aterry33
Member
Do you prefer 200 or 240, and for what uses, and why?
Thanks.
Thanks.
44 Special--200 vs 240 grain loads
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Calaveras Slim
US Veteran
You can achieve higher velocities with the 200gr bullet but I prefer the heavier bullets. Skeeter Skelton's favorite load was Unique behind the 240swc. Mine is the RCBS 250gr Kieth SWC in front of 6.8grs of Hi-Skor 700X. Since I cast, I have plenty of these bullets but you can buy the 240gr'ers all over the place. Try some in front of W231 and you'll be set.
Good luck
Good luck
I'm not a .44 expert, but for most applications and all around use, I prefer the 200 for the Special and 240 for the mag.
Calaveras Slim
US Veteran
Jack, if you cast, RCBS makes a jim dandy 225gr swc w/check for the mag round. I have taken several white tail and a ton of hogs with this bullet in a 44 mag. Rifle and pistol
Spotteddog
Member
A good full wad (like trying to find a chicken with lips unless you cast your own) or true Keith SWC (a 255 G/C for me) will set you up fine. If you want to go with a JHP the 200 GDHP is better than the 240's, which are rated for expansion @ Mag velocities. A really neat load (I think) is Federal's 200 grain LSWCHP. But I've never been able to find any of it? A large meplat will serve you well in .44 Special and it doesn't have to break speed records to do it, either. Anything but the Remington 246 LRN will work on two legged things.
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bmcgilvray
Member
Love the .44 Special and shoot my Model of 1926 with 245-250 grain lead SWCs fueled with Unique at 850 fps. That's the preferred loading for me.
If I could only pick one revolver caliber and load for everything, it would be a .44 special 240 grain at 1100 fps. A bit heavy for self defense, a bit light for Grizzly Bear hunting, but a great all around load with enjoyable recoil and blast.
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I prefer a big, heavy, wide, flat meplat bullet in the .44 Special, from swaged 240 grainers to cast 250 grainers. I practically always use my own home-cast Lyman 429431 sized to .430".
If I am just shooting paper, the 250 gr. SWC over 4.1 grains of Bullseye or 5.5 grains of Unique both produce about 700 fps, a little less in a 3 inch or shorter barrel and a bit more in a 5 or 6 or 7-1/2 incher. An Accurate load you can shoot buckets full of all day, even in light alloy S&W's and Charter Arms Bulldogs.
My general field round for the .44 Special sixshooter uses the same Lyman 429421 SWC bullet over 7.5 grains of Unique. In 4 inch, 5 inch, 6-1/2 inch and 7-1/2 inch guns, I get anywhere from 900 to 985 fps.
The 7.5 Unique under a 250 SWC seems to be close to ideal for a general purpose revolover that may be belt carried for defense or woods bumming. I have no doubts at all I can take a large Rocky Mountain mule deer or a human antagonist under 75 yards with a 5, 6-1/2 inch S&W or 7-1/2 Colt New Frontier loaded with the Skeeter Skelton cartridge.
I have a large box of swaged lead hollowpoint SWC's made by a company called Albert's wearing a "Taurus" brand. I haven't seen them in a while but remember they weigh about 240 grains and have a soft alloy yet shoot pretty well under 1,000 fps. I have had them almost 30 years and know the maker went out of business about that long ago. With good case-bullet tension and a good, stiff crimp I think they may be great out of a M-296 for social use, and intend to try that out in my fiveshooter before I get too much older and more decrepit.
I tried out Elmer Keith's .44 Special load using 17.5 or 18.0 grains of H-2400 under my cast bullets, fired by standard large pistol primers, out of my N frame S&W and Colt Model P frame sixguns. They were very powerful and quite hard kicking in the lighter .44 Specials. The .44 Magnum was then available, stronger and heavier, and I began to use it as my high-velocity, heavy bullet big bore sixgun, going back to the 7.5 grain Unique load in the Specials. It's probably 95% or more of my .44 Special loading and shooting now.
If I am just shooting paper, the 250 gr. SWC over 4.1 grains of Bullseye or 5.5 grains of Unique both produce about 700 fps, a little less in a 3 inch or shorter barrel and a bit more in a 5 or 6 or 7-1/2 incher. An Accurate load you can shoot buckets full of all day, even in light alloy S&W's and Charter Arms Bulldogs.
My general field round for the .44 Special sixshooter uses the same Lyman 429421 SWC bullet over 7.5 grains of Unique. In 4 inch, 5 inch, 6-1/2 inch and 7-1/2 inch guns, I get anywhere from 900 to 985 fps.
The 7.5 Unique under a 250 SWC seems to be close to ideal for a general purpose revolover that may be belt carried for defense or woods bumming. I have no doubts at all I can take a large Rocky Mountain mule deer or a human antagonist under 75 yards with a 5, 6-1/2 inch S&W or 7-1/2 Colt New Frontier loaded with the Skeeter Skelton cartridge.
I have a large box of swaged lead hollowpoint SWC's made by a company called Albert's wearing a "Taurus" brand. I haven't seen them in a while but remember they weigh about 240 grains and have a soft alloy yet shoot pretty well under 1,000 fps. I have had them almost 30 years and know the maker went out of business about that long ago. With good case-bullet tension and a good, stiff crimp I think they may be great out of a M-296 for social use, and intend to try that out in my fiveshooter before I get too much older and more decrepit.
