Bazoo’s 44 special casual loading and adventures thread.

[joneb]

Where did you find the WSF data?

I couldn't find any, I had to work up my own.
In .44 spl with 212 gr MBC cast coated bullets, the powder charge between VV n340 and WSF worked up quite similar as were the velocities.
The velocity of these two powders worked up to around 920 fps from a S&W 696 w/a 3" barrel revolver, both powders burned clean and were accurate. Shell extraction was easy and the spent primers looked looked normal.

 

[Bazoo]

Here is the three main bullets I’ve been working with lately; RCBS 44-240-SWC, Lee TLC432-265-RF, RCBS 44-250-K. They weigh 244 grains, 270 grains, 265 grains, respectively.

 

[wcwhitey]

Hope this helps!

 

[Bazoo]

View attachment 1066018

Hope this helps!

I appreciate the help. I have a copy of that info already though, in my one book one caliber manual. I also have the RCBS cast bullet manual. One can never have too much loading data for their caliber of choice.

 

[joneb]

Hope this helps!

Is there a barrel length listed with that data?

 

[wcwhitey]

Is there a barrel length listed with that data?

 

[joneb]

Hope this helps!

thanks

 

[joneb]

This is a good place is it not? Thanks folks God bless.

 

[joneb]

I've been using 700x lately

700X is a great powder for 44 spl. I could not meter it as well as W-231

 

[Bazoo]

I meter unique okay. Generally at the mark or .1 less. That’s with a Perfect powder measure I’ve tuned.

How close does 700x get?

 

[.38 Special]

I meter unique okay. Generally at the mark or .1 less. That’s with. Perfect powder measure I’ve tuned.

How close does 700x get?

For most things I accept +/- 0.1 as "good enough", and achieve that with both Unique and 700x, in a 40 year old Lyman measure.

 

[Bazoo]

I have a Lyman 55 that I’m trying out and I couldn’t get unique to meter as close. More like .2-.3. It does good with ball powders and bullseye though. I prefer the PPM honestly.

 

[bigpower491]

I found some supplemental data on Ramshot powders for 44 special and downloaded it a while back. Been trying to figure out how to post it without having to screenshot it. Covers Zip, Competition, True Blue, and Silhouette. Just to add more information to your thread.
Silhouette and Wichester Action Pistol(discontinued) I read are the same powder.
If I can figure it out, I'll post it.

 

[.38 Special]

I have a Lyman 55 that I’m trying out and I couldn’t get unique to meter as close. More like .2-.3. It does good with ball powders and bullseye though. I prefer the PPM honestly.

The Lyman does have a personality, and it can take a while to figure out how to make it work adequately. There are times I regret selling my old Harrell's benchrest measure...

 

[Bazoo]

Here’s a standard load I use a lot. I plink with it and tweak it occasionally. These were shot rested off the hood of my tracker. I was having a good day, these are as good as I can shoot and as good as the gun normally does when I’m on. The smaller target with load particulars is 6 shots, the other is the next target I shot and it’s 12.

I did have some 3”-4” targets too, but it’s all me. Part of it is hands, and part eyes. Please disregard the 22 holes.

 

[Bazoo]

 

[Bazoo]

These vary by the expander used on the previous batch, and with two different bullet diameters to test. I’m expecting no change but we’ll see.

 

[Bazoo]

Here’s handloader 312 article. Very interesting read. https://www.handloadermagazine.com/44-s-w-special-p

 

[Bazoo]

Here’s a peripheral thread about my sights. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...hawk-sights-to-one-side.903849/#post-12256361

In short, I’ve opened my notch up to .142 and it helps considerably just in the house. The light is poor here so it’s a good test.

So to recap, I went from factory .115 notch to a replacement blade with .125 notch (the standard Ruger size) and saw improvement in sight picture. Then I opened the .115 up to .142.

I will be testing it on paper shortly but I can already tell it’s a marked improvement.

 

[Bazoo]

I got energetic and cast about 15 pounds of the RCBS Keith bullet the other day. Fixing to be visually sorted for defects.

 

[Bazoo]

I sorted them and by my guess, I had about 8-10% rejects. Not bad. I’d like better of course but I’ll take that all day long.

 

[Bazoo]

Here’s a new pic of some RCBS 44 bullets

44-240-SWC
44-245-SWC
44-250-K


The 44-245-SWC I had and subsequently sold. But I retain a few bullets for reference purposes.

 

[Bazoo]

Question was asked here by another member about cutting down magnum brass for special use. I in fact have cut some hornady brass down as I had 450+ pieces and I didn’t have special brass. The other magnum brass I have that’s been cut was all acquired in a bag of special brass I traded for.

Here is the three makes of brass where I have both special and magnum brass.

Some of the magnum brass was already cut to special length. I don’t know the vintage of any of this brass except that the starline 44spl was bought new in 2021. Also, the Hornady special was the case that came with my revolver when it was new in 2013.

You can see magnum RP brass has a stronger web and will cause pressure increases over its special counterpart.

Starline appears to have a different taper between the two and probably would swage bases if using cut magnum brass.

 

[Bazoo]

Here’s and old pic I found on the wife’s phone. Nothing like the feel of quality iron on your side.



The bullets are RCBS 44-245-SWC.

 

[conan32120]

read lots of posts with loads using WSF powder which i found unexpected as its not usually associated with low pressure cartridges. WST on the other hand, which works so well in .45 acp, should be a very good fit. has anyone tried it?