I have been reloading going on 14 years long range rifles, 45ACP 357 mag etc, so not a rookie to reloading and always wanting to learn more. So I Loaded some 44 Mag 240gr HP using Alliant 2400 and they only had one column of data of 21 gr. So I reduced the load to 18 gr. to start off. These loads are sticking case in the cylinder of my S&W 29-3. I have had some factory 44 mag stick a little bit but could push them out, these are sticking to the point that I have to gently tap them out with a plastics mallet. Seems strange so I figured I would get some good internet theories. Checked powder weight on electronic and balance beam scales. Validated both scales with weight checks so I know I am throwing the right weight. Any suggestions other then keep dropping the gr weight. Think it could be the cylinder?

Thanks in advance

If the factory loads just push out, but yours don't . Something is in question. re-check everything

Found some great info on this forum so I will try a few things no need to repeat what has already been published I just needed to do some searches.

Thx

You didn't, by chance, load some Amerc headstamped cases did you? I badlucked into a box of those. Brass!!! Shiny!!! .44 mag!!!!. Sticky with mild loads and 2 out of 50 split.

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My warm 2400 loads stick.
So I stopped using it as much. The loads that stick are book loads and nothing crazy.

I used all new Starline brass sized before loading as well.

Your load of 18 grs is a mild one so your problem is almost certainly with your brass. Off brand as mentioned or maybe overly long and needs trimmed. It could be your cyl if you have bulged chambers from way too hot loads in the past. The chambers may just need a good cleaning.

Are your chambers clean, or is it possible they’re dirty from shooting 44 Special loads?

What did your primers look like? Kind of hard to have enough pressure to stick a case and not flatten the primers.

A couple links to reloading manuals you can download for free

Speer #12 (page #551 reads 17.7gr of 2400 "Max" load for all 240gr jacketed bullets)
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...201995%20-.pdf

Hornady 4th edition (page #617 reads 19.8gr "Max" load for all 240gr jacketed bullets)
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...Volume%201.pdf

Lyman 48th edition reloading manual (page #353 reads 19.5gr & 20.5gr depending on the 240gr jacketed bullet used)
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...%20-%20ocr.pdf

A generic alliant reloading manual from 2005. I call it the last of the great alliant manuals. It still has the max loads with pressures listed with a lot of different jacketed and cast bullet data. Starting in 2008 alliant started printing manuals with their bullets data only (speer) and no pressures listed.
http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Fre...liant_2005.pdf

Are you full length resizing your brass?

I had a similar problem with Remington 45AR brass in my Mod.25-2 with 4.2gr of Bullseye. ACP cases with that load practically fell out of the cylinder. I finely bought some Starline AR brass and the problem disappeared! I fought with that Remington brass for 20yrs!!! Get some new brass.

When in doubt, start at door #1.

Is your cylinder sparkling clean.......... ?

Do your new unfired cases fit & slide out of the cylinder before loading?

Do your bullets fit the cylinder and pass through ?

Does the finished load (w/o powder/primer) "Plunk" and side out
of all 6 holes ?

This will check the cases, die settings and your cylinder and solve 90% of your problems.

Good luck.

Picture of the brass after after loading please.

Sometimes you will find a load that gives your gun indigestion.

Move on to other loads.

While I could come up with a few theories on this, there's no substitute for empirical testing.

Instead of just dropping the charge I would put together some 17.7gn, and, 18.3gn loads and see what happens, and then go +/-0.3gn based on those results to see if the trend you see continues.

From there we can come up with various theories on why a higher or lower pressure could cause the problem

You said that factory loads can be a bit sticky . I feel that you have a " cylinder problem " . Either the charge wells are very dirty and need a good cleaning or you have a cylinder that has " rough " charge holes . I would use a good cleaner , Kroil or Marvel Mystery Oil . The Marvel oil you can get at auto parts , walmart etc . It is a great cleaner, removing carbon . A good stiff bore brush is needed to finish the job .
If that doesn't solve your problem , then I suspect " rough " charge holes . There are numerous ways to smooth the inside of the cylinder charge wells . I hope this helps , Paul

Thanks all for your responses I will keep researching and doing suggested adjustments to see if it is the load, the gun, or the idiot behind it all

Sounds like a S&W problem if factory loads are sticky unless dirty. It sounds like S&W lack of QC, kind of normal these days. I bought one last year that is very accurate butn you can't shoot it D/A, trigger sticks at the front.

