Load question for M69 44spl

[zerobarrier]

Hello all,

I just picked up a S&W M69 in 44mag today and i want to know can I load 44spl load in full size 44mag brass. I have titegroup on hand and would like to load the lesser 44spl in the full size 44mag brass for competing and carry purpose. Will the extra space in the brass make a difference. I already load for 44mag and don't really want to have 44mag brass and 44spl brass stored. All of my drawers for brass are already full and no more room for another caliber's brass. If I have to I will go buy another storage bin but would prefer not to if I can just use full length brass. I can't see why it wouldn't work, but figured I would ask those smarter than me.

I will also be shooting full power 44mag loads thru it.

 

[rcmodel]

Go for it!
Won't hurt a thing.

4.7 Titegroup is Hodgons recommended starting load with a 240 LSWC bullet.
Should give you about 800 FPS.

rc

 

[Sam1911]

It will be fine. The only thing I'd caution about competing with such loads is that if your type of competition involves reloads on the clock, you'll find a big benefit to positive extraction and reloads using shorter cases.

The extractor will push the Spc. cases a lot farther away from the face of the cylinder and be more forgiving about a short-stroked ejection stroke.

When reloading, your speedloader will hold the Spc. rounds in a little bit more orderly fashion than the Magnum rounds, which will tend to sprawl a bit more. (That's hard to explain without being with you on the range to show what I mean. Anyone who's fallen in love with .45ACP in moonclips and then tried .357 Mags in moonclips will know exactly what I mean.)

But from a safety standpoint, your soft mags will be just fine.

 

[cfullgraf]

I just picked up a S&W M69 in 44mag today and i want to know can I load 44spl load in full size 44mag brass.

Yes, what RC said.

i only load top 44 Special loads for my 44 magnum in 44 mag cases. My 44 magnums have never seen a full power loads. Full power loads are just not my cup of tea any more.

 

[mdi]

I have successfully loaded my .44 Magnum brass with bullets from 123 gr. balls to 265 RNFP cast. I have gotten to where I like softer shooting loads and use a lot of "mid Special" loads (20 yeas ago I was indeed a "big gun shooter", with near max loads of H110 under a 250 gr. bullet for huge muzzle blast and arm twisting recoil. Mebbe I'm jes gettin' old?).

 

[zerobarrier]

Thanks guys, especially Sam and rc, between you two I think you know everything about anything gun related.

Sam thanks for the tip, the competing I am doing is at a local range and its a just for fun thing. They have 5 steel targets 10-15yds away, buzzer goes off, draw and fire. Each string is timed and you do 5 strings then worst time is thrown out then your time is the average between the 4 strings. Its only $5 per gun. I also have a 45acp taurus with moon clips.

 

[rcmodel]

Sam knows his stuff for sure!

Myself?
I don't know nothing, and I didn't see anything.

I just make it up as I go along.

rc

 

[Sam1911]

Oh geez, yeah, believe that one!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree the shorter 44 Special brass might be a faster reload under the clock.

Like said above, it's perfectly fine to load .44 Special loads in .44 Magnum brass. When I load .357 Magnum cases to .38 Special pressures I usually use the upper end of the .38 Special load data in the .357 Magnum case and only play with the charge enough to be sure I have the most accurate combination. That works well for me and will for the .44 Spl/.44 Mag too.

 

[joneb]

Myself?
I don't know nothing, and I didn't see anything.

I just make it up as I go along.

rc

RC are you advising our president?

 

[rcmodel]

Yes!
He calls me every morning, before I get up, to see what he should do about things that day.

(Washington is an hour ahead of Kansas, but I can't get that through his head either!)

But, he never ever listens to my advice anyway.

rc

 

[joneb]

he never ever listens to my advice anyway.

Apparently not,

 

[zerobarrier]

LMFAO from post #7 - #12