Since I have made up my mind to purchase a Triple Lock .44 Special (just waiting for the guy to get back in the store for the green light and FFL info), I was wondering if there is anyone who has ever shot any reloads through one, or similarly a Second Model HE in .44 Special. I would never use anything more powerful than the old 7.5 grains of Unique behind the 250 grain cast #429421 (and then only sparingly) and for standard loads, 6.0 grains of Unique with those same #429421 bullets. Anyone else load for these old guns?

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Vaya con Dios

David,

I would get a copy of Brian Pearce's excellent article in Handloader magazine on reloading the .44 Special and read it carefully. I'm at work so I don't know the issue number, but the article is one of those excellent and definitive works that you don't see much any more.

I do recall that he classified .44 Specials into three strength categories with the old Triple Locks being in the lowest strength category. For that level, the maximum was 6.9 grains of Unique. I think that I would stay below 6.5 for an extra measure of "preservation" of that fine old revolver.

If you can't find the article, let me know via email and I'll scan it into a pdf next week and get it to you.

Very good idea to stay with mild handloads in the older guns. Triple Locks are not even equal in strength to Second Models. Smaller diameter cylinder, heat treat is lacking, and they are even older!

There are just no parts available to repair these old guys if you jug a chamber or burst a barrel. If I want to shoot anything hotter, i will use a newer gun.

There isn't a lot to be gained going from 700-750 fps to anything higher until you get to close to 900 fps, in my eyes, and then only if you are shooting animate targets.

I shoot factory ammo equivalent handloads in my Triple Lock and pre-1950 .44's. They consist of my home-cast 250 gr. SWC sized to .430" (Lyman 429421 mould) and standard large rifle primers and either:

1- 4.1 grains of Bullseye, or

2- 5.5 grains of old Unique.

Use a good amount of roll crimp. Accuracy is as good as the bullets are, which when I take my time casting and inspecting, is very good indeed.

These are good for about 700 f.p.s. and about duplicate the traditional Winchester-Western 246 grain lead round nose factory load for point-of-impact in my guns, as well as velocity (I only clocked them when I worked them up back in the mid-1970's).

Reading everything I could find about the .44 Special since way back then leads me to believe the two loads above are also pretty close to factory ammo pressure levels, as well.

A good commercial bullet is the Speer swaged 240 grain SWC. I used to shoot some of them before casting and they worked very well at low velocity with a smooth bore.

I have never tried the swaged Hornaday in this caliber but I have shot a lot of their swaged .38 bullets and they shoot pretty well, so...

I use the old Lyman #429421 with 4.0 gr. Trail Boss in my Triple Lock. It knocks down steel plates with ease and is also easy on the wrist as well as the gun.

I would be hesitant to shoot the "Skeeter Load" 7.5gr. Unique in a TL. I shot 3.5gr and 5.0gr. Bullseye behind a 200gr. RNFP bullet in my TL, both loads shot well. If you want to shoot heavier loads go to a more modern gun. Take it easy on the old troopers.

I occasionally shot some loads with 429421 sized to .429 and 6.5 gr. Unique. Must have gotten it out of my system as I probably haven't fired the gun in 20 yrs now.

Never seemed to bother the gun but I wouldn't go any higher either.

I shoot my Triple Lock on a regular basis. I'm very mindful of its age and lack of heat-treated steel. It shoots to point of aim with 240-250 grain bullets at 50 feet and is capable of 100's on timed fire targets from a rest (if only I could shoot that way offhand!).

I would not use 7.5 grains of Unique (the Skeeter load) in my TL - I have several modern revolvers for loads at that level. I agree about reading Brian Pearce's article in Reloader Magazine.

My current favorite TL load is the Speer 240 grain swaged lead bullet over 5.2 grains of W231 or 5.0 grains of ZIP.

The article BY Brian Pearce is in Handloader #236, starting on page 34.
Loads for the triple lock are in the very first chart, at the top. These were actually fired in a triple lock w/ 6.5"barrel.

No 2400 loads? Brian Pierce must be slipping Are Triple Locks really this weak? I wouldn't have thought so judging by the power and amount of loads some of the old timers put through them. Some of this load data looks a little more in line with what you should put through a charter arms bulldog or something. Pretty much on par with medium to warm .45 AR loads

There are loads for a lot of other powders. I just didn't list them since they are too warm for the triple lock. As already stated above in another post, the metal in the TL isn't heat treated, and is weaker than even the second model HE's.

You need to remember that even a lot of the powder companies didn't have chronograph's or pressure guns back then, so they (handloaders) were flying by the seat of their pants on some of their load data.

