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  #1  
Old 12-14-2011, 05:03 AM
44magsam 44magsam is offline
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Default Pratice load for a 44 sepcial

What would be a good practice or plinking load (bullet wt and power charge) for a 44special?
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  #2  
Old 12-14-2011, 05:45 AM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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What manuals do you have?
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Old 12-14-2011, 05:57 AM
44magsam 44magsam is offline
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thanks Skip for the reply. just getting started in reloading and working on a tight budget. have the NRA GUIDE TO RELOADING coming and thought i would see what its all about before i spend $35 for a Manuel
thanks again
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Old 12-14-2011, 06:59 AM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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Okay, well, let me give you some links to check then.

data.hodgdon.com
Alliant Powder - Home
accuratepowder.com

All of these websites have reloading data and they are knowledgeable and safe.

Because humans are humans, errors can occur when they share their favorite loads, including me. NEVER take a load from a forum and use it, NEVER.

One of the first "rules" to reloading is verify the load source.

As for the ABC's of Reloading, I can give them to you for pistol in just a minute, it isn't rocket science, especially if I can get it mastered!

After you shoot a round, if you want to reload it, follow these steps:
Resize and deprime the case: done in the same die, get a carbide one to make it simpler. No lube required.
Now the primer needs to be inserted: hand tool or press mounted, only two basic ways to get it done.
Case mouth needs to be flared so new bullet can be inserted: second die handles this operation. If you have a Lee set, this die can also be used to dispense powder into the case, which by the way, is the next step!
Put powder in the case: again, press mounted or each charge weighed. Make sure that the load is a safe one from a reputable source.
Seat the bullet: this is usually the last die that is used for pistol loads. It performs two functions. Seating the bullet and crimping it in place. The stem seats the bullet while the outside of the die does the crimping. There is a little trick to getting the timing right but most dies come with instructions and are quite simple to setup.

That's it. ABC's pretty much in a nutshell.

There are some good web based videos to watch too.
leeprecision.com has some for their equipment. There is also some on the RCBS website. Check out midwayusa.com as well.

there are others. Do a websearch and let me know how I can help with the information you get back from that.
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  #5  
Old 12-14-2011, 09:35 AM
series guy series guy is offline
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If you're loading on a budget you can't go wrong with Tightgroup powder. A little goes a long way. I use it in everything from .32 S&W long to .45 Colt. I think a 5 grain load would make a nice plinking load.
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  #6  
Old 12-14-2011, 10:12 AM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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series guy,
I have a question for you. How long have you been loading? One of the cautions for a new loader is case fill and the possibility of overcharging a case. You are right to suggest Titegroup for someone on a budget but I for one would not suggest it for someone just starting out.

Even with a full load there is awfully little in the case and quite possibly a case could hold a triple or quadruple charge and might go unnoticed by a newbie.

This is just a caution for a new loader though. A lot of folks use Titegroup with good success. Personally, there will never be another case loaded by me with this powder. Never had a problem when I tried it, just not enough in there to suit me.

To each his own.
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Old 12-14-2011, 10:33 AM
Roadranger Roadranger is offline
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44, I would suggest that you get a copy of either Lyman's #49 manual or their 4th Edition Cast Bullet Handbook. Just about all of the cast bullet loads out their. I load TrailBoss in my 44 special's to use up all of the air space in the case. If you double charge one by mistake, it'll be evident by all of the spilled powder. John Taffin's Book of The 44 is also a great reference as is Sixguns by Elmer Keith. Fortunately, I grew up reading Elmer and Skeeter, and now Taffin. An often published load is 7.5 gr. of Unique with a 240/250 gr bullet. I use 5.5gr. TrailBoss in my 44's as a service/training load in my Rugers and M24 Smiths. This is not a recommendation, just information. Always use documented data as stated above. The 44 Special is one of the easiest rounds to work with, very straightforwarward. I see why Elmer and Skeeter liked it so much. Bob!
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  #8  
Old 12-14-2011, 10:47 AM
FTG-05 FTG-05 is offline
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I like to use these books along with the load manuals from the powder companies. About $7 from Midway USA:

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Old 12-14-2011, 11:02 AM
44wheelman 44wheelman is offline
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I like 7 gr Unique with 240 grain lswc. For a hot load I like...8.3 grains of Herco, and is very accurate.
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Old 12-14-2011, 11:06 AM
series guy series guy is offline
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I've only been loading for 5 years. I started with a couple pounds of tight group left in an 8 pound jug given to me by a friend. One of the major gun rags had a article by Charlie Petty where he says that he used it in all the pistol calibers he loaded. That was good enough for me. I use 50 round loading blocks and count as I go. Every 5th round is self checking as you're at the end of the row. Works in each stage. Sizing, priming, charging. seating. When I'm done with each stage I look down on the reloading block to see if all are uniform. I've never had an overcharge yet. I shoot mostly newer N frame Smiths so while I never want to hurt my guns I do think they would contain an overcharge in most of the loads I shoot.
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  #11  
Old 12-14-2011, 12:53 PM
4330Inroute 4330Inroute is offline
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I’ve always been worried about double charging a case. I limit the distractions by loading when no one is around and no TV or radio playing. I also have two loading blocks; one to hold the primed case ready for powder and the other to hold the case filled with powder I also weigh every 5th charge. I also check them visually before I insert the bullet for seating. After witnessing what a double charged case can do to your hand and handgun I would rather be slow and cautious than make a mistake. I can still count to ten but that other fellow can only go to 9.5.
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Old 12-14-2011, 06:51 PM
zeke zeke is offline
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a practice load depends on what load (bullet weight and velocity) you are practicing for. Large difference in POI with 200 or 250 grain bullets.

