44 Mag 16 inch Carbine Loads

[Float Pilot]

I have a little 44 mag Rossi 16 inch M-92 that I have been hauling around in the plane. I need to put a peep on the rear end, My old eyes do not like the short sight radius.

By the time I get a load moving along I am showing some pretty high pressure signs on the brass. I suspect a slightly oversized chamber.


Here are some I have been trying....

HAS ANYONE TRIED ENFORCER or A-4100 in a 44 mag carbine??? I wonder if IMR 4227 would have less a pressure spike? Powder is still hard to find in Alaska.



246 grain Cast Keith gas checked SWC
23.0 grains of H-110
Star Line Brass
CCI-350
Lee Crimp
1.600 col
= 1,710 fps and a 3.0 inch group at 100yrd slightly Swells the base of the brass.


246gr Cast Keith gas checked SWC
8.0 grains Power Pistol
Star Line 44 SPECIAL BRASS
WLP. Lee Crimp
= 1,185 fps and a 3 inch group Nice light load, but 44 Special brass does not load very smoothly This is a great pistol load for steel framed pistols.


265grain Hornady FTX ( pointy plastic tips)
21 grains of H-110
CCI-350
Star Line brass
Lee Crimp. Would not feed
= 1,510 fps and a 2.5 inch group at 100 yrds Single load only


300 grain hard cast Precision Performance Gas Checked SWC
18.0 grains AA#9
Star Line Brass
CCI-350
1.610 col Lee Crimp
=1,038 fps average and a 3.00 inch group ( 2 inches below point of aim.) This load is going the same speed for a 4 inch revolver.



300 grain hard cast Precision Performance Gas Checked SWC
22.0 grain H-110
Star Line brass
CCI-350
Lee Crimp and 1.610 col
=1,585 fps average and a 3.00 inch group ( 8 inches above point of aim.) Swells the base of the brass above the rim. Flat primers.



300 grain hard cast Precision Performance SWC w GC
20.0 grains Lil Gun
Star Line Brass
CCI-350
Lee Crimp and 1.610 col
=1,620 fps average and a 2.25 inch group. ( 2 inches above point of aim )
* Note this load is a wee bite too hot for my over-sized chamber. Really noticeable swelling above the case rim. Very flat primers. Too bad as it is a nice snappy load.

 

[bocefus78]

I developed a load for my buddies 44mag rossi carbine with imr4227. It's his whitetail load and shoots great with no pressure signs.

Hornaday 240gr xtp hp
24 gr imr 4227
Fed lp mag primer
Crimp in cannelure
Starline new brass

We did a ladder test from 21 to 24 in half grain increments. As the charge increased, groups shrunk. Use with discretion. Max load is 24.2 so your pretty close to max!

 

[Float Pilot]

i JUST FOUND A CAN OF imr 4227 in a town 70 miles north of me today....

I will give it a shot...or two...

 

[Eb1]

IMR 4227 is probably my favorite .44 Magnum powder. Especially if shooting lead bullets without gas checks.

 

[gotboostvr]

IMR 4227 for sure. It's what I use in my accuracy load.
I think I'm at 23.8gr under a 240gr Hornaday xtp.
One hole groups, no pressure signs.
it dismantled a nice sized Ohio doe last year for me.

 

[murf]

Brian Pearce wrote a handloader article about the case swelling problem a while back ( 45 long colt, I believe). i think he used a certain die to get rid of the bulge so the cases would work in his tight-chambered revolver.

don't have the article right now, but the rifle chamber was the culprit.

murf

 

[Mad Chemist]

Why don't you just dial back the Lil' Gun load a bit. The load you listed is pretty hot.
Lil Gun is usually one of the top performing powders for magnum pistol calibers in a carbine.

 

[Float Pilot]

Heading out today for a couple hours between flights with a wee bit less powder.
The 20 grains of Lil Gun was listed as a top load in Hodgdons for a 320 grain lead cast slug with a gas check. So I thought it would work since my bullet is 20 grains less in weight.

I am also going to try some 4227 loads today since I finally found a can.

 

[Float Pilot]

Today I tried some IMR-4227 to see if it would avoid the excessive swelling i have been experiencing with this carbine.

246gr EKC SWC GC
23.0 grains IMR 4227
Star Line Brass ( virgin)
CCI-350
Lee Crimp and 1.665 col
= 1523 fps with only a 3 fps spread. No pressure signs. Large group for some reason.

300gr SWC GC
20.0 grains IMR=4227
Star Line Virgin
CCI-350
Lee Crimp and 1.615 col
= 1,350 fps and a 2.0 inch group at 100 yards. NO PRESSURE SIGNS

300gr SWC GC
20.5 grains IMR=4227
Star Line Virgin
CCI-350
Lee Crimp and 1.615 col
= 1,396 fps and a 6.0 inch group at 100 yards. NO PRESSURE SIGNS
So half a grain really opened up the groups.