44 Mag 280 Grain Swift A Frame Data Please

[sjs]

Right now Midway has a good sale on these bullets (and also Winchester LPP). So good I bought a bunch before thinking about load data.

I just did a search here and found nothing, and my general Google search was unproductive, as was my look at the Swift website. Didn't bullet companies used to give out this data free?

Anyway, I would be grateful for any load data for the 280 grain A Frame in .44 magnum, especially for H110 or 2400.

I have data for general jacketed soft point, and hollow point bullets but nothing for the Swift specifically. Thanks

 

[Rogeronimo]

Here's some contact info from the book I purchased ... perhaps Swift will oblige you.

 

[fredj338]

From the swift manual, max loads:
2400 - 17.6gr
H110 - 20.3gr
H4227 - 20.6gr

 

[Nemo288]

Dang, looks like that sale is over.
I took advantage of birthday pricing to get a box of 240's at that sale price.
Now they want $7.50 MORE for the 240's ($54!) than the 280's??
That's wacky.
I'll shoot the 280's in a 445 or 444 but not the magnum.
In my experience with the calibers I listed, the Swifts have very high friction and shoot slower than any other bullet I have used.
They act almost like solids possibly because of the long shank, thick jacket, and solid mid-section.

BTW the Hodgdon site has reloading data for the 280 Swift in 44 magnum.
Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading
Just crimp in the groove. Hodgdon quite often has the OAL wrong especially for the Swift bullets.
If I was loading these I would use IMR 4227. Maybe 21 grains.
One of my absolute favorite and forgivable powders for magnum and beyond loading.

 

[sjs]

Thank you very much guys. I will also call Swift, I don't want to buy the manual until I try these as I have never used Swift before and don't know if I will like them.

Nemo, do you not use the 280 grains simply because the velocity is low or do you think it creates a pressure problem in the .44 magnum? I am shooting a 629-6 S&W and don't want to stress the revolver too much.

 

[Nemo288]

Don't worry about the pressure in your revolver if you follow the loads at Hodgdon or Swift (which I don't have for the magnum).
Peak pressure happens when the bullet has moved about half it's length.
I have just noticed the velocities are lower compared to other 280's I have shot with the same powder load in both the SuperMag and the 444.
I already have a couple of "golden" loads I would use if hunting with the magnum.
The 240 just suits my style more as well and makes a better deer load IMHO.
For everything else I like a 260 WFNGC over 19 grains 2400.
Those cast bullets are fast and accurate.
Not about to shoot an elk with a 44 magnum although it is done.

I know someone with the Swift manual in the Marlin Owners forum who gave me 444 data.
I'll see if I can get the magnum data from her.
In the meantime given your original project I would use the Hodgdon data and carefully work up a load using H110.
You will get very good performance from it.
As an aside I have found that compressed loads of ball powder like H110 can congeal and give squibs if stored for a decade or 2 so shoot 'em up!

 

[sjs]

Thanks Nemo. I have 240 grain XTP's for deer and was going to try 300 grain XTP's for hogs but saw the A Frame sale and went for them.

 

[Nemo288]

They are no doubt an extremely tough bullet and good for just about any animal in N. America given enough velocity and the right gun.
I hope you get a golden load!

My main problem is the price and the diameter.
They are somewhat small for the microgroove 444's and many 44 magnums made before about 2000.
I have revolvers whose chamber throats measure up to .433" made in the 80's.
That leaves the .445 Encore for me and a couple of L frame 44 specials.
I can sometimes go thru a box of 50 developing a load and that doesn't always include shooting for groups and sighting in.
The big WFNCG cast bullets go faster and will do anything the Swift will at 1/3 the price.

Woodleigh now makes a 280 weldcore bullet designed for the 444 that is about the same price.
Design impact velocity is 1800-2200 fps.
Start it at 2200 fps and it will be going about 1800 at 100 yards.
That's the one I'll be using for a heavy jacketed load in the Marlin and possibly my 444 double rifle if I can converge a load.
Now that's elk, moose, and bear medicine!
I am tempted to shoot a Woodleigh and then a WFNGC 280 to compare performance if I get the chance.

 

[sjs]

Wow, a 444 double rifle shooting 280 Woodleigh at 2200 fps sounds like Africa medicine to me. I imagine achieving convergence is a matter of some luck since I can't think of how varying a load will cause a left or right shift.

 

[Nemo288]

IMHO the 444 is not quite up to African dangerous game. Everything else: yeah.
To get into that top category with 44 bullets, I would neck the 450 Alaskan down to 44 and put a custom barrel on a Win '71.
That would move you close to the 300 grains at 2500 fps, 400 grains at 2100 fps of the 450/400 NE.
Now you are ready to take on angry Buffs, Hippos, or even Elephant given the proper bullet.
No one makes a true heavy solid for the 44 yet. Big cast bullets would have to suffice.
The Barnes Buster 300 comes close and would be definitely used if I (or someone) ever developed the 44 Alaskan.
Beartooth Bullets makes a 400 grain gas checked 44 bullet that would be a candidate as well.

If your are truly interested in loading and shooting double rifles, the best current book is "Shooting The British Double Rifle" by G. Wright.
The title is a little misleading as it is about all doubles regardless of origin.
Doubles are mostly used in Europe for boars and moose.
The 444 is quite popular there.

My B. Rizzini was regulated for the LeveRevolution round as I suspect that is all that was available off the shelf in Italy at the time.
Not liking the short brass, I use 46 grains H-4198 and the 265 FP to duplicate those ballistics in the normal brass.
I have also found that 240's loaded down some shoot to a point a little further than the 40 meters the 265's are regulated at.
Barrel time is one of the biggest determining factors in regulating a double load.
That and how you hold the gun and deal with recoil.
I have wanted a double for the ultimate in shooting and reloading challenge for a long time.
Finally found one that I could (barely) afford.
Got lucky and it turned out to be well made and shoot well for an off the shelf relatively cheap double.

Sabatti flooded the market with some "cheap" 45-70 doubles a few years ago and I heard the quality and regulation was hit or miss.
Good ones were quite good but some would not hit a barn let alone the door.