anyone use missouri boolits 240gr keith style in model 69?

[lx2008]

hey guy`s,
i recently bought 500( hardness of 18 ) of these to use with my new model 69. wondering what your thoughts were of them if any of you have used in a mod 69? i also coated a few of these w/ LS 45-45-10. i am looking for a fairly stout load. was going to start out with 18.5 grs of 2400 & work up to 19.5.w/ std lg pistol primer. these particular boolits have a bevel base too.

just a little concerned of leading thats all. (i like a stout load even though these will primarily be used to hit plates)

thanks!

[MT Gianni]

The threads on bullet hardness have been beat to death IMO. I have a 4" 69 and it shoots ww hardness, basically BHN 12. With the factory grips the accuracy of the load is the limiting factor not the possible velocity. The best thing I ever did with mine is replace the grips with X frame grips. If you have a good lube you can work up to all you can stand recoil wise. I believe lube is the limiting factor in much of what we shoot and it is dependent on local humidity conditions, IMO. Lube is probably the best reason to cast your own. I have only used 45/45/10 for light loads, not sure if it will help you or not.

I have a lot of AA9/WC 820 and that is what I have used for speedier stuff.

[Froogal]

My opinion. A bhn of 12 is plenty hard enough. 18bhn is just over kill, especially when shooting steel targets because of the potential for ricochet. Bullets of 10 to 12 bhn will just flatten out and drop to the ground when hitting a steel target, and stand a better chance of mushrooming when encountering the flesh of a deer or whatever.

[Shuz]

In my opinion, Bhn 18 is too hard for handgun alloy. I use Bhn 11 for all my .44 mag shooting. The most important thing is how does that boolit fit your model 69 throats. If they barely push thru with heavy hand pressure you may get by with minimal leading. Magnum velocity as you are contemplating using, is your friend with these hard boolits.
I have Hogue X frame grips on both of my model 69's, and I think they are necessary on this handgun with magnum loads.

[lx2008]

In my opinion, Bhn 18 is too hard for handgun alloy. I use Bhn 11 for all my .44 mag shooting. The most important thing is how does that boolit fit your model 69 throats. If they barely push thru with heavy hand pressure you may get by with minimal leading. Magnum velocity as you are contemplating using, is your friend with these hard boolits.
I have Hogue X frame grips on both of my model 69's, and I think they are necessary on this handgun with magnum loads.

these particular boolits are just that way...you can hardly push them thru.

[lx2008]

In my opinion, Bhn 18 is too hard for handgun alloy. I use Bhn 11 for all my .44 mag shooting. The most important thing is how does that boolit fit your model 69 throats. If they barely push thru with heavy hand pressure you may get by with minimal leading. Magnum velocity as you are contemplating using, is your friend with these hard boolits.
I have Hogue X frame grips on both of my model 69's, and I think they are necessary on this handgun with magnum loads.

i did buy a set of those x-frame grips because of what i read in here.

[Kosh75287]

I don't own a S&W M69, nor do I shoot/reload .44 Magnum. I reload and shoot a .45 Colt Redhawk to magnum levels (250 gr. RNFP & RNFP-PC @ 1170 f/s & 1300+. respectively) using Missouri Bullets' "Cowboy" bullets, rated at BHN 12, with very nice accuracy, and minimal to no leading. I shot some of 18 BHN also, but have reverted to BHN 12s. The BHN 18s do not lead at either velocity, The BHN 12s do not lead at 1170 f/s. They display discernible, but negligible leading with the faster loads.

If I hit a tissue mass that is fairly rigid and substantial with the BHN 12 bullet, I'll get SOME deformation especially with the 1300 f/s load, but not before a great deal of penetration. Through-and-through hits sometimes happen with the slower load, but are far are common with the hotter one, depending on the animal of interest. The 18 BHNs do not appreciably expand in anything into which I've shot them, at any velocity.
If I had one of the .452" caliber "Super" Magnums, or a .454 Casull Lever gun, I would likely make greater use of MBC's 18 BHN projectiles, especially were I treading bear habitat. Fat bullets that hit hard and drive deep into vitals are the orders of the day, and expansion is a secondary consideration. Since, here in north central Texas, the likely "feral beast" will be two-legged, drug-fueled, and in a pack, the constraints for defeating the target are somewhat different.

If MBC makes their .44 caliber projectiles with the same care that they make their .45 Colt projectiles, and I think this very likely, then I believe you are in for some good results, similar to what I obtained with the BHN 18s I used. Whoever's pulling the levers there sure seems to be doing it right.

Forgive me for appearing to sound as if I am presuming to tell you how to shoot your own darned sidearm, but you might try one or two cylinders full of 8.0/Unique/240 gr. Keith, or a similar load, before "pouring on the coal" with 18.5 - 19.5/2400/240 gr. Keith. You WILL want to practice shooting under time pressure with whatever load you choose, and 18.5-19.5/2400/240 gr. from a 4" medium frame .44 Magnum revolver does sound like any fun at all.