.44 Special for Whitetail

[David LaPell]

I have decided to branch out into .44 Special, I was wondering a good cast bullet load combo for whitetail deer. I remember reading somethere that Elmer Keith had a 250 grain load that was supposedly backed with 7.5 grains of Unique, I haven't found this one written down anywhere though yet.

 

[David LaPell]

I have decided to branch out into .44 Special, I was wondering a good cast bullet load combo for whitetail deer. I remember reading somethere that Elmer Keith had a 250 grain load that was supposedly backed with 7.5 grains of Unique, I haven't found this one written down anywhere though yet.

 

[Wayne Dobbs]

That load, a 245-250 grain Keith SWC and 7.5 grains of Unique, is a classic .44 Special working load. I've always called it the "Skeeter load" after Skeeter Skelton, who popularized it in his excellent writings.

Brian Pearce wrote a great article on loading the .44 Special in Handloader 236 (August 2005) and this was one of his featured loads. In his testing, it had an extreme spread of a whopping FIVE fps and velocities of about 950 fps in a 4" barrel.

It will shoot all the way through any deer you're going to run across and make a nice hole in the process.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Yep, that is a good load and one of the few things I still use Unique to load. I too was inspired by Pearce's article in a Handloader. It is plenty accurate within its range (<50 yds by my choice) in my 3.5" 624-3, and I still get about 900fps. He also had a really good load with the new Speer 200gr Gold Dot, but that bullet is designed to open too fast to be a good hunting bullet.

 

[Dale53]

I have several .44 Specials (four) and load one load for all of them. 250 gr Keith and 7.5 Unique. My best all time target, standing, was twelve shots at 25 yards with this load. Other than the first shot, all were in one small ragged hole (and in front of witnesses, too

). The first shot, while still a ten was low as I hadn't shot the revolver in a while and couldn't remember if I had it sighted for a six o'clock hold or not (it was sighted for point of aim at 25 yards). After the first shot (just cutting the ten ring) I aimed center and all of the following shots hit the "X" ring.
Please note, I have never been able to duplicate this (close but no cigar

) and I am still talking about it after several years

)

FWIW, I have never shot a deer with this (all my deer have been taken with a .44 magnum) but I wouldn't feel undergunned if I had to use it. I have shot several snowshoe rabbits with it if that counts (didn't have to shoot them twice, either

).

Dale53

 

[Spotteddog]

Dale,
X ring shooters @ 25 yards with that weight bullet take deer.
JOMO?

 

[Hany]

Yeah, I always thought of it as "Skeeters" load too. But I'm about to try it with a 226g lhp from Venom Ballistics, and see what expansion is like at the 1000fps range.

 

[Sara Noh]

I have loaded and shot many 7.5 Unique/240SWC loads but never taken a deer with that load. I had a good Forum friend from MI who swore by that load as his deer load. He used Leadhead 250 gr. bullets and sometimes 240 Hornady XTP's and claimed to never have lost a deer using these loads, most dropped in their tracks.

 

[Ron H.]

Originally posted by David LaPell:
I have decided to branch out into .44 Special, I was wondering a good cast bullet load combo for whitetail deer. I remember reading somethere that Elmer Keith had a 250 grain load that was supposedly backed with 7.5 grains of Unique, I haven't found this one written down anywhere though yet.

Sir, like others here, I've heard the load you describe called the "Skeeter" load, after Skeeter Skelton. It's supposed to clock around 950 fps from a 4-inch barrel. I haven't chronographed any of it (it's next on my .44 special experiment list), so don't know if that's correct.

Elmer Keith advocated and used much hotter loads. In his book "Sixguns" (written before the advent of the .44 magnum), Mr. Keith described his favorite .44 special load as 18.5 grains of 2400 with a cast 250-grain semi-wadcutter, at 1,200 fps in a 4-inch gun. This was with the old balloon-head cases, which had a larger internal capacity than modern solid-head cases. He cut the powder charge one grain (to 17.5 grains) for solid-head cases.

FWIW, I'm comfortable about working up to the Skeeter load, but I'm a little leery of the Keith load. That one seems more like .44 magnum territory to me. JMHO.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[okie john]

I've killed deer with loads about like Skeeter's load. You'll be fine with it.


Okie John

 

[Dale53]

RonH;
The second edition of the NRA "Reloading" manual pressure tested Keith's loads. The old load (18.5 grs of 2400 in balloon head cases that had more capacity than modern solid head cases ran about 20,000 psi with the Lyman 429421 bullet. 17.5 grs with the Lyman 429244 (gas check bullet) in solid head cases ran 22,000 psi (greater pressure with the solid head cases in spite of one grain LESS powder).

Using the new solid head cases with 17.5 grs is within pressure limits of the "N" frame smith in .44 Special caliber. However, I treasure my .44 Special Smith's and would not recommend these heavy loads for continuous use. Using them just for hunting should work well.

One thing that concerns me is that the "NEW" Alliant 2400 is reportedly "faster" than the older issues of powder. I, personally, would chronograph the loads (old powder against new) and not exceed the velocity reached by the old powder. That is not the same as a pressure gun but will hopefully keep a feller or gal out of trouble.

I have run some of the old Keith loads without problems but since I have several .44 magnums, that is what I use for deer. Again, my .44 Specials are quite happy with the Skeeter load.

Dale53

 

[KSCowboy]

Howdy,

I use 12 grains of Blue Dot beneath a 429421HP which weighs 236 grains. Gives 975 fps from my 4 inch 24-3. It kills hogs and white tails reliably.

 

[zercool]

I go just shy of Keith loads; 16.0gr of 2400 behind a 240gr SWC. Recoil is stiff but manageable, certainly not up to .44Mag levels. Cases show no pressure signs. Shoots to point of aim at 25yd in my 21-4. I haven't taken a deer with it yet but wouldn't hesitate if presented the opportunity.

 

[Homie]

Originally posted by David LaPell:
I have decided to branch out into .44 Special, I was wondering a good cast bullet load combo for whitetail deer. I remember reading somethere that Elmer Keith had a 250 grain load that was supposedly backed with 7.5 grains of Unique, I haven't found this one written down anywhere though yet.

The 7.5 Gr load was in "SIXGUNS" as well. Skeeter used 8.5 gr in his '60's writings, then decided on the 7.5 load. Elmer, of course, "gave up" the Special with the birth of the Mag.

In my 4" M24/27, the 7.5 Gr./240 load goes 876 FPS, and 932 FPS in a 6 1/2" M29.

Good shooting.

 

[Drail]

Zercool, I have also used that load and it is a good compromise for a .44 Spl. shooter who doesn't need or want to get into the Elmer Keith loads. 2400 has become one of my favorite powders for the old Special.

 

[GMAN]

That is a standard Skeeter Skelton .44 special load,with a Lyamn 429421, I have shot thousands over the last 30 years. In 1988, I dropped a small buck at about 60 yards with that load in a 4 inch 624(which I foolishly sold to get a 629 Classic Hunter shortly afterwards) 240 grain bullet went straight throught the chest and out the other side, the deer didn't go anywhere.
Dick

 

[Frank237]

As several have mentioned the #429421 over the std load of 7.5 gr UNIQUE is all you need for ANY deer at a reasonable distance. I've killed several with that load. Also a few with the same slug over 8.5 of UNIQUE in a mag case in my 6.5" M-29. A Keith slug through the lungs= a dead deer.

FN in MT