I really wasn't going to try 2400 in the Triple Lock, since they only had #80 back then. I figured on using my old favorites, Unique and maybe Win 231. I have even been contemplating duplicating some of the old black powder loads, but not sure yet. I don't plan on shooting the old gun very much if I do get it. I am waiting very patiently (what time is it now?) for the shop to open tomorrow so I get the details on sending payment info, tec.

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Vaya con Dios

I have a nice triplelock. I once shot it off the bench against about 3 other .44 specials and a model 29 I own. It was the most accuarate. I t lives in my safe and I shoot other stuff. When elmer was working with the triplelock I would guess there was a lot more of them and a lot cheaper relatively speaking than now. They werent considered collector guns in his time. They held up for him, but considering todays prices, I will baby mine with lighter loads. I do have other smiths and colt SAs that I shoot the heavier loads in. Here are my various 6 .44 specials.

I neglected to mention 231 and its ballistic twin HP-38 as being powders that I had loaded in ammo for my TL. I found HP-38 to have a slight edge over 231 as far as accuracy is concerned. If I were loading for a TL today, I would get a copy of Hogden's Cowboy Loading Data. You should be able to access the information therein contained by going to Hogden's website. Loads that Hogden lists in their cowboy data should be safe in your TL. Another source that I can suggest is the Pearce article that other posters have mentioned. I believe that it appeared in Handloader magazine a few years ago, Brian lists .44 Special loads in three different levels as far as pressure is concerned. The lowest level being the one suitable for use in TL's. I have a copy of that article in my reference file and would be happy to send you a scanned copy.

Marksman-
The data I posted above is an exact copy of that article (other than formatting), and those loads listed for the TL within it.

David Lapell- see the last two powders listed above. They are exactly what you mentioned, and for the TL, again, according to the article.

In the days of some of the 'old timers, triple locks were prevalent and a lot cheaper than they are today..Blow one up today and you'll play hell getting it fixed.. Just my 2 cents....lots of luck....TIN..

After decades of wanting I have finally acquired a Triple Lock. Wanting to shoot it but not to hurt it I have been reading this thread with great interest. I looked on Hodgdon's site and saw a load I thought might be good. 4.2gr. of HP38 with a 240gr cast bullet. It listed a velocity of 717 and a pressure of 8400 cup. Do any of you have experience with this or a similar load?

I have a second model target that I shoot 6.0 grains of Unique under a 200 grain Lee bullet. This shoots great and seems to be correct for the point of impact with the sight being set all the way down to the frame..

Tim

My Triple Lock was re-blued by some previous owner, making it both affordable and a shooter for me.



I figured, given it's age and the fact I will probably never get another one, it shouldn't deal with anything more that the original factory load or it's hand loaded equivalent. That would be a 246g RN soft alloy bullet at ~750 fps. After some experimentation I've settled on 4.8g of Red Dot under a .430", 245g cast RN from Montana Bullet Works. In the TL's 5" barrel it chronographed at 763 fps and the old warrior managed a 2" five shot group at 20 yards.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Dave,
I have not shot my Triple Lock Target but have used Trail Boss with the Lyman #429421 in the 2nd Model 1926 Target. The load I used was on the low side of the data found on the Hodgdon website.

David, congratulations on getting one of the most sought after Smiths there is. When I shoot my 44 specials I take into consideration the time frame of the gun and the fact that when I read of Elmer and others hot rodding them, there were plenty of them and also parts and gunsmiths to work opn them. Different times. A load that I have used in my 50 Targets for bullseye was 6.5 gr. Unique and Speer 240 swaged lead bullet. Mild load and I don't believe it stressed anything. I boiught a Ruger Blackhawk Lipsey Special in 44 Spl for the heavy stuff. Bought it to shoot only heavy loads. The TL and 2nd Model I keep light. Unique, 231 and Trail Boss are good ones. Mike venturino has some good loads in one of the previous issues of ST or G&A, can't remember which one. I strive for getting the most in accuracy and just enjoy the history in my hand. Something gratifying about shooting tiny groups with an ole Smith. Brings joy to the heart. Enjoy yours and be gentle with the ole girl.

I have found 6.0 to 6.5 Unique with a 240 grain cast bullet does well in the old Third Model Smith 44 Special. For a light plinking load try 6.0 of Unique behind a 180 grain cast full wadcutter. In a Clements custom old model Ruger conversion to 44 Special Elmer's loads to quite well. Gary

Personally I only shoot my TL Target with light loads of Trail Boss behind a 245 gr. LSWC.

Elmer used to load 18.5 grs. of 2400 and his bullet in balloon head cases until solid head cases came out, then he lowered it to 17.5 grs. 2400. But that was a different time! I personally wouldn't go over 7 grs. of Unique.

I load 6.0 gr Unique with a 200gr hard cast lead. This is pleasant to shoot in my 6" 624. Good groups also.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I like 4.5gr Red Dot with a 240 LSWC.
Mild and accurate.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95