Accuracy of 44 special compared to the mag

[savagelover]

So tell me which of the 2 is possibly more accurate. I'm using 200 gr rnfp cast bullets at a barn of approximately 10/12. Shooting as cast from lee mold. Struggling with accuracy on the special loads. I do know the 240 grain swc seem to be a bit more accurate. Thanks..

 

[CraigC]

Neither. The Special will be easier to shoot accurately due to recoil. Raw mechanical accuracy will boil down to the individual gun in question and how its tolerances stack up. Rather than anything inherent to either cartridge.

 

[Bazoo]

Both are equally accurate, but with bullets they like. If you are shooting specials out of magnum gun, then a long jump in the chamber is a possible cause of the difference in accuracy. Also, at magnum pressures you get differences in obturation that make a difference.

I’d try special level loads in magnum cases.

Does the special level loads lead?

Maybe it just don’t like that powder you’re using for specials.

 

[Bazoo]

If 240 grain bullets shoot good, and 200 grain bullets don’t. My first suspect would be the bullets themselves. If the 200 grain bullets are not cast as well, or not seated as straight during loaded that’ll make a lot of difference and you’ll say... oh my gun just don’t like 200 grain bullets, when in actuality it’s you’re casting or loading technique.

 

[savagelover]

Appreciate all your replies. There is no leading. I have to check the hardness of the 240 gr swc. These are store bought bullets and no doubt harder. Thanks.

 

[Bazoo]

Hardness isn’t really a benefit with 44 special or starting magnum loads. I shoot both 50/50 pure/ wheel weights and straight wheel weights out of specials, at less than the 15500 pressure limit with good results.

Getting into magnum territory I use only wheel weights because the softer alloy leads. That could be my gun, my alloy, my techniques, and not the bhn of the alloy.

Could be the lube. If your commercial bullets have x lube, and you are using Y lube, that’ll make a difference. Or if one or the other is powder coated and the other is lubed.

There is no reason a 200 grain bullet shouldn’t shoot well though provided things are right with the gun, load, and techniques.

 

[Bazoo]

I did think of another thing, the bullet size. If your cast bullets are a different size than your purchased bullets, that can make a big difference. It doesn’t always but “can”.

 

[Bazoo]

If you give the load particulars of both loads it’ll help to figure it out. But also, you said the 240swc is “a bit more accurate”. What’s that?

For me, at 25 yards a load that shoots 1.5 vs a load that shoots 2” is a bit, and I’m happy with both. A 2” vs 5” load though is a different story.

 

[Riomouse911]

As the guys said, there are too many variables to make a blanket statement.

I can say that I have put together a few more .44 Spl. loads that have been more accurate on average than my .44 magnum loads, but I think thats more on me behind the gun anticipating recoil than the loads themselves.

I have had good luck with a .430” Eggleston RNFP (Coated, no lube groove) over 6.5 gr Unique and a Missouri Bullet Co. 165 gr TCFP (coated with lube grooves) over 5.0 gr Bullseye in my 5.5” Blackhawk and 3” GP 100 .44 Special revolvers for quite a while.






These are all DA shooting at 10 yards. If I was shooting for best groups (Rested, SA) they would be tighter.

Stay safe.

 

[savagelover]

If you give the load particulars of both loads it’ll help to figure it out. But also, you said the 240swc is “a bit more accurate”. What’s that?

For me, at 25 yards a load that shoots 1.5 vs a load that shoots 2” is a bit, and I’m happy with both. A 2” vs 5” load though is a different story.

At 10 yards rested a group of 5 is maybe 3 to 4 inches. Powders I've tried is hs6 800 x. So far. Seated to crimp groove,tight crimp, lee tumble lube used. I'm going to powder coat a few and try them. By the way it is a Taurus model 44. 4 inch barrel.. I've had Taurus 357 that shot 2 inch or less at 25 yards with 180 gr cast coated bullets. Haven't run any thru the chrony yet.

 

[wcwhitey]

What powder and load weight. More specifics! Just may be a matter of fine tuning the load. Gun type also. Some guns just like heavier bullets.

 

[savagelover]

Taurus mod 44.

 

[wcwhitey]

Taurus mod 44.

What powder and grains

 

[Bazoo]

A 5 shot 3/4” group will be nearly touching. At 25 yards, if that holds, it would be right at 2”. Not amazing but not horrible either.

What does the 240 swc group? Maybe it’s just the difference between preferred bullets.

Lee liquid alox, that’d be one place I’d look. Lots of folks say it isn’t great. What I’d do, an easy test. I’d remove the lube from some of the 240 grain bullets and relube then only in LLA, and see if they change group size. I bet they open up and match the 200 grain bullets group size.

 

[savagelover]

That's a 3 to 4 inch group not 3/4 inch. Sorry for my typo mistake

 

[Bazoo]

That's a 3 to 4 inch group not 3/4 inch. Sorry for my typo mistake

Okay now we are in the same page. A large group page.

What powder ya using?

 

[savagelover]

Okay now we are in the same page. A large group page.

What powder ya using?

Hs6 and 800 x is all I've tried so far. Powder is rough to find around except for 4227..

 

[Bazoo]

I’ve not used either of those powders but hs6 is more for medium loads and 800x into the magnum territory, and not light loads. Bet that’s the problem.

 

[Bazoo]

If you’re around me, I’ll give you some bullseye to try.

 

[Buck13]

View attachment 1072174

Nice fireball. Is that Unique or Bullseye?

 

[Riomouse911]

Unique made those curly-cues on that shot.

Stay safe.

 

[Hal]

Unique made those curly-cues on that shot.

Interesting...there's fire out the front - fire from the gap - and - the hammer is back.

 

[Riomouse911]

Interesting...there's fire out the front - fire from the gap - and - the hammer is back.

Its a trick of the frames-per-second speed of the video.

This is an issue with any high-speed incident like a punch or stab on a store video, sometimes quick motions like these are missed when shown on tv/you tube.

Stay safe.

 

[doubleh]

If I had tried several loads with the same diameter of bullets I would slug and measure my bore. Sometimes the bore is a bit bigger than it is supposed to be and calls for a larger diameter bullet to be accurate. I could tell you a story of two 9 mm's that had this very problem. Also check the diameter of chamber in the cylinder. I have another story of a 45 Colt and an 1860 Army with undersized chambers. While you are doing this don't forget the forcing cone.

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

IT'S ALL IN THE HANDS OF THE SHOOTER. One is not neccessarily more accurate than the other..........Same way with any 2 guns.