Assuming a 240 gr LSWC in a .44 mag case going 750 fps (in other words, a longer .44 Special), can I expect legendary .44 special grade accuracy? Does the barrel care how long the chamber is?

My thoughts:
In downloading the mag case you would still have different burn characteristics/pressure curve. Probably not that big a difference, but the proof is in the shooting. I do know, (@least in my .44's), that running a .44 SPL case is not as accurate as a downloaded .44 Mag.

Just my .02

-Klaus

As long as the throats,barrel and bullet are all compatible, you should

Thanks Klauster. The jump down the chamber loses a little huh? A .44 spl would be accurate in a .44 spl-length chamber, but a longer, downloaded .44 mag is perhaps the best choice for a mag-length chamber? I can see that. Thanks!

My guess is any difference would be minimal at best.

Unlike .38/.357, I've never shot .44 Specials in a magnum. The magnum revolvers are for magnum loads & .44 Spl brass gets shot in the M-24.

I love the .44 spl, but I don't know any reason it would be any more accurate than similar rounds, all else being equal.

Unless you're shooting specials in the magnum for some form of precision shooting, like hunting or silhouette matches, I doubt there'd be enough difference I'm accuracy to worry about.

Hell, current production .44 mag ammo from the major players is nothing more than hot .44 Spl.
I can see downloading .44 mag to save on powder, especially in the current environment.
I can't see downloading it for recoil abatement, though.
Modern .44 Mag ammo, excepting Buffalo Bore, Grizzly, Cor Bon, etc, is really anemic compared to real .44 mag ammo.

I can also see downloading it for Bullseye target accuracy.
I mainly download it to save money/powder.
I load it full pressure for hunting and for big, stupid fun.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

One last thought if you're a handloader and this is for plinking loads: use whatever brass you have. If you have some .44 special brass you want to use, go ahead, but certainly don't run out and buy any just for light loads.

I'd bet a good amount that most of us are not good enough to really find a measurable difference.

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NHI, 10-8.

Would like to know more about what you meant here. Similar as in bore size and velocity, like .45 ACP (which is not otherwise similar because it's not a revolver cartridge) or similar to .38 Spl, a popular target round (though not otherwise similar in bore)? Just curious. I had always read that it was the king of accuracy, more or less, and assumed they had found the sweet spot of diameter, weight, and a standard velocity (750 fps for a long time, as I understand it).

Anyway, I thought of your comment when I read this on Taffin's site:

The noted ballistician Phil Sharpe, who did much of the experimental work for Smith & Wesson leading up to the .357 Magnum in 1935 also had a special fondness for the .44 Special. In his book 'Complete Guide To Handloading' Sharpe says, “The .44 Smith & Wesson Special cartridge is probably the most desirable of the entire run of big bore handgun cartridges particularly from the standpoint of the reloader… ... Of the group of big bores, there is perhaps the widest variety of handloads available in this caliber, due to the fact that it's been so highly specialized over a long period of years.”

A .44 Special load is a .44 Special load even if it's in a case that's 1/8" longer. For the most part it will be as accurate as your gun and ability allows and the case length has little to nothing to do with it. You will have to add slightly more powder to the .44 Magnum case to achieve the same velocities as with loading a .44 Special case. Other than that there is no differences. The same holds for 38/357 loads.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

The main road to accuracy in ANY cartridge with lead bullets is to match the bullet
diameter to the chamber mouths first and the bore second.
Once you have measured the chamber mouths, obtain (or make) bullets .0005" larger.
The rest is all down hill. Select a known good 44 special load.
Then load up 10 or 15 of them and 10 or 15 more adding more powder in
.5 grain increments up to a grain or 1.5 above the special load.
One of these will be a tack driver in your gun. They are all different and require that final tuning.
A proper fit bullet will also leave little to no leading.
Have fun! (That's what it's all about .. Kinda like the Hokey Pokey)

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Nemo

Ok, you asked for it:

There's no reason a .44 special should be any more accurate than other straight-walled pistol cartridges of similar relative proportions, I.e. the ratios of case capacity to diameter (often described incorrectly as "bore capacity", but bore capacity is a good bit more complex.). Expansion ratios, bullet secrltion densities, etc. if all these relative proportions are similar between rounds, there's no reason a.44 should be more accurate than rounds from .32,long to .50 cals.

Now, that applies to typical target ranges out to 50 yards. At longer ranges, all else being relatively equal, the big bullets will start to leave the little ones in the dust, accuracy wise. I'm no physicist, so I can't say why.

I think the accuracy rep came in the pre-.44 mag days. Guys like Elmer Keith, et al, loaded .44 specials to magnum levels. They probably found not only did the .44 generate more energy than the .357, but was likely more accurate to 100 yards and beyond.

Anyhow, that's my story and I'm stickin to it.

I'm not sure but...

I use the 44 magnum cases(brass) for the jacketed magnum loads. And the 44 special cases for the leadcast loads. I get a higher velocity from the 44 special cases using the same leadcast powder charge than I get with the same powder charge and leadcast bullet in the 44 magnum case.

The results are the same between the 38 special and the 357 magnum too when loading the leadcast bullets using the same powder charge.

No shock. There will be more velocity from the load in the special case because there is less space and thus the pressure will be higher for the same powder charge.

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NHI, 10-8.

Yep.
One generally has to add .5 to 1 grain more powder to the 44 mag
case to get the same performance as a given special load.
This applies to both velocity and accuracy (usually).

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Nemo

But you get more loaded rounds using the 44 special case if we lower the powder charge. That's more mileage per pound of powder.

Yep Again!
I shoot way more specials than magnums (at any pressure level).
I have more special guns than magnums too

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Nemo

It is going to depend on the individual revolver. You will have to test.

"Working up" a load means you fit the round to your gun. There will be a point between the min and max loads where the bullet and powder just "fit" right. It may not be a big difference but it will be here.

Concerning the reputation of the 44 Special accuracy, one thing I noticed about the fixed sight versions of S&W and Colt revolvers is that the sights are well regulated. In other words, they hit right at the point of aim. A lot of fixed sight guns do not. I guess you could call that accuracy. If you pick up a 38 Special and miss tin cans at 20 yards and then make good hits with a 44 Special, then you might say the 44 Special was more accurate.