I was given several hundred rounds of 44 Special ammunition that has been loaded with 14.5 grains of 2400 powder and 200 grain hard cast bullets. Any guess on what kind of velocity I might get out of my S&W 44 magnum with 7 1/2 inch barrel with this load.

Thank you!

Probably around 850-900.

Thank you!

I used to use a lot of light 2400 loads like this in .44 Special, but stopped using it because of unburned powder getting under the extractor tying up the cylinder. I now only use 2400 for magnum loads. Other than that these loads should be fine.

This load (14gr.) will squib if loaded in .44 mag.brass. I've had squib loads with 17gr of 2400 in a mag case. This is a classic powder for the .44, but like all slow burning powders, reducing the charge below the suggested minimum is dangerous. I don't have a reloading manual in front of me, so I'm not sure if this is a proper load in Special brass. Pays to check. If it is ok in the shorter Special case, it is perfectly safe to shoot in your Smith.

I've shot many more 240/250gr LSWC's using 17.0gr/2400, than I can count, out of my M29-2 (with large throats) & never had a hint of trouble with 2400. It's the most flexible, user friendly magnum powder available, IMO.

The lower you go the less efficient it burns but it's not prone to ignition issues like other slow powders that become erratic/inconsistent.

Dangerous? Only if you go so slow you stick a bullet in the barrel.

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I'd be content if I only had Unique, Power Pistol & 2400 in my powder chest to use.



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Waiting for the break of day

When I began handloading my handgun ammo about 1975, a shooter was considered flush if he had just Bullseye, Unique and 2400. You had all the bases covered and if you had more powders than this, you were just a showing off little rich kid.

Who gave you the reloads? Do you trust them 100%? I usually don't shoot reloads made by someone else. Be careful...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I have a 6 1/2 in. .44 Spec.
240 gr. bullet, 10 grs. 2400=641fps
240 gr. bullet, 11.5 grs. 2400=804fps
My WAG is over 1100fps

850 fps. is my guesstimate !

I appreciate the responses to my post - excellent information. I obtained these 44 special loads from my sister-in-law whose husband passed away several years ago. He was an avid shooter and reloader so I am comfortable using these rounds he had. I went out today and fired several more in my new Smith and they shot OK with no issues. He also had one box of PMC 44 Mag 240 grain TCSP ammo and I tried a few of these. They also shot well however they did have quite a bit more boom to them. I read somewhere they were not a bad deer hunting load with a stated velocity of 1300 FPS.

I can't explain your experience and I certainly don't doubt you. I do know that back in the '80's when I was trying reduced loadings with 2400, I had squib loads with the bullet lodging in the barrel. I glad it's worked well for you.
Like you, I can live with just Unique and 2400.
To the OP, I apologize for going somewhat off topic.

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #4 lists:

205gr LSWC, using 2400 from a 4" bbl, 44 Spcl. case -

13.3gr = 734mv
15.2gr = 870mv (13.5K CUP)

Your 14.5gr/2400 load is basically in the middle for ~802mv.
Add 100-150fps for the longer 7-1/2" bbl = ~900-950mv

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__________________
Waiting for the break of day

+1 on the 900fps/950fps

The 44spl is 1 of those forgotten calibers that combines accuracy with thumping power. The 44cal's were the "caliber" of choice for target shooters from around 1900 to the 1930's. The 38spl took hold using less resources and having less recoil. Now the 32cal's are taking over the 38spl's role as the premier target caliber.

Using the 44spl in today's world.
The 44spl is still an extremely accurate cartridge that brings a heavier bullet to the table. The 800fps 220gr hbwc 44spl load I use for target shooting on the 25yd line also makes 1 heck of a bowling pin load. This is a load that I normally shoot 1 handed/nra targets.
The other place the 44spl really shines is in the hd/sd/ccw world. 44spl loads in a snub nosed revolver will rival a 45acp and easily outperform any snub nosed revolvers (3" or less) or short bbl'd (3" bbl'd) bbl'd semi-auto's.
Years ago the mfg's swithed from the balloon headed 44spl cases to the modern cases we use to this day. There were a lot of kabooms with the "new" brass because the new brass has less case capacity. So the nra did testing and put this out for the reloads to use. The nra actually did extremely well with their testing and their #'s have proven correct with modern testing equipment. The other thing that is interesting is that they used bullets that were popular at the time of the testing. Some of the bullets they used to test with are still used today. Here's the nra link
http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/4...%20Special.pdf
Years later Brian Pearce did an article for handloader magazine on the 44spl. His test loads mirror what the nra printed decades earlier along with load data with modern powders. Pearce's article from the handloader magazine.
http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/4...%20Special.pdf
Earlier this year I did some testing in a 44spl snub nosed revolver. While not full house loads, they are up there and are extremely impressive.

The 44psl/snub nosed revolver combo has a lot less recoil than a snub nosed 357 and hits hard, real hard. The snub nosed 44spl will easily out perform and 3" bbl'd revolver or semi-auto chambered in 38spl/357/9mm/40s&w/45acp.
Old habits are hard to break. Any time I get a new reloading manual or 1 that I've never seen before. The 1st place I go in them is to the Cowboy Action section. There's just soooooo many excellent soft shooting loads there that are easy on not only my old bones but on my wallet with loads that don't burn a lot of powder.

Enjoy your 44spl, they truly are the best caliber of the revolver world. They can easily be loaded light enough and are accurate enough for target work. Standard plinking loads are very controllable & can easily be used for any range games or sd/hd. And hot loads can sd/hd/ccw or hunting.
Not many calibers can do this as effectively as the 44spl can.