Need some help from all you hard core reloaders out there. I recently aquired a nice 44 auto mag pistol. It came with 200 re-sized cases made from .308 brass. I have not aquired reloading dies for 44 auto mag. The cases are in good shape and measure to the correct length. Would it be possible to seat and crimp bullets with my 44 Mag. seating die? I know the cases are a little different (case mouth .454 in. vs .456 in.) but I thought it might work because the bullets are the same. Any sources for reloading data would also be appriciated. Thanks.
44 Auto Mag
- Thread starter cryptomon
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Harley Quinn
Member
Never, ever had anything to do with it, but here is a link...
http://www.ehow.com/how_7328939_reload-_44-automag.html
Hopefully someone will offer more on the use of seating die, try it out, see how it goes is my thought...As you can see in link, you have to pay close attention to each and every round to put in mag...
http://www.ehow.com/how_7328939_reload-_44-automag.html
Hopefully someone will offer more on the use of seating die, try it out, see how it goes is my thought...As you can see in link, you have to pay close attention to each and every round to put in mag...
I had one for several years and did a lot of shooting with it. Selling that gun is one of my biggest regrets.
Loads:
These loads were developed in the late '70s to early '80s. All loads used revamped Lake City .308 brass and CCI 350 primers.
I strongly recommend you reduce these loads AT LEAST 10% to start. They all worked well in my gun, but powders may have changed somewhat and I'm sure the bullets are different. WW296 powder was best, and I tried a lot of different powders. H110 was pretty close.
180 gr Sierra JHC/31.0/WW296/CCI 350/1990fps
240 Hornady JHP/26.0/WW296/CCI 350/1640fps
Lyman 429421 cast/22.5/WW296/CCI 350/1580fps
265 Hornady/22.5/WW296/CCI 350/1510fps
All loads were fired through an 8 1/2" barrel.
With the 180gr Sierra, anything under 30.0 of WW296 wouldn't function in my gun. I didn't use the listed load except for chronographing. My notes say to try 31.5 or 32.0 gr of 296, so I guess the pressure was pretty moderate. A load with 29.5 gr of 296 gave me 1880fps, but wouldn't push the bolt back far enough to pick up the case rim. The gun would extract and eject the fired case, but recoil would tip the next round nose-up and the bolt would hit the case in the middle.
The original .44AMP, wasn't equipped with an accelerator (designed to give the barrel extension a little extra "kick" to the rear) like the .357AMP in order to reduce stress on the barrel lug and the bolt. The result was that the gun would function only with pretty hot loads, especially with light bullets.
I used the 265 gr load on two deer. Both deer went down with one shot and both rounds penetrated all the way through. I hit the second deer just to the right of the breastbone and the bullet came out just to the left of the butt. That bullet wouldn't expand on the sidewalk, which is just what I wanted.
Get the right dies. .44 Mag dies will not work. The case isn't the same shape at all.
Good luck.
Loads:
These loads were developed in the late '70s to early '80s. All loads used revamped Lake City .308 brass and CCI 350 primers.
I strongly recommend you reduce these loads AT LEAST 10% to start. They all worked well in my gun, but powders may have changed somewhat and I'm sure the bullets are different. WW296 powder was best, and I tried a lot of different powders. H110 was pretty close.
180 gr Sierra JHC/31.0/WW296/CCI 350/1990fps
240 Hornady JHP/26.0/WW296/CCI 350/1640fps
Lyman 429421 cast/22.5/WW296/CCI 350/1580fps
265 Hornady/22.5/WW296/CCI 350/1510fps
All loads were fired through an 8 1/2" barrel.
With the 180gr Sierra, anything under 30.0 of WW296 wouldn't function in my gun. I didn't use the listed load except for chronographing. My notes say to try 31.5 or 32.0 gr of 296, so I guess the pressure was pretty moderate. A load with 29.5 gr of 296 gave me 1880fps, but wouldn't push the bolt back far enough to pick up the case rim. The gun would extract and eject the fired case, but recoil would tip the next round nose-up and the bolt would hit the case in the middle.
