. I finally sent it back to Charter Arms, got it back in about 10 days all fixed with no charge and a note saying they didn’t like my Pachmayr grips so they put on a pair of theirs. Great customer service and the grips feel good.
    The Bulldog is a little much on my hand with Skeeter loads so I found a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag with a 4 5/8 barrel . The Skeeter loads are very nice in this gun and now I cut back my loads for the Bulldog for more comfort.
    I did a little shooting with some Lee 310 gr boolits that seems promising for hunting. Anyone have any experience with this boolit in their 44’s?
    Stay safe and good shooting, Tim

  6. #66
    Boolit Man
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    Thank all for the great advice. I’m now smarter on reloading for the caliber and the firearms. Appreciate it!

  7. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by tward View Post
    I did a little shooting with some Lee 310 gr boolits that seems promising for hunting. Anyone have any experience with this boolit in their 44’s?
    Stay safe and good shooting, Tim
    I have shot them in my Marlin 1894CB, but you do have to run them pretty hard to get any accuracy out of them due to the Bullet Length and slow twist of the Rifle.

    I have had best luck with my Mihec .429421 and 429244GC clones moulds in all my .44's. The .429421 is for light to midrange loads in both Pistols, 696 and SBH Bisley, and Midrange Rifle and the the 429244GC works best in the rifle and I've gotten <1.5" groups at 100 yards with Iron Sights wit that gun.

    I PC all of these.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  8. #68
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnthonyB View Post
    THREAD DRIFT WARNING!

    Alamogunr (and all others); I am getting ready to buy a 97 in the next few months. In your experience, are they all everyone makes them out to be? What diameter are you sizing your bullets? I have read the 97 44 Specials may need .429; my others run best on .432 to .434(Redhawk). Did you get the 5.5 or 4.25 inch barrel? I am leaning toward 4.25, but am not yet fully decided.

    I started out wanting a 44 Special but am really considering a dual cylinder 45 Colt. 45 ACP is my favorite pistol cartridge, and I will never run out of brass. 2k of Starline 45 Colt will last the rest of my life.

    I have the blued Ruger FT and Bisley 4 5/8 and considered sending one to Bowen. Trying to decide which to send and looking at the approximate cost led me down the FA road. Does anyone with both have an opinion on the Bowen FT vs. the M97?

    Thanks to all for thought and opinions.
    Tony
    I have a FA M97 in 44 Special. In addition to a Ruger FT Bisley, I also have 44 Special Rugers converted by Messrs. Bowen, Clements, Horvath and Gallagher (none of which are FT’s). Mr. Bowen’s guns, IME, are excellent. For my use the other customs are on par with it. Now days, IMHO, a stock Ruger is just a starter kit towards a fine revolver. But … none will out shoot the FA. If I could only have one, it’s the FA M97. Be sure to get the action job when you buy the revolver. Just my $0.02 worth.

  9. #69
    Boolit Buddy
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    You now have a Bulldog, a Gp100 AND a 696 all in 44 special. Sorry but I just can’t find a reason to feel sorry for ya! I’m just envious!

    I have found 8 grains of HS6 to be a great all round utility load in 44sp with 240s. 800fps in my 5” N frame and 1000fps in my 1892. And accurate as can be.
    👍🏼

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check