Seems to me in days past I read about Mr. Kieth using these to get enough capacity to drive his projectiles at semi-insane rates. Anyway, during a recent seach for something else, I found some in the loading room. Anyone hazard a guess what they're worth, if anything? Any help would be appreciated.

Jim

Keith used the balloon head cases because that was all that was available at the time. Balloon head cases are not as strong as solid head cases. .44 Special solid head cases have enough capacity to give you all you need with smokeless (balloon head cases would give you a couple more grains of room for black powder to marginally increase power).

I have a couple of hundred balloon head cases I am still using with light target loads. I just hate to throw away cases that are still functional. However, under NO circumstances would I be trying to use balloon head cases with HEAVY loads, NO WAY!!

They would not have any particular monetary value to me but some might want one or two for their case collection (I have a couple of balloon head .45 Colt cases, also).

Dale53

Dale--

I can't remember where I got these, but after looking at them , I decided I would stick with the stronger looking stuff. That was 35 years ago or so. Like you, I thought someone might want some for a case collection. How about MSA Rivet Remover for a headstamp? Might suggest another purpose. Dimensionally the same except for the rim thickness, which seems to be the norm on balloon heads. I've read a few articles about guys using them for BP loads, but I'm pretty much a smokeless guy myself.

Jim

I'd put them on an auction site...six cases per lot.

That way, someone that wanted to make up some "vintage ammo" to go with their gun certainly could without breaking a very valuable box of ammunition. That, or some other thought that might come up...like someone doing a comparison test on the old cases for a magazine might buy them to write an article...or something else I haven't thought of yet.

Just a suggestion, and it couldn't hurt.
It's all in the marketing.

__________________
Lost it all in a boat accident

Re: Keith's velocities.
Much of his work was done long before portable chronographs became available to the common shooter, so he estimated velocities.
My understanding is that ballistics labs that later chronographed his loads found their velocity much less than Keith reported.

Not a clue what those balloon-head .44 Special cases are worth. If they were a caliber more popular for black powder, such as .45 Long Colt or .44-40, and the cases were like-new, they might bring $1 apiece.
At least, I've seen them for sale at that price at the gun show in Salt Lake City.
But the .44 Special? Perhaps half that, or 3/4 ($25 to $35 per box of 50). But again, if only once-fired and like new.
In the end, it's all what the buyer wants to pay. Rather difficult to guess that, since prices are often regional.

The balloon head cases are old manufacturing technology superceded by the solid head cases. At one time the American Rifleman published data for 44 Special and as I remember they reduced the weight of Hercules 2400 by ca. 10% in the solid head cases to get the same velcity and presuures as with the balloon headases.
Unfortunately I am away for the winter and do not have the original article with me. If you want a copy of the original ariticle send me a PM ca mid-April 2010 when I return home.

The balloon head cases have more room in them necessitating more powder to achieve the same ballistics.

In Keith's "Six Gun Loads" he makes mention of this when he gives his suggested loads.


Speaking of the 44Spl:
He also gives a gallery load of 4gr of Bullseye and 7.5gr of Unique for a "gallery load.

Of course, no one ever talks about his "plinking loads"!

It's like a guy that owns a 1969 Mach I Mustang that does 10 flat in the quarter mile, fastest thing in high school. What most folks fail to remember is that during the winter he drove mom and dad's station wagon to school so he didn't get his hot rod messed up!

We need to be content at times to drive the wagon! (More often than not, as a matter of fact! )

At one time I bought about 4 boxs of this stuff unopened. I still maybe have 2 full boxs and some emptys. What would a full original box be worth?

I have about 500 pieces of balloon head 44 spl. brass. I just use it for very light loads only.

feralmerril, I am not the one to answer your question about the value of that old box of ammo. If it was mine I probably would ask a hundred for it. Now whether that is its actual worth or not I don't know.

__________________
too TOO young!!

Elmer used ballon head cases because he could get 18.5 grains of 2400 in there. Myself I use 15 grains of 2400 in solid head cases. Gives me lots of recoil as is. The 240 Gr. Keith bullet SWC does a good job. Don't know the velocity but don't really care. I've taken 5 bucks with that load out of my old S.A Colt.

Skeeter Skelton reported that the balloon head cases in .44 Special stretched rapidly and he was happy to switch to solid head cases when they came out.

Pardon my ignorance, but how is a balloon head cartridge case constructed?

What s the difference between a solid head .44 Special and a .44 Magnum case, other than length? I have a lot of .44 Magnum once-fired cases. Since I have a .44 Special, I have thought about trimming the .44 Magnum cases to .44 Special length. Good idea or bad idea? Anyone see any problems?

Module 03 :: Balloon-Head

The type pictured is forged as such. There is an older type that is made by folding.


Scroll down to "folded head".

A Cartridge Collector's Glossary