Magnum or specials in 44/357

[westernrover]

Sure. With an 8" barrel: A 240 grain LWSC can be loaded to just over 900 fps with 8.0 grains of HS-6 or with 7.0 grains of 800-X. Those loads will produce a MAP of about 13,000 CUP -- they're "44 Special."
or it can be loaded to just over 900 fps with 7.3 grains of Trailboss or 6.2 grains of Clays. Either of those loads will produce a MAP of over 21,000 psi -- they will be firmly in 44 Magnum pressure range.
The recoil from the bullet will be the same for all the loads. All the loads send a 240 grain bullet at just over 900 fps -- same recoil (from the bullet at least). But the 44 Special loads will be sending a grain or more additional mass of propellant out the muzzle at several thousand fps with much higher muzzle pressures and a louder blast.

Again, my advice is to always use the highest pressure the gun will allow. Use smaller masses of faster powders to bring the muzzle velocity down to the level of recoil and performance that you desire. In my experience, it's always better than dirtier, louder, low pressure loads that strain to equal the performance.

 

[westernrover]

I’ll agree to disagree here.

Full power loads recoil more than lower power loads.

Special and Magnum do not designate power levels. They designate pressure levels.

 

[Bazoo]

Westernrover, that is interesting. I've not seen that anywhere else. Did you conceptualize that or is it something you've learned elsewhere and then verified? That's cool man thanks for sharing.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I get bored with specials, when I haul my magnum revolver to the range I want the full experience.

 

[dartor]

For me it depends on the gun. I have three S&W 357's (BE86) and one S&W 44mag (2400). I load and shoot more magnums but I shoot my own cast bullets. I don't load any of them near maximum. I have found loads that shoot accurate without beating me or the guns up. I do have a 4" model 19 that I have retired from 357 loads. I only load 38 specials for it. I shoot 125 RN, 140 SWC and 148 wadcutters in it using 231, AA#5 or Unique.

 

[375supermag]

I only shoot magnum length cartridges in my .44 and .357Magnum firearms. I don't like cleaning the carbon ring from the shorter special cases in my Magnum revolvers.

I have revolvers chambered in .38 and .44Spl for those cartridges and separate die sets to load them so I don't have to adjust the dies constantly.