The original .44AMP, wasn't equipped with an accelerator (designed to give the barrel extension a little extra "kick" to the rear) like the .357AMP in order to reduce stress on the barrel lug and the bolt. The result was that the gun would function only with pretty hot loads, especially with light bullets.
I used the 265 gr load on two deer. Both deer went down with one shot and both rounds penetrated all the way through. I hit the second deer just to the right of the breastbone and the bullet came out just to the left of the butt. That bullet wouldn't expand on the sidewalk, which is just what I wanted.
Get the right dies. .44 Mag dies will not work. The case isn't the same shape at all.
Good luck.
Grumulkin
Member
I know one of the older Hornady manuals had 44 Automag data; I don't know about the new one.
FROGO207
Member
Back in the day I had one for a couple of years also. Sold it as a kit to fund purchase if a MAC 10. Mine liked H110 W/240 JHP the best. I had a hard time with mine keyholing many rounds otherwise. Sorry to say the dies do need to be purchased as the 44 Mag dies are not at all the same. I think that you can purchase correctly stamped brass from Graffs IIRC but they are costly. Have fun with that thing.
Peter M. Eick
Member
Sorry, this thread needs pictures of the topic at hand.
DM~
Member
I've had a couple of the 44 automags, also the 357 automags too... I don't miss them at all... lol
I believe i still have all the dies to make automag cases, if you are interested...
DM
I believe i still have all the dies to make automag cases, if you are interested...
DM
Peter,
Very nice Automag. Mine is very similar but the vent rib on my gun is fire blue just like the old luger fire blue parts. I tried to get it to come out in the pictures but it isn't real good. Mine is a very low serial number, A002XX.
DM,
Do you have reloading dies or just the case forming dies and what brand are they. Let me know what you want for them.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Be aware that cut-off .308 cases might have much thicker necks then real .44 AMP brass.
I believe they would have to be inside neck-reamed to get proper case neck thickness.
Without reaming, the thicker cut-down rifle case may not have enough room in the chamber to expand and release the bullet.
That would create very high, excess pressure.
rc
I believe they would have to be inside neck-reamed to get proper case neck thickness.
Without reaming, the thicker cut-down rifle case may not have enough room in the chamber to expand and release the bullet.
That would create very high, excess pressure.
rc
DM~
Member
I believe the reamer comes with the complete RCBS case form set that i have. I'm not at home right now, to see if i have reloading dies yet or not.
If anyone is interested, PM me, and i'll get back with you when i get home. (it will probably be at least a couple weeks)
DM
Case forming dies include a reamer.
You have to:
1. Lube a case and run it into the cut-off die.
2. Cut the exposed portion of the case off with a hacksaw. With practice, you can cut the case with one stroke of the saw. The die is hardened so the saw won't damage it.
3. Using a file, trim the case flush with the top of the die.
4. Run the case into the reamer die. Insert the reamer and go to it. Using cutting oil helps a lot. I used to clamp my loading press on a drill press table and shim it up so the spindle was lined up with the die. Then I'd lube the reamer with veggie oil and ream away. You have to stop frequently to clean the flutes and re-lube. It gets kinda smokey, too.
5. Wash the cases with dish detergent and let dry.
6. De-burr.
This is a no-fun job. The good news is, the cases last a long time, especially if you ....
7. Anneal the cases.
You have to:
1. Lube a case and run it into the cut-off die.
2. Cut the exposed portion of the case off with a hacksaw. With practice, you can cut the case with one stroke of the saw. The die is hardened so the saw won't damage it.
3. Using a file, trim the case flush with the top of the die.
4. Run the case into the reamer die. Insert the reamer and go to it. Using cutting oil helps a lot. I used to clamp my loading press on a drill press table and shim it up so the spindle was lined up with the die. Then I'd lube the reamer with veggie oil and ream away. You have to stop frequently to clean the flutes and re-lube. It gets kinda smokey, too.
5. Wash the cases with dish detergent and let dry.
6. De-burr.
This is a no-fun job. The good news is, the cases last a long time, especially if you ....
7. Anneal the cases.
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