evan price
Member
250 grains @ 1200 fps from a 44 Special.
http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=4
From the article:
Given:
1. Keith loads exceed modern published maximums by SAAMI
2. You can use a 44 Magnum to safely duplicate or even exceed Keith's loads
3. No modern factory load data is provided (I am talking about Speer or Alliant et al)
4. There is an abundance of published load data for various cartridges which state "RUGER ONLY" or "T/C PISTOL ONLY" or "MODERN 45-70 ONLY" in the data, which means that hot 44 spl should be used in appropriate guns only
Is the use of Keith loads today safer in modern pistols (Defined as anything S&W with a model number, a Ruger, etc) and is it acceptable today?
(Trying to re-rail the thread that got locked by personal attack earlier)
http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=4
From the article:
You might be thinking, "Why develop loads like this when the 44 Magnum is so common and there's all the data you could possibly want for it?" There are a few reasons. Some people may have an old large frame 44 Special from S&W or Colt, but not a 44 Magnum and want to hunt medium size game with it. Others may have a new M97 from Freedom Arms and want to load it with hunting loads and don't like 2400. But my primary reason for working up these loads is Knowledge for Knowledge sake. I wanted to know what H110 and Lil'Gun could do in this caliber and as far as I know data such as this isn't available anywhere either online or offline.
Keep in mind the loads listed in this article are still well in excess of any standard 44 special load, and since there are no guidelines for what constitutes a "+P" load in this caliber these may generate more, or less, pressure than +P loads from another source. Being pragmatic, if you have a need for such loads you really should use a 44 magnum, not a 44 special.
I have read that when Speer tested Keith's load it measured 27,000 PSI. That is well above the 15,500 PSI specified by SAAMI for a standard 44 Special, but still only approximately 2/3 the pressure that maximum level magnum loads generate. With the slower powders such as H110 and Lil'Gun I expect pressures to be slightly below 27,000 at the same velocity as Keith's load.
Given:
1. Keith loads exceed modern published maximums by SAAMI
2. You can use a 44 Magnum to safely duplicate or even exceed Keith's loads
3. No modern factory load data is provided (I am talking about Speer or Alliant et al)
4. There is an abundance of published load data for various cartridges which state "RUGER ONLY" or "T/C PISTOL ONLY" or "MODERN 45-70 ONLY" in the data, which means that hot 44 spl should be used in appropriate guns only
Is the use of Keith loads today safer in modern pistols (Defined as anything S&W with a model number, a Ruger, etc) and is it acceptable today?
(Trying to re-rail the thread that got locked by personal attack earlier)