H110 is the Devil! & I’m so Stupid. Flame cutting my 629 5” pre-lock.

Alright, what powder do you guys recommend for light .44 mag loads?

something that’s safe to down load?

I have this Tracker I’m looking to shoot soon.
and I don’t think it can handle full house .44 mags
thanks!🙏
IMG_4737.jpeg
 
Mark_Mark said:
Alright, what powder do you guys recommend for light .44 mag loads?

something that’s safe to down load?

I have this Tracker I’m looking to shoot soon.
and I don’t think it can handle full house .44 mags
thanks!🙏
View attachment 1260477
Click to expand...
Anything slower than Unique and faster than W296. If you look at the table I posted at the beginning of the thread you will see W231 listed for the same bullets as W296. You can safely download W231 but don’t go below the starting load without checking for positional ignition problems.

The Tracker is ported. AutoComp is designed to produce higher volumes of gas for compensated barrels. Look for a load using AutoComp.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Anything slower than Unique and faster than W296. If you look at the table I posted at the beginning of the thread you will see W231 listed for the same bullets as W296. You can safely download W231 but don’t go below the starting load without checking for positional ignition problems.

The Tracker is ported. AutoComp is designed to produce higher volumes of gas for compensated barrels. Look for a load using AutoComp.
Click to expand...
I have plenty of AutoComp! Let’s give old Tracker a GO! this is going to hurt!
 
Mark_Mark said:
I have plenty of AutoComp! Let’s give old Tracker a GO! this is going to hurt!
Click to expand...
Oh, good grief.

AutoComp is designed for compensated barrels. The Taurus Tracker .44Mag you showed us is compensated. IF you stay inside the loading data provided by Hodgdon (previously Winchester) then the recoil should be relatively tame. Even in my old Super Blackhawk 240gr LSWC and 10gr of AutoComp is tame. Kinda like Blue Dot but with less flash and muzzle blast.

A good combination for low flash and muzzle blast still gets good velocity for hunting and is plenty accurate for the target range.

AutoComp gets there in my experience.
You’ll hate it. 🙄
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Oh, good grief.

AutoComp is designed for compensated barrels. The Taurus Tracker .44Mag you showed us is compensated. IF you stay inside the loading data provided by Hodgdon (previously Winchester) then the recoil should be relatively tame. Even in my old Super Blackhawk 240gr LSWC and 10gr of AutoComp is tame. Kinda like Blue Dot but with less flash and muzzle blast.

A good combination for low flash and muzzle blast still gets good velocity for hunting and is plenty accurate for the target range.

AutoComp gets there in my experience.
You’ll hate it. 🙄
Click to expand...
well range day is tomorrow, I’ll give that Autocomp with my 240grain a go. That tracker would be a good PNW carry gun for when I’m hiking and berry hunting

and No! I’ll get factory ammo for Wood ls Carry. Factory ammo is good for those critters out here.
 
Mark_Mark said:
well range day is tomorrow, I’ll give that Autocomp with my 240grain a go. That tracker would be a good PNW carry gun for when I’m hiking and berry hunting

and No! I’ll get factory ammo for Wood ls Carry. Factory ammo is good for those critters out here.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a project for n350. Should be moderate... 3n38 doesn't download well needing 30kpsi or more.
 
Mark_Mark said:
maybe my scale is set to Grams then! lol

my cylinder gap might be too tight
Click to expand...
Cylinder gap too tight? Wouldn't it be cylinder gap too loose (too big) not too tight????

Sorry, I posted before reading all the responses.

I set the gap on my Dan Wesson 744 at .035 and have never had any problems at all, certainly no flame cutting. From what I have read on the Dan Wesson forum too small of a gap can lead to cylinder rotation problems but if the cylinder always rotates freely then the gap isn't too tight.

All of my 44 mag hand loads use H110 and are near but slightly under max. For me I want a 44 mag load that shoots well in my Dan Wesson and cycles my Desert Eagle. All my 44 mag loads are jacketed bullets since lead (and possibly coated) can plug DE gas ports.

For light 44 mag loads I use 44 special loads in 44 special cases. I have never had a problem with carbon rings developing in my cylinder with 44 special loads like some have reported.

