44 Magnum, At what point do you decide that a load just isn't going to work?

[Tech Ninja]

At what point do you decide that a load combination just isn't going to work?

I've just started reloading .44 magnum. I like big boom and plenty of recoil. Loading light loads in .44 Magnum doesn't make sense to me so I want maximum (but safe) loads. I shoot lots of .357 Magnum using 300MP, I think it's just about the perfect powder for maximum loads. So I thought that it would be great in .44. Not so at this point.

I have Missouri Bullet 240 TCFP coated bullets, Starline brass and CCI LPP. Looking around at loading data it looks like a charge of around 25 grains is commonly used with 240 grain jacketed bullets so I thought it would be safe to start a coated bullet at 24 grains. That resulted in some scary flat as a pancake primers. So I backed off to 23.1 grains. This load made my Redhawk a sticky black mess.



The cases were black and there were clouds of smoke, it looked like shooting black powder. So obviously that is too light of a charge but the primers are still looking flat.



I had much better results with Blue Dot. With 14 grains I got clean brass, a clean gun and good primers.



And so for now I am going to stick with Blue Dot and try a different lighter weight bullet with the 300MP.

So I'm thinking that there is something about 300MP and the MBC coated bullets that just doesn't work. I think a lighter bullet might help. Am I missing something?

 

[Havok7416]

Sounds like you are missing load data. While coated bullets can *generally* be driven to jacketed velocities IME, you need to work your loads up for the appropriate bullet material (in this case lead) instead of just assuming everything is fine.

There's nothing wrong between any given powder and the coating on the bullet.

 

[Walkalong]

Well, 23.1 is definitely too light. Do you have pics of the primers from the 25 Gr loads?

 

[Tech Ninja]

Well, 23.1 is definitely too light. Do you have pics of the primers from the 25 Gr loads?

No, but the primers were so deformed they looked like little flat top mushrooms when I removed them.

 

[Varminterror]

How was extraction? Were these LPM's, or LP's?

Really doesn't look like your cases are sealing worth a hoot. Primers aren't always a good 'tell' for pressure - if you're blowing that much by, you're not obturating the cases effectively; a sign of low pressure. The pin impressions seem shallow as well, wonder if the flattening is a factor of the case not reseating back onto the primer early enough.

I look for sticky extraction as an indicator for pressure before I worry too much about primers. It's a magnum afterall - you can't be turned off by flattened primers if you're loading for magnums.

 

[Tech Ninja]

How was extraction? Were these LPM's, or LP's?

Really doesn't look like your cases are sealing worth a hoot. Primers aren't always a good 'tell' for pressure - if you're blowing that much by, you're not obturating the cases effectively; a sign of low pressure. The pin impressions seem shallow as well, wonder if the flattening is a factor of the case not reseating back onto the primer early enough.

I look for sticky extraction as an indicator for pressure before I worry too much about primers. It's a magnum afterall - you can't be turned off by flattened primers if you're loading for magnums.

Cases were easy to eject. And I've never had flat primers in 357 even with max loads of 300MP. It is odd to have low pressure and flat primers.

 

[Havok7416]

With low pressure the primer will back out into the firing pin causing it to look flattened or cratered.

 

[redbullitt]

id say thats whats messing them up. Seen it before on a few rifles using up surplus powder that was way too slow. Primers would actually be sticking out of the case a touch when youd run the bolt, along with sooty necks.

Chronograph would help if available!

May also be issues with powder choice and the cast bullets, depending on hardness, coating, and size.

 

[Catpop]

I concur with diagnosis, low pressure.