What .44 Special Load Equals .45 ACP?

[Archie]

I've developed a load for my old S&W .44 Special. It's a 240 grain LSWC with 7.1 grains of Power Pistol. Chronograph data from the 4.5 inch barrel shows velocity of 800 fps.

45 ACP (hardball) is 230 FMJ at 825+/-;
44 Special (my load) is 240 LSWC at 800+/-.

45 hardball isn't the ultimate defense load, but it's never been considered 'weak'. This 44 Special load is very close in numbers and has a superior bullet shape. Additionally, it does not seem to be abusive in pressure level on the old dear from which I shoot it.

Recoil - from a steel "N" frame revolver - is noted, but not excessive or abusive. It shoots passably close to point of aim with fixed sight revolver.

I must admit this in qualification: So far, I have not been attacked by man or beast and have no 'field testing' to report.

 

[earplug]

USPSA requires a minimum power (PF) factor for their gun games. They use bullet weight X velocity Divided equals the PF. Major is 165 and Minor is 125.
So 240 grain at 900 fps would be 216 PF. 230 grain at 850 fps is 195 PF.
Shape or size is not factored in.
This is a easy way to get a close idea of relative power.
I use to shoot 44's in wheel guns until I found out that a S&W 625 with 45 ACP's were more better for the games.

 

[JShirley]

JTQ,

Thanks for posting the link. I do agree these are poorly done tests.

Having read the data, the 7.62 Mauser was indeed the most effective. It put the (1200-1300lb bull) down in 30 seconds. "Perceptibly shocked when hit. Blood flowed at once from nostrils; was in death struggle at end of three minutes."

The .476, .455, and .45 Colt were all used with less effect, when firing at 1-minute intervals, with animals often killed eventually with a hammer! The Mauser test, however, was considered to be an aberration, and was supposed to be repeated. It wasn't.

When firing rapidly, the larger calibers were apparently more effective, but since the "test" was only done once using the 7.62, that's hard to determine. Conclusion:

"S U M M A R Y.

The experiments in cattle demonstrate that shock effects, and destruction of tissue, go hand in hand with sectional areas of bullets, rather than with their velocities. This is exemplified in the tests with the small and large calibers, in the series of shots preceding the QUICK FIRING experiments, and it is markedly shown in the latter. In the Quick Firing it will be noted that the animal fell to the ground in each instance when shot with the 0.476, 0.455 and 0.45 lead bullets; and in neither instance when shot with the 9 M/M. and 7.65 M/M. jacketed bullets.

The mushrooming and deformation of the lead bullet doubtless adds to the shock effects, and also to the great contusion of lung tissue noted."

In short, part of this summary is an outright falsehood, and the rest shows "creative interpretation", at best. It is obvious that some "powers that be" wanted a heavy, large-bore bullet, and that's what they got. The most spectacular failure was actually the .476. After three body shots, the bull in question was shot four times in the head before having to be killed with a hammer.

 

[Kosh75287]

Using the "Cooper Short Form" of the Hatcher Formula, I came up with 246 grains at 897 f/s as being equal to the 230grains FMJ/900 f/s from the .45 ACP. This is a little faster than the classic factory load, but not unobtainable. In PRACTICAL terms, I suspect that if one or two solid torso hits from one caliber won't stop an aggressor, the same from the other caliber won't either.
If you carry a .44 Spl for defense, find a handload that you shoot especially well, and practice with it religiously. Whether it is behind or ahead of the .45 ACP ball load, you'll be in good shape.

 

[JShirley]

I wouldn't feel unarmed with a .45 with old round-nose FMJ profile- hell, I carry an M9 with FMJ every day- but I'd prefer practically any other bullet shape. I'd take a semi-wadcutter .44 Special over a .45 ACP traditional FMJ, every day of the week.

John

 

[MagnumDweeb]

The first .44 specials were S&W Hand Ejectors. They were designed to push a 200 grain SWC at 850 fps out of a 6.5" barrel on a regular basis for those in law enforcement, and other recreational aspects. Now is this hard and fast info, no, I'm going by what Skeeter Skelton had in one of his articles, the info has varied over time between various articles written by the man, or written for him at least.