I've seen some rough chambers that caused this. In one case, the owner chucked up a stainless bore brush in his drill and went after it on his Dan Wesson. Good grief those chambers were scored up. Even .38 Special 148gr HBWC would stick. I'm sure you didn't do that but the point being...rough chambers....or dirty ones. Maybe a lot of .44 Specials were fired in it and there's a carbon deposit at the end of the shorter case. Those can be tough to get out sometimes. You might try some .44 Special hot loads and see if those stick.

I have shot lots of 44 Magnum and 240 grain jacketed bullets with 18 gr. of 2400. Used 3 different 44 revolvers and a Winchester Model 92 rifle. Never the slightest hint of a sticky cases. My guess is your revolver is the reason. One of my revolvers is a 29-3 also. I would be very closely be looking at each chamber in the cylinder to start with. Second thing is for barrel leading.

Had a 329pd that had one sticky chamber. Only ammo I ever shot from it was pmc 180gr jhp. Never seen any roughness in it and brass from other chambers would slide in just fine.

The 629 and srh I have, neither has ever had sticky brass. And both have seen 240’s with h110, 4227, and 2400 at full tilt loads. Cases don’t fall out, but one finger on the extractor is still enough to remove them.

I’d check for a troubled chamber as mentioned above.

A rough bore cylinder can cause the problem and if the cylinder was swabbed with oil it can really gum up bad.

You can buy a cylinder hone to clean it up.

I use a load with 2400 stouter than your load and the fired brass doesn't "stick" in the charging holes of my S&W 629-3. I would look at the brass. If it is virgin brass, it might be contributing to the problem. I always tumble virgin brass before loading it with ground walnut hulls. As already stated, you might have dirty or rough charging holes in the cylinder or oil. Charging holes should be dry before shooting.

After firing 6 rds push each spent case out of the cyl using a pencil! You are looking for a case or two that is sticking! Now try to insert the stuck case into another chamber that the case did not stick in! You're looking for an out of round chamber that is causing the sticking!
jcelect

The new Hordady # 11 shoes 21.2 as max with 240 gr jacketed bullet. I have used 20.5 of 2400 for almost 50 years with cast or jacketed. Never a stuck cartridge in My gun. Stuck in a Friends DX and had to use a mallet to extract. Cleaned His cylinder and polished with newspaper and a drill. No more sticking.

Recently, the manuals have be saying to use standard primers and not Magnum with the 2400. The Magnum primers can cause erratic pressures. Elmer Keith also said to use the standard primers with his loads in 44 Magnum.

I once had a 44 Magnum revolver (not S&W) that had rough chambers. I got one of the reamers with the polishing balls and that fixed it. Also fixed 2 shotguns with the 12 ga polisher.

Only other thing I can think of besides what has been mentioned - do you have some check weights so you can verify that your scale is correct? Then recheck a number of thrown charges on the scale after the scale accuracy has been verified with the check weights.

Though, I would expect if the load was an overload, you'd have probably noticed it in the recoil while shooting them.

With 2400, I usually use WLP primers - they aren't "magnum" but they do seem to be warm enough to work with most powders except for the really high pressure stuff.

Is it possible that wet tumbling with SS pins can make the cases too "squeaky clean" to just fall out? I've noticed that the case mouth belling is a little more difficult on some larger caliber wet-tumbled brass.

Jack

Several things can raise pressure .
Check bullet dia. / throat dia. and bore dia. .
Could also be rough cylinder finish , seems they are not as well polished as in the "good old" days and that might be causing stickiness .

Firing your loads in another revolver might also point to the problem .

Good Luck , Load Safe
Gary

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