Feeding your GP100 .44 SPL

I try not to reply to threads that I don't have a good answer for......but since there isn't exactly a plethora of info on loading the 44 special I'll add a little of my experience.

I'm shooting 180 and 200 grain cast bullets out of my 5" GP100. Loaded with Unique or Universal and using mid-powered loads. I don't have a chrony to measure speed but I can tell you that the accuracy is very, very good.....1"-1.25" at 25 yards from a rest is pretty easy. Could probably do better if I really bore down on the sights or with a red dot (which I just put on the gun a few days ago BTW)......I have some 240 grain plated bullets that I have yet to test but I expect similar results. The 3" should also do very well......Hey, all you can do is buy the gun and shoot the heck out of it....The 44 special round is a real sleeper IMO and the GP100 platform is perfectly suited for the father of the 44 mag.

Dittos to Walkalong!

I am a fan of the .44 Special and it is very much my favorite hangun caliber. But if you are going to push it to .44 mag velocities, or near .44 Mag. velocities, why not buy a .44 mag?

In my experience, the .44 Special is absolutely awesome at target velocities with light to medium weight bullets powered with Bullseye. Just my $0.02.

Crossing these bridges right now.

Going with 240g SWC and Bullseye or Blue Dot

I would expect these guns to be regulated for 200 gr POI and wonder what results people get when going with 240 gr. What's the compelling reason to use heavy bullets better suited to 44 Magnum? This is not a Blackhawk Skeeter gun.

I'm with RealGun on this one.

Do you have a 44 mag WrongHanded?.....If so I'd leave the heavy 44 specials to the larger framed gun. If you don't have one I'd consider purchasing a 44 mag before going the 44 special route. You can't get the magnum in the GP100 but there are similar sized guns out there that are chambered in 44 mag.....The S&W 69 comes to mind

IMHO, folks have weird pigeonholes they like to stick the .44Spl in. Seemingly without regard for what the cartridge and the guns that chamber it are capable of.

David Clements was building these years ago and deemed them safe for the Keith 1200fps load. That said, those were hand fitted guns with oversized cylinders. So until Brian Pearce says otherwise, I'm going to hold off on much shooting of the Keith load but I will test them. My guns will mostly see the Skeeter 950fps load.

RealGun said:

What's the compelling reason to use heavy bullets better suited to 44 Magnum? This is not a Blackhawk Skeeter gun.

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240gr is not a "heavy" bullet. It has forever been the standard weight for the .44Spl and if you're actually going to use it in the field, there is little better than a 240gr SWC or the 250gr Keith bullet.

Poper said:

I am a fan of the .44 Special and it is very much my favorite hangun caliber. But if you are going to push it to .44 mag velocities, or near .44 Mag. velocities, why not buy a .44 mag?

In my experience, the .44 Special is absolutely awesome at target velocities with light to medium weight bullets powered with Bullseye. Just my $0.02.

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Because a .44Spl is a whole lot of useful before you get to 1450fps.

WrongHanded said:

I have two 44 mags. A 5.5" Redhawk, and a 4-5/8 SBH. What I'm really looking for is that mid range 900-1000 fps area, in a smaller package. It seemed like it might be a stretch for the GP, but I thought I'd see what people were doing with them before I discounted it. I'm not looking to push it to a dangerous place, but I'd expect Ruger built it pretty strong, so I thought it might be okay at those "+p" pressures.

And yes, the S&W 69 came to my mind too. But after handling one (which happened to have great DA and SA triggers), I've decided I just don't like it. The 629 4" is not looking bad to me though.

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One way to achieve the velocity is to use a lighter weight bullet, thus the 200 gr or thereabouts.

WrongHanded said:

I have two 44 mags. A 5.5" Redhawk, and a 4-5/8 SBH. What I'm really looking for is that mid range 900-1000 fps area, in a smaller package. It seemed like it might be a stretch for the GP, but I thought I'd see what people were doing with them before I discounted it. I'm not looking to push it to a dangerous place, but I'd expect Ruger built it pretty strong, so I thought it might be okay at those "+p" pressures.

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Then I'd say you found what you are looking for.

WrongHanded said:

That's very true. And it does seem like 200gr is common amongst the defensive ammo offerings available. But that would be the lightest I would care to go. Keeping to 240gr just saves me buying different projectiles than I already buy for the 44 mag loads.

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That might seem logical or practical, but I think buying the right bullets is a commitment to owning the gun.

What are you talking about??? It's rather comical to the point of absurdity to imply that 240gr bullets are somehow the "wrong" bullet for the .44Spl.

I don't have a GP100 - 44 yet but I do have a Charter Arms and load 215gr and 240gr for it. If a GP would be limited to something in the 200gr range then I would not want one as I would use it for a light weight woods carry and hunting firearm and not SD. I really think the GP should be fine with 240 loads in the 950 to 1000 fps range and look forward to hearing from others.

WrongHanded said:

What are "the right bullets"? I was under the impression the cartridge was developed from the .44 Russian. Wasn't the original bullet a 246gr lead round nose? If not, it has has certainly been noted fairly early on as a common weight, from what I've read. Perhaps I misunderstood.

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The GP100 is compromised as a 44 in a 357 platform. I think the heavier ammo belongs in a Blackhawk.

WrongHanded said:

I have two 44 mags. A 5.5" Redhawk, and a 4-5/8 SBH. What I'm really looking for is that mid range 900-1000 fps area, in a smaller package. It seemed like it might be a stretch for the GP, but I thought I'd see what people were doing with them before I discounted it. I'm not looking to push it to a dangerous place, but I'd expect Ruger built it pretty strong, so I thought it might be okay at those "+p" pressures.

And yes, the S&W 69 came to my mind too. But after handling one (which happened to have great DA and SA triggers), I've decided I just don't like it. The 629 4" is not looking bad to me though.

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In that case you might like the Mountain Gun version of the 29/629. It is a little bit lighter, and has a 4" bbl. I really like the balance of it. It is my favorite revolver I have owned or shot, other than a Colt Python. I got a Cabelas Outfitter version with round butt wood grips and I love those grips. Don't care for the Outfitter etching, but the grips are great, even with full magnum loads. I have enjoyed owning a Redhawk, GP100 and SP101, and S&W K-frames and J-frames. But the M29 Mountain Gun is my all time favorite.

Just to clear this up, the right bullets for a 44 special are .430ish in diameter and made of copper and or lead.

RealGun said:

The GP100 is compromised as a 44 in a 357 platform. I think the heavier ammo belongs in a Blackhawk.

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Uh, so is the Blackhawk. Sorry but this makes no sense whatsoever. Historically, your most popular handloads utilize 240-250gr cast bullets. I use 240's at 700fps in the lowly .44Colt.

200gr bullets are obviously an option but to imply that a 240gr is somehow too much is just weird.

Good info on the .44 here:

http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/Brian Pearce on the 44 Special.pdf