I tried out Elmer Keith's .44 Special load using 17.5 or 18.0 grains of H-2400 under my cast bullets, fired by standard large pistol primers, out of my N frame S&W and Colt Model P frame sixguns. They were very powerful and quite hard kicking in the lighter .44 Specials. The .44 Magnum was then available, stronger and heavier, and I began to use it as my high-velocity, heavy bullet big bore sixgun, going back to the 7.5 grain Unique load in the Specials. It's probably 95% or more of my .44 Special loading and shooting now.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Many variables to consider
Several things to consider in bullet selection:
1. Heavier bullets tend to provide better penetration. Lighter bullets tend to penetrate less. What is your anticipated use, and which would be better for that use?
2. Recoil sensitivity (and handgun weight). Heavier bullets will result in greater recoil than lighter bullets. If you are sensitive to recoil, the lighter bullet is for you. If you are using a lighter handgun, felt recoil will be greater than with a heavier handgun.
3. Sights. If your revolver has fixed sights, work up a load that shoots to point of aim. Bullet weight, energy, etc., all become secondary issues when reliable accuracy is not achieved.
I could go on, but I think this deals with the main issues.
Several things to consider in bullet selection:
1. Heavier bullets tend to provide better penetration. Lighter bullets tend to penetrate less. What is your anticipated use, and which would be better for that use?
2. Recoil sensitivity (and handgun weight). Heavier bullets will result in greater recoil than lighter bullets. If you are sensitive to recoil, the lighter bullet is for you. If you are using a lighter handgun, felt recoil will be greater than with a heavier handgun.
3. Sights. If your revolver has fixed sights, work up a load that shoots to point of aim. Bullet weight, energy, etc., all become secondary issues when reliable accuracy is not achieved.
I could go on, but I think this deals with the main issues.
Vulcan Bob
Member
For all around use I like the hard cast 240 LSWC at 900 fps. Nothing around these here parts that it cant handel.
I load 240g cast bullets and 200g GDHP. I like both but that 200 grain shoots like a top, whether it is a reload, a GDHP factory load or Blazer aluminum, but I only shoot at targets and favor lighter recoil.
Ed
Ed
Marksman
Member
I like the 200gr. RNFP bullet in my .44 Special, the loads I most often shoot are 5.0gr. Bullseye and the "Skeeter Load" 7.5gr. Unique. I sometimes load 3.5gr. Bullseye if my wife or daughters are going to shoot the .44.
Horseless Trooper
Member
For my SD load I use the 200gr Blazers. For general woods bummin' I use a 250gr. hard cast SWC in front of 6.5 grais of Unique. This is a nice sweet shooting load out of either my 441 Taurus or my 3rd Model Hand Ejector and as there isn't anything bigger in my area than coyotes or people it should serve well.
Back in the day I loaded 180gr full wadcutters in front of 3.2 grains of Bullseye, real soft out of the N frame and you could just about run down to the target to watch it hit.
Back in the day I loaded 180gr full wadcutters in front of 3.2 grains of Bullseye, real soft out of the N frame and you could just about run down to the target to watch it hit.
Model 15-4ever
Member
I thought I was the only fool using 700-X with cast bullets at 950 fps. My favorite load is the 250 Keith bullet with 7.0 grains. I get around 980 fps depending on barrel length, but it's a bit warm for 700-X. I tried 6.0 grains and get 100 fps less with the same great accuracy.
Model 15-4ever
Member
Wow, this is an oldtimers thread. I used those bullets back in 80s for self-defense loads in .38, .357 and .45. Soft swaged bullets but they had a gaping hollowpoint. He also sold a 146 grain "hydrashock" wadcutter with a post in the center of basically a reverse hollow-base wadcutter. I think he was originator of the design, as soon afterwards S&W picked up the bullet and was loading it in their branded ammo. When S&W went out of the ammo business and Federal bought their entire line, just about the only two things they kept were that Hydrashock load and the Nyclad line. Of course later Federal refined the Hydrashock into a jacketed bullet.
Great bullets. They were economical as well. No wonder he went out of business.
Landric
Member
I cast my own 429421s (250 grain SWC, generally runs about 254 grains with my lead) and load them with 13 grains of 2400. Generally get about 875 fps out of my 4" 21 with that load.
I just got myself a 429244 (255 grain SWC GC) recently, and I can't wait to try that one out.
I'm generally a fan of heavy bullets, I think 200 grains is too light for the .44 Special.
I just got myself a 429244 (255 grain SWC GC) recently, and I can't wait to try that one out.
I'm generally a fan of heavy bullets, I think 200 grains is too light for the .44 Special.
The 200 grain load makes a nice cowboy action load at about 650 fps. There seems to be less recoil than with a 240 grain bullet. It is accurate enough for short ranges, I would think that for long range work a heavier bullet would work better.
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The Federal 200 gr. SWHP was about the optimum lead bullet .44 Spl. factory load IMO. It would penetrate the body of a 65 Dodge pickup and leave a fist sized dent in the dashboard.
I had a 12-pack of those "Hydroshock" reverse WC loads in .44 Spl. once, but never got around to trying them. Looked like they should work, though.
I had a 12-pack of those "Hydroshock" reverse WC loads in .44 Spl. once, but never got around to trying them. Looked like they should work, though.
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