310gr Lee 44mag

[ebg3]

Tried a reduced load in my new 4 5/8" SBH with a home cast 310gr GC Lee bullet and 11grs Hodgdon Longshot. Did not chrono but vel. must have been a little over 1000fps...recoil was not bad, a lot of muzzle rise but not as sharp as my Keith load. Only problem is I can't adjust the sight low enough. With the sight bottomed out, it was printing 6" high at 25yds. The accuracy was good, less than 2" for 6 shots but the load is not usable because of the sight. The Keith boolit I'm using has a finished weight of 259-260grs and I'm using 21grs of 2400 with a Win. large pistol primer. It prints 1.5-2" high at 25yds with the rear bottomed out...I can live with that. Accuracy is really good with this load, one 5 shot group measured 1.25" yesterday with the 6th shot being a called flyer. Does anyone make/offer a taller front sight for this Gun?

Eddie

[Freightman]

Never used the 310 gr with a pistol but it is my favorite in my Vetterli rifle. I am not sure that they make a taller front sight but you could always make a non altering sight to slip over the existing one.

[Shuz]

Taller front sights are available as I have one on my KS45N. However, I suggest you try a load of 18 to 19g of 2400 with your boolit and the existing sight. The velocity should be a little higher which should result in shorter "boolit in the bbl time" and thus the muzzel hasn't had a chance to "flip" as high and the impact will be lower.

[Three44s]

+1 on Shuz's idea on adjusting your "dwell time" (time in barrel) with load adjustments.

But there will be no substitute for a taller front sight other than a taller front sight.

I don't know beans about a SBH and what sort of mount your front sight is made to fit (my Rugers are a RH and an SRH (an interchangeable set up).

When I wanted a true partridge front sight, my gunsmith made them for me and he cut them to the height I wanted before he blued them.

Don't run out of rear sight anymore either!

Three 44s

[ebg3]

Loaded up some 310's with 21.5grs W296 and a CCI 350 and went to the range. Impact was 6" above hold at 25yds with the rear sight screwed down. I've got a taller front sight and a Rough Country rear sight on the way. Hopefully the taller front will work. Did not get a chance to chrono but the accuracy was good. Last 5 shots I could cover with a 50 cent piece at 25yds, just 6" high. According to Win. website, 22grs with a 320gr cast is a max load. My boolits are close to 315grs after lube/size. With 21.5grs, the primers are still round and the cases easily eject, but I don't see any point to increase powder charge to try and lower impact. With the 4 5/8" barrel, the muzzle rise is a bit more than out of my 7.5" gun but it's not too unpleasant.

[NHlever]

Ruger Stainless steel Blackhawks, and Super Blackhawks have pinned in front sights that can be easily changed. The tallest one for the .45 Colt has worked on my guns. The blued single actions have their front sight / ramps silver soldered to the barrel, and are not so easy to work with.

[ebg3]

Ruger Stainless steel Blackhawks, and Super Blackhawks have pinned in front sights that can be easily changed. The tallest one for the .45 Colt has worked on my guns. The blued single actions have their front sight / ramps silver soldered to the barrel, and are not so easy to work with.

Thanks for the reply. I just finished installing a Ruger 45LC front blade and a Bowen RC rear sight on my gun. Front is right much taller so it should work. Off to the range...
Eddie

[ebg3]

Front sight is a little too high. Going to file and sight in for heavy boolit.

[ebg3]

Got a chance to chrono this evening and the above load, 21.5grs W296 under the 310GC Lee boolit, was doing 1175fps out of the 4 5/8" barrel. I tried 22grs under the Lee boolit and they were doing 1215fps and had a lot more muzzle flash...wow what a flame. I think I'll stick to the 21.5gr load and call it good.
I also tried 21grs 2400 under the 255 Keith GC boolit with a standard pistol primer and they avg. 1340fps, which surprised me with the short barrel. I like this load as the recoil is not as heavy as the Lee load. The SWC may be hard to beat. Just an update fwiw.
Eddie

[derek45]

(starline brass, WLP, 6 1/2 Blackhawk 50th anniversary )

310gr LEE

8.0 HP-38 / W231 969fps.

9.0 gr 1083 mild


310gr LEE

8.0 UNIQUE 1025fps

10.0 UNIQUE 1159


310gr LEE

start load
18gr. W296 1159fps

19.5 W296 1256fps

[JesterGrin_1]

I am set back that 44Man has not jumped into this thread as of yet. But you have the good load of 21.5Gr of W-296. But might I suggest to use a Non Magnum primer and you may find that your accuracy gets better. But only if you are not going to shoot in the extreme cold. Say much below freezing. Then you need the Mag primer.

Thus far down here in San Antonio Texas it was 94F today. Yep on Oct,27th 94F lol.

[ebg3]

Never thought about trying a standard primer with the 296 load, figured I needed the mag primer with ball powder. I may try it with Win. primers and check with the chrono. Thanks.
EG