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Old 08-22-2020, 03:00 PM
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Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105  
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Question Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105

My question to you; what is your Experiences with this Bullet
and what Powder Used? What do you have to say?

Just got these on the Cheap, thought I'd try something different,
Box of 100ea, Hornady FTX 44cal .430dia 225gr bullets.

I am preparing to reload 44Rem Mag and try these out. 10th
Edition 2016 Hornady Reloading Handbook (p. 925 Handgun
Data) has guidance on what Powders to use, but nothing
I want to use.

After researching the Internet and my Reloading Books last
night and this morning, I have settled on a 225gr Jacketed
bullet info, using Alliant Unique Powder and decided NOT to
push over 1000fps, maybe in the Mid-Range loading.
Starting charge most likely will be 8.0grs of Unique.

Powders I have on hand, use and like are; Bullseye, Unique,
American Select, Power Pistol, and Long Shot (not much
info out there on this one), and Trail Boss.

Thank you in advance for your Replies.
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Old 08-22-2020, 07:21 PM
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Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105  
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Don't have my Hornady's with me, but... Each of the Hodgdons loads for this specific bullet have it at 1,300+ for their START load.

You state you don't intend to push it "over 1,000fps": can I ask what you intend to do with this (primarily a) hunting bullet? Hornady's data for this bullet shows it expanding from approximately 1,200 through 1,700 fps from a handgun.

I'm not being critical, just askin'...?

Cheers!
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Old 08-23-2020, 02:30 AM
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Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105  
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Your choice of Unique is a good one.
That will allow you to generate just about any mid to full power level.

IMHO the 44 cal. FTX is a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist.
The higher ballistic coefficient isn't going to make that much difference in a revolver especially when you have to shorten the case..
The FTX in other calibers may be another story.
My only experience with the 44 cal FTX is with the 265 gr. version in the .445 supermag and mighty 444 Marlin.
There it is dreaded because they want you to cut the brass length back quite a bit and it's already capacity challenged.
(That round could use the Jack Lott treatment and an increase in twist rate.)
I MUCH prefer the 265 FP instead as you load it normally and get more velocity at the muzzle.
I see Hornady also wants you to cut 44 Mag brass to 1.255" to use the 225 FTX.
That's baloney.

If it was me I would use normal cases and make sure the COAL fits your cylinder, crimping in the front canelure if possible.
8 grains Unique is probably a good place to start as pressures are going to be much higher than the 200 XTP data where max is 12.9 grains.
For hunting, as mentioned, you will want a supersonic load.
If plinking, have fun!!!

A quick model in QuickLOAD advises that 10 grains would be your maximum load using normal brass with a COAL of 1.645".
That is one of the few 44 bullets I don't have so I can't tell you what the length will be crimped in the front band.
The pictures in Hornady 8 appear to be life sized.
Using that the predicted COAL would be 1.69" which may be too long for your cylinder.
You may end up crimping on the ogive to get them in your gun safely.
That's why I don't have any of these bullets.
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Old 08-23-2020, 10:00 AM
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Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105  
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Exclamation For The Extravagent

Thank you for the replies. Please any others chime in if you
know something.

I will mostly be Plinking/Target. I'm conservative and just don't
need to push the velocity and wear/tear.

I agree with; "the 44 cal. FTX is a solution to a problem that doesn't
really exist". I would never buy the FTX again probably.
Thank you so much for running the QuickLoad!

Thanks again
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Old 08-23-2020, 06:54 PM
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If you have been social distancing since 1889, you are certainly one well preserved individual.
I then see why you have a (very nice) gun that looks designed to limit recoil as much as possible.
My only ported barrel is a thin barreled 4" 629-2 "Mountain Revolver".
It would end up pointed straight up to the sky shooting full loads so I sent it to MagNaPort.
Glad I did. The recoil is much more controllable and straight back.
The trade-off is increased muzzle blast.

Getting back to your project:
To seat those FTX bullets I had to get an FTX seating stem (from RCBS as my 444 dies are by them).
Hornady obviously supplies them as well.
Before thinking about primer and powder, I would make up a dummy to get the COAL right and use that to set your seat die.
Size/bell a case then slowly keep pushing the bullet in until it no longer projects out the front of your cylinder (no powder or primer).
Definitely seat and crimp in separate steps.
444 folks sometimes use the Lee collet crimp when we end up crimping on the ogive of a (usually cast WFN) bullet.
I keep dummies of my most used rounds to help set up the dies and check things like loading/unloading in lever guns.

