Factory 44. Spl

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Father Joe

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I'm really liking my N frame .44 and in view of the ammo situation here in CA in 2018, I'd like to put aside a few boxes of factory ammo to augment my reloads.
Winchester Super X is too expensive for my budget but it is a duplicate of the original .44 Spl load with a 246 lead round nose up front.
Cowboy loads at half the price and seem to be an improvement ballistics-wise according to factory published data---

Magtech 240 gr RFN launch at 761 fps with MV of 309 ft lbs
HSM 240 gr SWC travel at 845 fps with an MV of 381 ft lbs

Compared to the standard load of 246 grains sauntering long at
755 fps with a MV of 310 ft lbs.

So my question is, which cowboy load would be best to load up on? This will be for target shooting and maybe HD as I think a .44 would be more likely to stop an attacker than my .22
 
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Let me start by saying this, anyone who likes a .44 Special is a man of intelligence and sophisticated taste. When I lived in The People's Republic of California, I stocked up on whatever .44 Special ammunition I could get my hands on. Plus primers, plus powder, plus brass, and I even cut down .44 Magnum brass to make .44 Special brass. In California, you never know what is coming down the road from Sacramento.
 
I'm in CA and in the same boat as you... I'm stocking up and gave the nod to the HSM stuff, as it is loaded with Rimrock hard cast lead SWC's, at a higher FPS and muzzle energy...more suitable for SD/HD purposes.

I can't tell what the Magtech bullet is made of... swagged soft lead?

Plus, HSM is made in the USA.
 
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Right in your own back yard is LAX Ammo. Give them a look. They make their own ammo right there in LA.
 
The Remington 246 gr. factory load is, IMHO, the closest to the original. They've been producing this load since about 1908, and still use the same profile on their bullet as then. Same bullet they used in the .44 S&W Russian, BTW.

Larry
 
.44 Spl is arguably my favorite handgun cartridge and I shoot a lot of .44 Spl from Georgia Arms, great loads, Starline brass, reasonable prices and nice ppl. NOT to be confused with North Georgia Ammo (junk).
 
I have a few 44spl Smiths but I prefer my n frame 44mags in 3" and 4" that can shoot both types of ammo but my preference is light to medium target loads in 44 magnum cases.

IMO the new low priced 2 3/4" 5 shot L frame Model 69 should be looked at before a 44spl only revolver if you don't mind MIM and IL.
 
I have several 44s and my practice and target ammo is the Magtech 200 and 240 gr. Both are pretty accurate. I do most of my shooting with .44 snubbies. Never had a problem with them either.
 
StakeOut said:
I have a few 44spl Smiths but I prefer my n frame 44mags in 3" and 4" that can shoot both types of ammo but my preference is light to medium target loads in 44 magnum cases.

IMO the new low priced 2 3/4" 5 shot L frame Model 69 should be looked at before a 44spl only revolver if you don't mind MIM and IL.
Click to expand...

I have 4 44 snubbies. All are great, but I have to agree. The 69 2.75" is one great shooter. I carry it with Speer Gold Dot 200gr jhp. .44 sp.
 
Topsarge said:
I have 4 44 snubbies. All are great, but I have to agree. The 69 2.75" is one great shooter. I carry it with Speer Gold Dot 200gr jhp. .44 sp.
Click to expand...

Great shooting load! And I enjoy the Blazer Aluminum in the same loading if you do not save your brass.
Ed
 
I've never shot a factory load in my 24-3 or 3rd change Wolf & klar.
I just sit down at the loading bench and load some more up.
 
nedlate said:
Great shooting load! And I enjoy the Blazer Aluminum in the same loading if you do not save your brass.
Ed
Click to expand...

Yes Sir. Got a box of those and a box for my model 25 in .45 Colt snubby. Great rounds.
 
About once a week I take my 44mags to the range and shoot about 4 boxes of my reloads.

If I had to buy that much factory 44cal ammo I'd be shooting a lot less or not at all.

On my other bi-weekly range visit I take my 357 mags and shoot about 4 boxes of 148gr or 158gr bullets loaded in 357 cases.

On just about all range trips I bring an SR22 and run about 100 CCI mini mags through it.
 
I've pounded thousands of rounds, both factory and reloads, thru my 4.5" Blackhawk and it is a favorite revolver of mine. Not the elegance of a S&W but very rugged and accurate.
 
For years I have used nothing but cast bullet reloads in .44 Special, but a few years ago I found myself undersupplied but without the time to make up my own. Ordered a case of 500 from Underwood Ammunition (240 JHP) and was quite pleased with the product. Very uniform, very accurate, excellent performance from any of my .44 revolvers (1950 Target, Model 29, Model 629, Colt Single Action Army).

I recommend Underwood Ammunition highly.
 
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