Question about Velocity:44spec + 44Mag

[357mag357]

If you loaded a 44Special case with 4.0 grain of Clay’s with a 240g lead bullet you would yield about 771fps. If you loaded a 44Mag case with the same powder and bullet weight, would you get the same velocity? I would try it myself but I don’t have a chronograph.

 

[depoloni]

You'd likely get a slower velocity and definitely a lower pressure. That taking into consideration all the other details being the same - same chamber tolerances, cylinder gap, barrel length, bullet, primer, case, etc...

Using the same charge in a larger volume of space is guaranteed to reduce pressures.

Can't say how much slower they'd be - but could venture a guess that you'd be probably 50-150fps slower based on what I've seen with other powders like 231, Unique, and one or two others I've chrono'd loads through both cases.

 

[loadedround]

You received the correct answer.

 

[Walkalong]

I can't say how much either, but it will be a bit less.

With Clays powder, I would guess .1 to .3 more grains would be needed. It would make for a good experiment.

In .38 Spl and .357 cases I am using .1 more grains Clays for light loads in .357 cases vs .38 cases.

 

[357mag357]

Thanks you all for the info. If I did try the experiment do you think 4.0g of Clays is to small for the 44Mag with a 240g lead bullet? I don't want to get a squib load.

 

[rcmodel]

Hodgdons lists 8 3/8" .44 Mag for a Clays/240 LSWC as:
4.3 Starting giving 759 FPS @ 14,000 CUP
6.2 Max giving 940 @ 21,800 CUP.

Same bullet in 8" .44 Spl as:
3.2 Starting = 669 @ 9,000 CUP
4.0 max = 771 @ 13,500 CUP

rc

 

[RidgwayCO]

QuickLOAD says you'd get about 30 fps less out of the .44 Magnum case with this load (assuming a 4" barrel, with COLs of 1.465" for the Special and 1.590" for the Magnum).

And Walkalong nailed it... add about 0.3gr to equal the .44 Special's velocity with the .44 Magnum case.