If you are planning on keeping 200 grainers in your pistol, then sight (or practice with) your pistol using 250 grainers, you may be disappointed.
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  #13  
Old 12-15-2011, 02:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 44magsam View Post
thanks Skip for the reply. just getting started in reloading and working on a tight budget. have the NRA GUIDE TO RELOADING coming and thought i would see what its all about before i spend $35 for a Manuel
thanks again
THis has to be a troll. You either aree just getting started, or you already bought a press or what????
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Old 12-15-2011, 12:28 PM
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series guy gave you an important piece of information. Use a 50 round loading block (you don't ave to load 50 each time, just use the block). Then after dispensing powder LOOK into each individual case and verify the correct level of powder in it. Load under good lighting so you do not have to strain to see what you are doing. We are normally relagated to the basement or garadge when reloading, but put in good lighting.
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Old 12-15-2011, 12:35 PM
Bat Guano Bat Guano is offline
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I use a fixed rotor measure, check the levels of the charged cases with a good light, and minimize distractions.

In other words, don't give Murphy anything to work with.
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Old 12-15-2011, 02:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 44magsam View Post
thanks Skip for the reply. just getting started in reloading and working on a tight budget. have the NRA GUIDE TO RELOADING coming and thought i would see what its all about before i spend $35 for a Manuel
thanks again
Budget for components may have not have been so tight without purchase of 550B.
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Old 12-16-2011, 07:27 AM
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I have been shooting the .44 Special since the 1970's, my plinking load has been 5.0gr. Bullseye/200gr. RNFP. For youngsters and ladies 3.5gr. Bullseye/200gr. RNFP. With the 3.5gr. load you get 2K rounds out of a pound of Bullseye, pretty econimical. Both loads are very accurate and fun to shoot.
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  #18  
Old 12-16-2011, 08:11 AM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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Well, this guy may be a troll but the subject is interesting and I want to talk about it some.

Marksman, I don't load for the 44spl but I do download the 44mag. For a short time I used my M629 Classic in a local PPC league. I used 4.5gr of Bullseye under the same 200gr LRNFP that you did, as I used to buy them at Kempf's in Michigan City! Now, I cast my own from a 6 cavity Lee mould. That thing can make a lot of boolits for cheap!
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Old 12-16-2011, 10:07 AM
sunday bill sunday bill is offline
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Recently traded for a 6 1/2" Model 24-3. The friend from whom I got the 24 touts 4.5 grains of Trail Boss/240 gr. cast SWC as his favorite 44 Special plinking/close-range target load. I loaded a few and tried'em yesterday in 6 different S&W 44 Special handguns. It was raining (but I was sitting dry and relaxed in an old shed at a remote rural range), all my shots were fired while sitting but otherwise unsupported and, yeah, I only shot 10 rounds from each gun, but I think I reinforced a little prior knowledge......Not every 44 Special likes the same plinking load.

The tuned but lightly-fired, 6 1/2" 24 I just acquired threw 9 of its 10 shots into a slightly vertically strung group that measured an inch and a half (all groups measured center-to-center; all shot at forty feet). An un-called flyer opened the group to about 1 7/8".

My 4" Model 28, which someone long ago gunsmithed into a 44 Special, lobbed 8 of its rounds into a little round, just below center group that measures 1 5/16" with two called flyers opening it up to about 2 1/8".

My 6 1/2" 624-no dash placed 8 shots into one hole that measures just under an inch and a half with 2 more that cut each other opening the group to 2 3/8".

My Triple-Lock came in with 9 shots in 1 9/16" with the overall group measuring about 2 1/8".

My old 4 1/4" 2nd Model Hand Ejector with the chopped barrel and the barrel-band-mounted front blade flung 8 shots into a 1 3/4 " group. I let two shots wander high and right and grew the group to 2 7/8".

My proven and very accurate 3" 24-3 with the combat grips crippled in dead last in my little Trail Boss plinkin load test with a group that resembled a pregnant squid and measured about 4".

My assessment of the load??.....Good plinking load (this is about as good as I can shoot at this age) in MOST guns. Disappointed with its performance in the short 24-3....Didn't take the chrono out in the rain, but the velocity doesn't demand correspondence with the old folks at home.
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Old 12-17-2011, 11:52 PM
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The best plinking load for 44 special I ever had was using Clays in a Colt SAA pushing 240 g SWC into a cluster about the size of my thumbnail.

I had worked for weeks to find the right load, and came up with it the very same day a buddy showed me what handloaders.com had developed.

In any case, I lost the recipe, was talked out of the gun by a buddy with too big a wad of greenies to argue with.

My own 45LC loads with Trail Boss are very satisfactory with Cowboy Action loads and 200g RNFP.

The 44 specials I have used include HP38; Unique; Clays; Titegroup; forget whether Red dot or Blue Dot are on the list, and several others. Haven't got any spectacular recipe at the moment. I can get "minute of Grapefruit" standing free hand out to about 25 yards, and a little better sitting/braced. Not satisfied but it seems adequate for the moment. Maybe after the cataracts are fixed.
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Last edited by m657; 12-17-2011 at 11:54 PM.
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  #21  
Old 12-18-2011, 01:11 AM
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240 gr. SWC, 10 grs. 2400, 641 fps. Doesn't matter how tough a tin can is, that load will kill it. It will also kill paper plates. Very little recoil. Larry
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Old 12-18-2011, 08:46 PM
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Many will PUPU this but my favorite is 5gr of Titegroup with a 240 SWC.
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