.44 Special loads

[Grayfox]

I'm finding published data for the .44 Special to be a bit anemic. I know the round has never been a speed demon, but the data I'm finding barely makes 800 fps. I was hoping that some of you have some pet loads to help me save on time and experimentation.
The bullets I'm using are a 240gr LSWC and a 200 gr LRN. I'd like to find some good accurate loads that will push the 240s at about 850 - 900fps and the 200s at 900-950fps.
Thanks.

 

[pakmcc]

I'm shooting a .44 spl. made out of a Model 28 with an old style smith barrel. it's one of the most accurate pictols I've ever had. about 30 years ago I put it into a Ramsom rest and it shot a 1.5" group at 50 yds. A friend(a gun smith) cleaned up the barrel, bored out the cyclinder, did a trigger job on it and reblued the whole thing. The BArrel came, in the white, in the rough, but marked.
It's one of my few keepers. it has a 6" barrel. I also like model 57 smiths with 6" barrels. I've found that these are very accurate pistols.
Back to the subject at hand. you can't go wrong with between 5 to 8 gr's unique with the bullets your using. work up the loads and see what shoots the best. That's what reloadings all about.
I also use WW 231 and HP 38. According to some of the fourms they are accurally the same powder.
Another load is 4.5 gr's of HP 38/ with a 200 gr. lead round nose. These all shoot well in my pistol. I also shoot about the same loads in my .41 mag. smith. and the HP 38 is a very accurate load.
I also shoot and reload for .380, 7.62x25, 9x18, 9mmx19, .38/357 .41 mag. , .44 spl and .45 auto.
"O" my god, I must be a gun nut. and I carry a Russian MaKarov for personal defence.

pakmcc

 

[LAH]

pakmmc..........Question.............Is yours a MMC gun?

 

[pakmcc]

Hi, LAH, I don't understand "MMC gun". I picked up a Model 28 about 30 years ago. A friend(a gun smith) put the "new" barrel on it(6") and board out the cyclinder to .44 spl. Reblued the Whold thing after doing a trigger job on it. It's very accurate.
pakmcc

 

[LAH]

MMC was, perhaps is, a company in Deming, NM. They did these conversions during the 70's. They were made popular by Skeeter Skelton. I have a converted M-28 done by them. Thought maybe you had the same.

 

[pakmcc]

I sorry that I hadn't heard of the place. If I had of, I would have got another one or two made.
Mine was built in the Beamont, Tx. area, by a fellow named Gerry Dean. He's still there (ok, it really lumberton Tx.) He made me a .45 long Colt out of a Model 28 also. But it was with a ACP barrel. It shot better with 230 hard ball (it didn't like lead bullets at all) and boy did I get some strange looks at the gun range when I loaded that thing. Long Colt cases with 230 FMJ's
YEa, mines a shooter. and it's still accurate after about 30yrs of light service. The .44 spl. that is.
pakmcc

 

[Harve Curry]

Loads I like in my Colt SAA 44spl are:

180gr JHP(MV=1050fps) or 200gr lead bullet over 8.5gr Unique powder.

I prefer the Lyman 45th Edtion reloading manual for it's recipes.

Since I got a Uberti/Winchester 1873 carbine in 44 spl I've been thinkin of going to a slower burning powder (2400) to take advantage of the 19" barrel length.

 

[BluesBear]

My favorite load is 7.5 gr of Unique with a H&G #503 250gr SWC.
It'll do about 950fps. (Reach out and thump someone)

I have also used the same 7.0gr Unique with the Hornady 180ge XTP Hollow Point. It works very well in my 2" Taurus.

I also like 16.0gr of 2400 with the Hornady 200gr XTP hollow point.

6.0gr of Unique or 4.5gr Red Dot with a 240 will give you a light 750fps plinking load.



Someone will eventually mention the old Elmer Keith loads...
BE VERY CAREFUL ! There are several variations out there.
The original heavy Keith .44 Special load was loaded in balloon head cases and is VERY dangerous if assembled in modern brass. It is a compressed load and the pressures are obscene.
The revised, non-compressed load that Elmer used in solid head cases has been widely published.
BUT NOT BY ME.
Powder and primers have changed slightly in the past 40+ years and the heavy Keith .44 Special load can display signs of excess pressure. I have personally tried it in N-frame S&W revolvers and have experienced flattened and blown primers. Therefore I recommend the following...


CAUTION: Use of the following information may result in pressures beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR, nor Bear Drury, nor King Cartridge Company assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

If you want to try and duplicate the PERFORMANCE of the original Elmer Keith loads. In a Modern, Large Frame Revolver, using a 240-250gr lead bullet (IIRC Elmer used the Lyman #429421), start with 16.0gr of 2400 using standard primers and work your way up slowly!
DO NOT USE THIS LOAD IN COLT SAA Revolvers (or clones), CHARTER ARMS Revolvers or, TAURUS SMALL FRAME Revolvers