When Skeeter Skelton was .44 special craven, their were handloaders around him that published their own newspaper that bragged about pushing 200 grain SWC at 1200 fps out of the 6.5" barrels. It is said Elmer Keith got a hold of this and started his recommendations regarding this load for a beefed up .44 special, that later became the .44 magnum.

In more modern made .44 specials like the reintroduced S&W Model 21 and classic Model 24s, 624s, the N-Frames, I think this load would suffice http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM498-5.html.

A 240 grain JHP bullet at 830fps is going to stop most critters on two legs. The trouble is, I think most .44 special dedicated folks would like a 950 fps load with a 240 grain JHP.

Skeeter Skelton supposedly enjoyed a 250 grain SWC going at 950 fps out of his service revolvers when it came to .44 special. Granted the man had a lot of guns custom built. His first .44 special started out as a Colt .38-40 that he had reworked. And later he came to rely on the Ruger Blackhawk in .357 magnum being converted to .44 special (and it only took Ruger thirty years or so to catch on).

I used to have a real big interest in the .44 special but .45 ACP is just too much cheaper all around, can be loaded in a 1911, S&W 625 or 25, and has a lot more manufacturers interested in developing SD ammo.

 

[1911Tuner]

While we're on bullet shapes in solid...not hollowpoint...designs,

Elmer Keith was a big proponent of a flat nose with the full caliber cutting shoulder of te semi wadcutter, but recent investigation has determined that the bullet nose...the meplat...is a much more significant wounding factor. A full.44 caliber wadcutter would be more effective wallop a target at 750 fps than a .45 caliber round nose at 900 assuming nearly equal bullet mass...or "weight" if you prefer. Of course, penetration also must be considered, and the wadcutter at that impact velocity may not get deep enough to do what needs to be done.

For the .44 Special, I'd like to see a factory offering with a 250-grain solid, soft lead bullet with a broad meplat that would make an honest 850 fps from a 4-inch barrel and 800 from 3 inches. That would make for a brutally effective close-quarters defensive revolver. At powder burn distances, it would be guaranteed to completely wreck your day.

 

[JTQ]

1911Tuner wrote,
Elmer Keith was a big proponent of a flat nose with the full caliber cutting shoulder of te semi wadcutter, but recent investigation has determined that the bullet nose...the meplat...is a much more significant wounding factor. A full.44 caliber wadcutter would be more effective wallop a target at 750 fps than a .45 caliber round nose at 900 assuming nearly equal bullet mass...or "weight" if you prefer.

Along the same concept, didn't law enforcement agencies use a 200 gr wadcutter in .38 Special back in the "dark ages"? I guess they aren't reinventing the wheel, it's just going around again.

 

[mavracer]

For the .44 Special, I'd like to see a factory offering with a 250-grain solid, soft lead bullet with a broad meplat that would make an honest 850 fps from a 4-inch barrel and 800 from 3 inches. That would make for a brutally effective close-quarters defensive revolver. At powder burn distances, it would be guaranteed to completely wreck your day.

I've been sayin for years if Hornady would load their 240gr LSWCHP to 850 it'd be the perfect SD 44 special load.

 

[falnovice]

I wish there were more options for .44 Special revolvers.....I'd love a six shot that was designed to be a 44 special rather than a 44 Mag, or a five shot .357.

It is hard to justify a 5 shooter S&W 44 when you can get a 7 shot .357 in the same frame.

Very frustrating. Might have to have something done custom.

 

[1911Tuner]

I've been sayin for years if Hornady would load their 240gr LSWCHP to 850 it'd be the perfect SD 44 special load.

Yep...but I wouldn't hold my breath. With so many old revovers out there with unknown histories and...IMO...the marginally strong Charter Bulldog...the ammo companies have to err on the side of caution. Even the original 246 LRN/755...when you can find a box or two...has been downloaded to about 650-700 fps. Still not all that bad at belly gun distances, though. I don't want to catch one through the guts.

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

As far as JHP vs SWC goes.

If I were shooting a naked man with no bones then the JHP would always be better.

