pistol load development increments?

[Hawken50]

hello all. i just started loading for pistol. 44 mag/spl to be exact. when developing a load for rifle, i use half grain increments. just wondering if i should stick with 1/2 grain increments for the 44 as well, or would 1 grain increments be close enough. these will be hunting loads, not match or anything like that.

 

[Ol` Joe]

You`re useing small amounts of powder total compared to your rifle loads. One grain in a 10gr handgun load is 10% of total charge, 1 gr in a 50 gr rifle charge works out to 2%. I use .3gr steps in handgun loads.

 

[Hawken50]

i never thought of it that way. makes sense. thanks

 

[Clark]

I don't work up loads for the 44 mag.
I can read the brass, but that is not the limit in 44 mag revolvers.
The cylinder splitting is the limit.
For that reason, you have to use book loads for the 44 mag.

If I had a 44 mag rifle, or a 44 mag revolver with thick chamber walls, I could work up until the brass sticks, the primer pierces, the brass flows, etc.

But I am not going to work up until my S&W 29-4 spits into pieces.
240 gr JHP, 24 gr H110, 1450 fps, it works for me, kicks hard, and is accurate.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21042

 

[Hawken50]

For that reason, you have to use book loads for the 44 mag.

ummm, yeah. most books i know give a starting and max loads. i'm working up loads between those two number to find what shoots the most accuratly. not going beyond max. but thanks for your concern

 

[Clark]

My point is, "What are you looking for in the work up?"
Not pressure sign.
If you are confident about the pressure with max published load, you could start at the top and work down.

 

[Hawken50]

sorry. i guess i used the wrong term. should have said "develop a load" instead.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

The books are generalizations...

Min and max. Some of the books actually differentiate for TC, or SuperBlackHawk.

When developing any load, I first look at:

• Firearm I'm using.

• What the intended game is.

• What ranges I expect to shoot at that game.

• Two or three choices of bullets to offer to that critter.

That said, I load the same for my strong SuperBlackHawk as I do for my SSRedHawk. But I'll never offer those hunting loads to my buddy with a Vasqaro.

As said previously, change your load increments by percentage of load, not just by an arbitrary amount of grains.

So we're all on the same page, What pistola are you using? What powder? What bullet?

-Steve

 

[Hawken50]

So we're all on the same page, What pistola are you using? What powder? What bullet?

it's a 4" taurus tracker 44mag, stainless. i have some 180, 240, and 300 grain hornady xtps. for powder i've got a pound of alliant 2400 and a pound of win296. i already shot a batch of the 180s with 2400. accuracy was good with 22.5 grains, but just for experiments sake i'm gonna try the 296 too. thanks for your help.

 

[Clark]

"Speer 3" 1959 44 mag 240 gr. JSP..........23.0 gr. 2400 1564 fps
"Speer 6" 1964 44 mag 240 gr. JSP..........23.0 gr. 2400 1564 fps
"Speer 7" 1966 44 mag 240 gr. JSP..........23.0 gr. 2400 1564 fps
"Speer 8" 1970 44 mag 240 gr. JSP..........23.0 gr. 2400 1521 fps
"Speer 9" 1974 44 mag 240 gr. JSP..........19.5 gr. 2400 1344 fps
"Speer 10" 1979 44 mag 240 gr. JSP&MSP 22.2 gr. 2400 1392 fps.
"Speer 11" 1987 44 mag 240 gr. JSP&MSP 22.2 gr. 2400 1452 fps
"Speer 12" 1994 44 mag 240 gr. JSP&MSP 17.7 gr. 2400 1271 fps
"Speer 13" 1998 44 mag 240 gr. JSP&MSP 21.0 gr. 2400 1434 fps


What causes the roller coaster?
Nixon in 1974, and Bill Clinton in 1994.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

I finally broke down and tossed the Speer manuals older than #10. I don't have any powder that old any more...

As for shooting the XTP's, go with the Hornady spec's for working up the loads. Personaly I've never had good results with those hand gun bullets. Accuracy was not on par with Sierra offerings.

I shoot 2400 also, but only with my lead slugs. For the Jacketed stuff I use either 296 or AA#9. You'll find that AA#9 meter's exceptionally well. Both are very consitant shooters.

What will you be hunting?

-Steve

 

[wanderinwalker]

Use 296, the 240gr XTPs and stay within 1.5-2 grains of book max. I don't have my manuals nearby at the moment, but I believe 24gr is the usual limit. (DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT!! CHECK IT!!)

I've had great accuracy from the 240gr XTP in most of the .44s I've tried it in. Only one or two wouldn't shoot well. Win 296 is the only powder I reach for when it's time to load some rip-stomping .44s, and I always light it with Winchester Large Pistol primers. Haven't had any reason to switch.