I've been reloading for a couple months now, and finally learned something first hand about powder burn rate, and accuracy...or so I think. The three loads being compared are low velocity 44 Magnum. Sorry, I don't have a chrono yet so this isn't a very scientific test, but these are all subsonic and fall into the .44 Special range of ballistics.

Gun: S&W M629-4 Mountain Gun

1)
Xtreme 200gr plated RNFP, mic'ed @ .429"
W231 7.0gr
Remington 2 1/2 primer
Range: 10yds
Grouping: desert plate at best

2)
Xtreme 200 gr plated RNFP, mic'ed @ .429"
Titegroup 6.0gr
Remington 2 1/2 primer
Range: 10yds
Grouping: Golf ball

3)
Xtreme 200 gr plated RNFP, mic'ed @ .429"
Clays (NOT Universal Clays) 5.0gr
Remington 2 1/2 primer
Range: 10yds
Grouping: ping pong ball

Load #1 This combination made me think I was having an off day, or my shooting skills were diminishing. After 100 rounds I concluded the resulting pattern could more efficiently be made with any shotgun. Recoil was soft and slow. Unburned powder was present in the bore.

Load #2 First shot hit dead center. Subsequent rounds blew out the center of the target. Zero unburned powder. Recoil was noticeably snappier.

Load #3 Very similar results as Load #2, but even tighter grouping. First shot hit dead center. Subsequent rounds blew out the center of the target. Zero unburned powder present. This load is incredibly clean shooting. The recoil made me think "That's more spank than I'd expect from a bunny fart load".

I think what's happening here is the faster powders (Titegroup and Clays) are causing the bullet to "slug up" in the bore, forcing them to engage the rifling more firmly. I've read that Xtreme plated bullets use soft lead alloy, which I think would make their geometry more susceptible to changing under the force of acceleration. I don't think the W231 was hitting the base of the bullet hard enough to cause this effect. Perhaps with more crimp it would? Maybe the inertia of a 240gr .429" slug would cause more of a "slugging up" effect?

I would like to repeat this experiment with .430 and .431 slugs and see what happens. My guess is that accuracy would even out across the board.

Nicely done test, I am suprised at the difference between the 231 and the other powders as 231 is a pretty fast burning powder as well. Shows that testing really does tell you a lot.

If you can find it, Trailboss powder was made for exactly what you are doing. No fuss, no bother.

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Science plus Art

I've shot some really tight groups with W-231 240grSWC

All the powders you listed should be great for accurate light affordable target loads.

Titegroup burns very hot, will heat up you gun faster, and seems to smoke lead more because of it.
....it's still an excellent target powder

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NRA Life
USPSA/IPSC

IMO, you'll get better accuracy with plated sized like lead, 0.001" over jacketed. They don't bump up at lower vel. Not a TG fan at all. Clays is ok for light loads. When I was shooting a ton of CAS ammo, I chose Reddot. Fills the bigger cases well, not as spikes as Clays, burns cooler than TG.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

The sizing part of your statement I understand. That's why I want try this again with .430/.431 slugs. But if these .429 slugs aren't bumping up in size with faster powder, then why is there such a difference in accuracy between the moderate powder and the fast powders?

Burn rates & bbls, all bbs will react diff to diff loads. A soft to moderate hard lead slug will bump up to seal the bore, I just doubt plated do that unless pushed hard pressure wise.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

You might find if you experiment some with the 231, you will find a charge your gun likes with that powder / bullet combo. I have had good luck with 231 in my .44's using non plated bullets.

Another powder that I really like in the .44 spec. / mag is Red Dot. 6 grains in a spl. case, and 6.5 in a mag case with a 240 grain cast (that fits your throats) gives great consistant accuracy in most of my 44's. About 850 - 900 fps depending on the gun.

Larry

Everybody doesn't have good luck with plated bullets where accuracy is concerned.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I think its a function of driving the car in the correct gear.
Unburnt powder with 231 is the first clue, Not enough pressure to be efficient or consistent.
Step that one up and it'll do a better job, though it may exceed your intended goal of a cowboy action load.

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it just needs more voltage

I use 4.5 or 5 TG as my go to 44SPL load with my 3" 629. Easy on the hand and wallet.

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Shoot fast & live long
Warren

That's exactly how my 5.0gr load of Clays came to be. I needed a mellow load for my 3" 629-1

I think your load with 231 is just too light. 231 is a fast powder but
burns much better when pressures are not at the low end of normal.
My Lyman Pistol and Revolver manual lists 9.1 grs as the starting
load with 231 and a 200 gr cast bullet in the 44 magnum case.

Actually what you've found is that clays is an excellent powder for lite 44mag/plinking/target loads.

6.0g to 6.5g of clays will have more than enough thump for most range play & still give the shooter excellent accuracy.

Awhile back I did a little testing with an old 629 classic that I bought used over a decade ago & have been beating & banging on it ever since. Put a 4x scope on it & sighted it in @ 25yds.

This is the 1st test target I shot, loaded up a bunch of my favorite bullets (keith clone/Mihec 503) with 6.0g of clays and got the scope on paper. From there I walked the shots over sighting the pistol in until the bullets were next to my aiming point (never hit what you're shooting @ when doing test loads). The target on the right was the sighter target that I walked the bullets over to the right, closer to the point of aim/target. The target on the left/bughole was the actual test target shot @ 25yds.



6.5g of clays and a 220g sp/200g hp thompson designed (h&g #142
) swc @25yds.



Another obsolete mold, the lyman 200g sp (429303) & 6.5g of clays @ 25yds.



An old cramer 200g wc cast from a 1950's mold & 6.0g of clays @ 25yds.



Clays isn't the only game in town for lite target loads but when a powder will do 1" groups @ 25yds with 4 out of the 5 bullets being tested. That's extremely impressive!!! After the testing was done I found that after uses 5 different test bullets coupled with 6 differet powders produced 15 targets with 1" or less groups @ 25yds and clays did 4 of those 15 targets.

One good reason to use Clays instead of Titegroup - you can see Clays in a once-fired case.

I completely agree with you. That was my first round with 231, and the Hodgdon site actually has 7.4grs as max for 200 cast RN, which is why I started @ 6.0gr.