But if I'm shooting someone who could be wearing heavy clothing or decided to hide behind something like a car door or a couch then the SWC is better.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

Corbon, in partnership with Barnes, makes an all-copper DPX branded .44 special hollow point round with a 200 grain bullet that is factory rated at 950 ft/s but shoots at around 1000 ft/s. They certainly look scary on paper and in person, and should be more than adequate for self defense.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

When I say "more than adequate", I mean "just about ideal". But don't take my word for it: http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon 44 Special DPX Report.htm

 

[Prosser]

"Elmer Keith was a big proponent of a flat nose with the full caliber cutting shoulder of te semi wadcutter, but recent investigation has determined that the bullet nose...the meplat...is a much more significant wounding factor. A full.44 caliber wadcutter would be more effective wallop a target at 750 fps than a .45 caliber round nose at 900 assuming nearly equal bullet mass...or "weight" if you prefer. Of course, penetration also must be considered, and the wadcutter at that impact velocity may not get deep enough to do what needs to be done.

For the .44 Special, I'd like to see a factory offering with a 250-grain solid, soft lead bullet with a broad meplat that would make an honest 850 fps from a 4-inch barrel and 800 from 3 inches. That would make for a brutally effective close-quarters defensive revolver. At powder burn distances, it would be guaranteed to completely wreck your day."

If we had more people on board this train, we'd have less 200 grain .44 Special "SD" loads.

I'd like to see 950-1100 fps with the same load, but that's just me.

As for Brass DPX:
Anyone have gello results for that bullet? Seems like it's too light for caliber to penetrate enough, in particular combined with .44 special speed. I suspect that would make a good Lee Jurras .44 mag load, ala 1800 fps.

 

[1911Tuner]

If we had more people on board this train, we'd have less 200 grain .44 Special "SD" loads.

I'd like to see 950-1100 fps with the same load, but that's just me.

The light bullet/high velocity approach has permeated our perceptions to the point that we place far too much stock in velocity...so much that we fret over +/- 50 fps.

Over 200 years ago, the British worked out a winning recipe for anti personnel smallarms ammunition. "Heavy ball...light charge."

It works today as it did then. At grappling distance, a 240-grain lead bullet impacting your mid-section at 600 fps won't do you any good at all.

 

[Prosser]

I agree. The only problem with the British balls was penetration to vitals.

The old .45 Colt loads, 260 grains, 950 fps had similar problems. The soft lead opened up, and limits penetration, or the bullet deflects off path. As bad as it was, the test you mentioned
did bring this up with the .475 failing to penetrate, or kill.

 

[joed]

My handload in my N Frame 44 special is a Speer Gold Dot HP over 17.0g of 2400, and I have chrono'd it at 950fps too, out of a 3" barrel.

I shoot 15.0 gr of 2400 in my 4" barrel .44 Spl N frames with a 250 gr LSWC and see velocities of about 1100 fps. Never seen a reason to move these bullets any faster then that.

 

[dubious]

1911 tuner wrote: For the .44 Special, I'd like to see a factory offering with a 250-grain solid, soft lead bullet with a broad meplat that would make an honest 850 fps from a 4-inch barrel and 800 from 3 inches.

Really? Wouldn't a modern hardcast bullet be preferrable for a broad meplat? The hard sharp edges give those bullets their extra disruptive power, right? While the soft bullet will expand some or maybe even fragment, the edges will be pushed back and dulled on impact. Why do you like the soft bullet? While I've got you here tuner, what 45acp broad meplat load are you a fan of?

 

[Owen Sparks]

For many years .44 Special loads were rather anemic. Because of the low pressure of the 146 grain factory loads a number of small frame 5 shot .44's were developed. Now days the major ammo makers have to keep pressures safe for these small revolvers to avoid being sued. Factory ammo is always loaded for the weakest production revolvers.

A few smaller companies have dared to load the Special up to potential but emphatically warn against using them in anything except large frame modern revolvers. Federal, Remington, Winchester etc. are just too big and jucy of a target to risk being sued when some idiot blows up his Charter Arms Bulldog with a heavy hunting load.

I have done some tests handloading both .44 Specials and .45 ACP with the exact same weight bullet and the exact same powder charge. The .45ACP gives significantly better velocity being that it does not have a vented barrel like revolvers do. In order to get the
.44 up to an equivalent 850 fps I had to drop back to a 200 grain bullet. I like either a hard cast flat nose with a big diameter meplat or the excellent Speer 200 grain Gold Dot made especially for this caliber. Other .44 hollow point bullets are designed for the .44 Magnum and will not reliably expand at Special velocities.