.44 special brass dimensions and custom expander design....

[Forrest r]

I'm sizing to fit the throats at .4315, and seating in the top lube groove, recently tried the bottom groove and accuracy was same. Im getting 21/4 inch 6 shot groups at 35 yds from a rest , with the cast HBWC, 240 grain GC do a bit better but take more time,$, lead, powder to assemble. I am just curious if i can get same accuracy from HBWC, for less effort and lower powder charges.

Their doing better because they aren't as picky as the hbwc's. Get the right combo (pressure not velocity) and you'll find several loads that will shoot tight groups.

I was using clays, bullseye and the slower american select in the 4.0gr to 4.5gr range.

 

[kadams]

Their doing better because they aren't as picky as the hbwc's. Get the right combo (pressure not velocity) and you'll find several loads that will shoot tight groups.

I was using clays, bullseye and the slower american select in the 4.0gr to 4.5gr range.

I'm interested in knowing some more about that methodology because i have never heard it before other than to load to correct pressure for obturation of the alloy you are using? I am powder coating my lead bullets, Do you think this is also an important factor for accuracy using coated bullets or is it more of a concern for traditionally lubed bullets? As I mentioned in the initial post I was surmising I was getting better groups with the HBWC's at the top end of the recommended charges because I was getting enough pressure to expand the base of the bullet that had been undersized when i seated it in the case that was too tight.

Also I see you loaded the above hollow base bullets with 15.5 grains of 2400 and noted 18000psi with that load.

Was 15.5 grains a load you also shot in .44 specials with longer barrels for accuracy testing? I got good accuracy with 14 grains of 2400 with the 215gr. HBWC's but It seemed hot even though i didn't get excessive pressure signs. I'm tip toeing my way into this because there is such a lack of info, on .44 special loads in the blank area between top end .44 special loads and bottom end .44 magnum loads and i really don't need magnum velocities for this revolver. My objective is best accuracy i can achieve for paper and small game in side of 50yds.

again thanks for all your insight

 

[Forrest r]

The issue you're fighting is the +/- 3/1000th difference between the extremely oversized cylinder throats diameter (.431") that's getting swaged down in the .429" in the bbl. Any off-center strikes on the forcing cone affects the long bodied hbwc more than the small front drive band of the swc's you're using. Even perfectly centered strikes are swaging that bullet down 3/1000th in a millisecond. Personally, I never size anything down more than 3/1000th's at 1 time in a sizer or bad things happen accuracy wise. Hense my statement, find a pressure zone that works.

I pc also & find it's easier to find accurate loads with pc'd bullets compared to their sized/lubed counterparts.

99% of my cast bullet needs are cast with a 8/9bhn alloy. I have no issues using that alloy in loads from mild (+/- 8,000psi) to wild (+/- 35,000psi).

The 44spl can be extremely accurate, s&w made it a lot harder with their oversized cylinders in the 624's and 29-2's with the .431" cylinder throats. Got tired of it and sold the 624 & the 29-2 and was a lot happier afterwards.

Every couple of years I test hot 44spl loads for a snubnosed 44spl (charter arms bulldog). I've owned/used/carried a bulldog since the 1980's. Testing is done @ 25ft over a chronograph, this was my last series of testing

I like to keep the 44spl bullets in the 200gr to 220gr weight range in that bulldog and the velocity in the +/- 1000fps range. I test penetration by using wetpack. Wetpack is taking 12" bundles of newspaper and taping them together and putting them in a 48qt cooler & then fill the cooler with water and let it sit overnight. Take the whole thing to the range the next day and pull a bundle out, staple a target to it & set it at the yardage I'm testing. I've read that 1" of penetration in wetpack is equal to 1 1/2" of penetration in 10% ballistics gel. Don't know about all that, but if your loads get +/- 8" of penetration in wetpack. They will take out pretty much anything with 2 or 4 legs.

At the end of the day you're looking for a consistent alloy to use with all the different bullets you're casting/using in that 624. Then you do ladder testing looking for accuracy and more importantly, the pressure range that created that accuracy. Then lastly test your accurate load for penetration/how lethal it is.