44 mag +P loads (Ruger only loads) are safe in my Dan Wesson but I have never found a need for hot 44 mag loads. If I did ever find a need for hotter loads I would move up to a more powerful caliber. But I can't imagine what I would be shooting at that standard power 44 magnum loads would not be sufficient? I also kind of like having full functionality of my hands with out any arthritis or eventual arthritis in my wrists so standard velocity 44 mag loads are really as powerful as I want to shoot.
 
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Mark_Mark said:
You are not kidding, .44 mag is a wrist shaker. Feels more violent then my .460 with a comp
Click to expand...
I shot a friends 500 S&W with some Buffalo Boar rounds in it. After 1 shot I put it down. I am too dependent on my hands to abuse them that much.

I personally find my Dan Wesson 744 quite manageable... very manageable if I put the brake on it.

index.php


My Desert Eagle with the same 44mag loads are even softer shooting with the gas recoil system and integrated brake. I honestly
can't really tell a difference in recoil of the DE between 44mag and 50AE.
index.php
 
I down load my 357mag to 700 fps, light target loads. Like shooing a 22 with the old Python. I use WST but BE or any fast powder will get you there. Being in my 70's with arthrist and bad wrists ( had surgery on both) they do not like heavy recoil.

Most any big bore can be down loaded so it's pleasant to shoot. No need to break your wrist with full tilt mag rounds all the time.
 
loaded up 10.2 grain of Autocomp, on 240g. Looked up Bob Wrights test on HP-38 vs. Autocomp, abd settled on 10.2grain.

will be shooting the Tracker light weight & Black Hawk today!

bob wrights test link:

Winchester AutoComp powder in the .44 Magnum...

I've been experimenting with Winchester AutoComp powder recently in revolver cartridges. I'm looking for about 1,000 fps with a 240 gr. cast bullet. Now before I get flamed, I'm looking for something between mild target loads and heavy hunting loads. Sort of a zippy target load. Here is...
www.rugerforum.com
 
search: flame cutting stainless revolver frame

typical return: Smith & Wesson Forum, Stainless flame cutting Jan 21, 2014 — Flame cutting is a fact of life, but it is self limiting and won't hurt the gun. It goes only "so" deep and stops.

I bought my first .357 Magnum revolver (Ruger Security Six) as mostly .38 Spl target gun with possibly big game/varmint control with factory .357 mag 158gr JHP) because it had heavy barrel, heavy frame and large grips, adjustable sights, and was extra robust for .38 Spl. I fired lots of handloads with wad cutter bullets. No hot rodding. Not enuf .357 mag to notice gas cutting myself.

I got the impression the .357 Maximum flashed in the pan then receded onto obscurity because of excessive cylinder gap flame. Revolvers due to the gap between cylinder and barrel do have a limitation on how much pressure is practical.
 
Carl N. Brown said:
search: flame cutting stainless revolver frame

typical return: Smith & Wesson Forum, Stainless flame cutting Jan 21, 2014 — Flame cutting is a fact of life, but it is self limiting and won't hurt the gun. It goes only "so" deep and stops.

I bought my first .357 Magnum revolver (Ruger Security Six) as mostly .38 Spl target gun with possibly big game/varmint control with factory .357 mag 158gr JHP) because it had heavy barrel, heavy frame and large grips, adjustable sights, and was extra robust for .38 Spl. I fired lots of handloads with wad cutter bullets. No hot rodding. Not enuf .357 mag to notice gas cutting myself.

I got the impression the .357 Maximum flashed in the pan then receded onto obscurity because of excessive cylinder gap flame. Revolvers due to the gap between cylinder and barrel do have a limitation on how much pressure is practical.
Click to expand...
nice write up
 
I've burned a fair amount of 4100/Enforcer out of 44 Mag and it will serve you well Mark. It's alot nicer on the low end than 110/296, but i wouldn't download it more than 25%. That's about where most of the data i have for it starts. I have, and have seen, published data that starts lower, but 25% my rule of thumb.
Things I have read on The High Road: "I don't understand why someone would buy a big magnum handgun only to down load it". I myself am notorious for that kinda stuff, which in turn brings out my comeback to that "I don't understand why someone would load all the way past acceptable pressure levels" ....... especially when they have alot more gun in the safe
 
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