All this extra work and specialized equipment is another reason I don't get enthusiastic over the FTX bullets.
I am no Elmer Keith and am not going to be shooting at anything over 100 yds away with a 44.
And for inside 100 yds the WFNGC does the job admirably and is more able to be fit to the chambers and bores.
Here's a pair of targets that shows what I believe to be the bumping up in diameter of a jacketed bullet to fit over sized .433" chamber throats.
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Old 08-23-2020, 09:10 PM
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Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105 Question Hornady 44cal 225gr FTX bullet #44105  
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Smile Venting

Thank you for your reply. Just a little South Dakota History
in this crazy time, it must be working.

Very good advice you have given me. Once I have figured
out what I'm going to do, I'll have to give a Range Report.

Mountain Guns Forever!

In a good Home, shot often, well taken care of;
629-6 44Rem Mag and 625-6 45 Colt
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Old 10-31-2020, 03:00 PM
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Smile On Point

Well finally I got around to reloading 3 for Test Fire.

225gr FTX 44cal .430dia Hornady #44105/8.0grs
Alliant Unique/CCI #300 LP/Federal Nickel Brass/
COL: 1.648"/800fps?
Brass trimmed to 1.255" per Hornady.
Crimp is just a light Roll Crimp.

My Bullet Seating die doesn't have a Seat the shape of the
Bullet, so I carefully applied pressure to Seat the Bullet. It
worked, but is not the best for the Flex Tip.

Cartridge fits into Cylinder with plenty of room up front (seen in
pic.) I also tried it in my Mountain Gun, fit is the same, basically
up to the bottom of Chamfered Cylinder line, envisioning it if
you could see through the Cylinder.

Thanks for reading my Post.
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Old 11-10-2020, 11:00 PM
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Smile Trial Run

I shot my 3 reloads. Pretty uneventful. Very pleasant to shoot,
Primers no where near Flat. Extraction from the Charge Holes
did not slide out freely, but came out with very little resistance.
Very clean burning.

Point of impact basically the same as my Hunting Reload of 240gr
Lead Semi Wad Cutter bullet/8.5grs Unique.

I'm happy so far with this Reload. I might increase the Powder Charge,
but I'm going to reload, shoot a few more, and then determine that.
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Old 11-10-2020, 11:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Norseman View Post
Extraction from the Charge Holes did not slide out freely, but came out with very little resistance.
If that is the case I would NOT increase the charge any more.
I like my brass to dump out on their own unless the chambers are noticeably rough.
In that case (only had one) I polish them and then the cases fall right out.

In the beginnings of the .445, loads were judged by sticky extraction even by well heeled journalists.
When I model some of those loads now the reported pressures are just plain scary.
I have had sticky extraction a couple of times in the Encore with W296 which will peak rapidly.
Backed off and then gave up on 296 completely in the .445.
4227 is much more forgiving.
Not much of a ball powder fan for other reasons as well (another story).

This is a jpg cut out of a pdf of a speadsheet so you are not seeing all the column and line labels.
Another sign of pressure problems is if the velocity actually reverses.
Only the 296 had sticky extraction.
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Old 11-12-2020, 02:11 PM
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Exclamation Mr. Clean

Thank you for saying "NOT increase the charge". With that,
I re-evaluated the Revolver, the spent Cartridge.

I hadn't cleaned the Revolver Cylinder in a while, just swabbed
out with a Q-tip. With Flashlight I took a look at each Charge Hole.
Each had a little bit of residue build up toward the front.

So I just deep cleaned the Cylinder and Bore. Wiped down the
outside surfaces which is routinely done anyways.

We'll see what happens Ejecting the next 3 reloads after shoot'n.
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Old 11-30-2020, 06:00 PM
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Exclamation Fair enough

Shot some more FTX's. They ejected with very little resistance
again, no dropping out with cleaned Cylinder, when Revolver
tipped up.

I will keep the reload of 8.0grs Alliant Unique where it is at,
NOT increasing it. Those FTX Bullet are a Novelty to me
anyways.
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