Need a recipe for .44 Spl

fitz

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
55
Reaction score
9
Location
New Hampshire
Just picked up 3500 soft cast 215 gr. LSWCs in .44. I need a recipe for .44 Spl., preferably using Unique (cuz thats what I have on hand). This for my 3" 696...something pleasant to shoot at paper is what I'm lookin' for.

TIA
 
Register to hide this ad
Just picked up 3500 soft cast 215 gr. LSWCs in .44. I need a recipe for .44 Spl., preferably using Unique (cuz thats what I have on hand). This for my 3" 696...something pleasant to shoot at paper is what I'm lookin' for.

TIA
 
According to Lyman pistol and revolver second edition....215 cast with Unique in 44 special...

6.3...729fps.....9500 cup

7.7...884fps.....13600 cup

from 4 inch vented barrel
 
Skeeters old recipe of 7.5 grains Unique.
 
Skeeters recipe of 7.5 grains of Unique with a 250 cast bullet (429421 I believe).
 
Personally I would choose a faster burning powder sch as American Select, WST or Trail Boss. Most recently I have switched to Trail Boss for all my lead bullet loads. It's virtually impossible to get a double charge, very litle smoke and low operceived recoil. The Hodgdon site has excellent data for Trail Boss. I stick to the milder side of their recommendations.
Originally posted by fitz:
Just picked up 3500 soft cast 215 gr. LSWCs in .44. I need a recipe for .44 Spl., preferably using Unique (cuz thats what I have on hand). This for my 3" 696...something pleasant to shoot at paper is what I'm lookin' for.

TIA
 
Fitz.......be extremely careful what you read in the replies to your post. CanoeontheYukon has it right. For a 215 gr bullet with a gas check such as the Lyman 429215, the starting load for Unique is 6.3 gr. The MAXIMUM load is 7.7 gr giving 884 f.p.s.and 13,600 Pressure C.U.P. This is from the third edition of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. The firearm used to test was a 4" Universal Receiver. The earlier 1973 edition of Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook gives a higher load using a maximum of 8.0 grains of Unique in a 7 1/2 inch Super Blackhawk. The Ruger Super Blackhawk is one of the strongest actions you will find. I highly recommend you get a reloading manual of your choice and begin with the suggested starting load and work up from there giving close attention to primers after shooting to examine for excess pressure. I would never take someones recommendation for a load without verifying that load with a recognized reference source.
JMHO.

Mike
 
I know this isn't anything close to what you're asking, but I've really liked using W231/HP38 for really light (read: like shooting a 38 wadcutter) loads using a 180gr bullet in .44 mag.

I have to believe that it would work well with a 215gr special as well. Lyman's 47th shows a starting load of 10gr of 231 for a cast 180gr 44, but I had great results all the way down to 5.7 grains. Clean burning, no unburnt powder, accurate, low smoke, and tiny groups. There was plenty enough power to clear the barrel, but not enough to penetrate bowling pins. I love it!
 
Back
Top