.44 Special Federal Punch

[Les Greevy]

I have seen Federal's announcement of its new .44 Special load with a 180 grain bullet at 815 fps. I think that would be a good load for my 396 NG but I can't find any at the usual venders or even at Federal.
Has anyone seen or tried this load or know of a source?
Thanks.
Les

 

[bmcgilvray]

This Federal Punch line, no matter the caliber, looks pretty feeble.

Quite feeble actually.

Less is more in America these days.

 

[Les Greevy]

This Federal Punch line, no matter the caliber, looks pretty feeble.

Quite feeble actually.

Less os more in America these days.

But the 396 NG is a 22 ounce gun.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I'd like to own a Model 396, but I'd shoot it and carry it with 245-250 cast lead semi-wadcutters hand loaded to about 800-825 feet per second.

That's only my opinion. I always gravitate to bullets on the heavier end of the weight range of projectiles considered standard for a given handgun cartridge. 22 ounces is a light revolver, but would be doable in .44 Special with regular ol' loads.

I'll leave the Federal Punch and other lightweight loads for others to use.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Have only shot the 22 LR Punch. It's is a peppy little round.
1000 FPS out of a 2 inch barrel.
What's not to like?
It's 20 cents a round!

 

[Gamecock]

Not good for anything. Too lame for defense; too expensive to be a target round.

And "jacketed hollow point" at 815 fps? Marketing gone wild.

 

[DTH]

I carry my 396 with Buffalo Bore 200 gr wadcutter. I believe the boxes are marked "anti-personnel"

 

[bmcgilvray]

Yeah, but Gamecock, jacketed hollowpoints look so bad-to-the-bone and it's a well known firearms forums fact that they make up for poor hits, turning bad hits into good ones.

Everybody knows that these days.

 

[torizus]

Sounds viable to me, Certainly worth a look at.
Kinda like a 45ACP, that worked for quite awhile.
I've been with the Speer GD for a long time but like you, said, it was all hard to come by.

 

[Les Greevy]

I'd like to own a Model 396, but I'd shoot it and carry it with 245-250 cast lead semi-wadcutters hand loaded to about 800-825 feet per second.

That's only my opinion. I always gravitate to bullets on the heavier end of the weight range of projectiles considered standard for a given handgun cartridge. 22 ounces is a light revolver, but would be doable in .44 Special with regular ol' loads.

I'll leave the Federal Punch and other lightweight loads for others to use.

In my 396 NG the 240-255 bullets at 800 fps shoot high. 200 grain Speer GD's from Speer or Georgia Arms shoot just a little high. I expect a 180gr at 815 fps to shoot spot on as I load Hornady 180 XPT's to about that speed and they do.
If you don't experiment, you never learn.
Les

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I have never seen that 44 Punch ammo available anywhere, yet...

 

[Rammer Jammer]

I looked into the Federal Punch 44 Special and came to the conclusion that it is weaksauce to the extreme. 180 gr and only 815 fps from a 4" bbl! That's pathetic performance for a modern load.

 

[Rpg]

While it can be loaded hotter, the control ability of this load is a real benefit.

I think a 180gr 44 at 815fps would be an effective sd round. Just because it can be loaded hotter, doesn't mean it needs to be.

We can get carried away with ballistic charts without focusing on actual performance in flesh and blood.

 

[Gamecock]

DTH as the answer. 200 gr wadcutter.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I looked into the Federal Punch 44 Special and came to the conclusion that it is weaksauce to the extreme. 180 gr and only 815 fps from a 4" bbl! That's pathetic performance for a modern load.

Out of a steel frame handgun that is weak...from say...a Charter Arms Bulldog it could be a fine, controllable load.

 

[Les Greevy]

I carry my 396 with Buffalo Bore 200 gr wadcutter. I believe the boxes are marked "anti-personnel"

I have tried that load and it shoots high also but the 200 gr wadcutter at 1000 fps is formidable. Lots of penetration with it.

 

[Rammer Jammer]

Out of a steel frame handgun that is weak...from say...a Charter Arms Bulldog it could be a fine, controllable load.

Charter Arms Bulldogs are steel framed. They're just inferior.

 

[Pointblank2U]

I am trying to understand how anything in .44 Special is too feeble for self defense against a human being.

 

[LittleCooner]

Looks like I have a new project for the Labradar. I carry the Hornady critical defense 165 grains in my 396 which is advertised at 900 fps in a 2.5 inch barrel. It sounds like this load by Federal is made for all the older guns and not very strong. I will provide a report if the weather breaks, which may be after the new year. Wind chill for Friday is suppose to be negative 10 here. Looks like a good time to just read the post on the forum for a few days.

 

[Valmet]

While I'm always happy to see new offerings in .44 Spl- from what I've heard from the Punch line-up, I'll stick to 200-gr Winchester Silver Tips for .44 Spl