44 Spl

[Buddy G]

I grabbed a Model 24-3 in 3 inch today. It's a beauty.
Now, I am digging through the books. I have most popular powders and lots of 220 grn Berry copper coated flat points that I use with 44 mag. They work well with 24 gns of H110, but I would rather use something else for the 44 Spl. The H110 is kinda hot for a 3" barrel and indoor shooting.
I'm looking at 6.3 gns 231 or 7.8 gns of Unique. They are really my favorite powders. Both should send it downrange at about 850 fps.
I just need a comfortable load to play with and would like to start there.
I think it will be safe enough, anybody have a favorite load?

 

[NE450No2]

I would start with 6 gr of Unique and work up to the level of recoil/ and accuracy your gun shoots best.

Most sources show @8gr as a Max load.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I have been using Power Pistol lately in my .44 Specials, and I am quite happy with it so far. Try a starting load of 7.5 grains and work up from there to about 8.5.

In the 24-3 4" that I have the 7.5 grain load clocks out at 790 fps with a 240 cast swc, and does the same from my 5" Triple Lock.

This is a really good powder for the .44 Special and the .45 ACP rounds. It generally gives higher than normal velocities at standard pressures with most bullet weights.

 

[Tell Sackett]

HP-38/W231 and Unique are both good powders for the type of loads you are looking for.

Save the slower powders for those 44Mag guns you have. If you come up with a good 44spl round, try it in them too. You may have a good all around load come out of this.

I load 44spl loads only in 44Mag cases because I don't like to clean the carbon rings out of my 629. I have used as light of a bullet as 200gr LRNFP bullets over 4.5gr of Bullseye for target work. Something in the 6gr range of W231/HP-38 will give you a nice target load.

FWIW

 

[maglvr]

I hunt with my 44 Spl. revolvers(624, 24) as well as my single shot 44 Spl. trapper carbine, I use 17gr of Lil-Gun under a 250gr hardcast, it really breathes some life into the old round(1200fps-6.5") without 44magnum pressures.

 

[Buddy G]

Thanks guys, I will load some tomorrow. I shoot a lot 44 mag and I think I will like the 44 Spl. I have some loaded that I was using in the mag...11.4 gns of 2400..smokey don't seem stable, makes a mess on the cylinder face too.
I let you know what I blow up

 

[Snapping Twig]

I'm a real fan of W231/HP38 for target and midrange loads.

Using a magnum case and a cast 250g SWC, I like 7g W231. Figure the larger case into this equation and it is in the ballpark of the 6 ~ 6.5 grain loads in the smaller Special case.

I like this load very much. I can't imagine a job it wouldn't do well.

Unique might have a place here too, but I use it as a .45 colt powder mostly.

 

[Joed49]

Like Gun 4 Fun I like Power Pistol, very clean burning and excellent velocity.

My go to load was always 7.5 gr of Unique. It's just not a clean burning powder.

 

[Joed49]

If you want a hotter load I have shot 15.0 gr of 2400 with a 250 gr LSWC out of my S&W's. It's a little over 1000 fps.

 

[Buddy G]

I set up 20 w/6.0 gns 231, and 20 /7.0 of Unique..and then found the range closed today. Grrrrrrrr.
I'll let you know thanks guys.
JoeD49, I would shoot that in my mag case,with 6" barrel, but not in the special case w/3", I think it would make my teeth hurt.

 

[michael thornton]

240 gr swc over 7.5 gr of unique is good in my 624

 

[running iron]

My best shooting target loads for my 44 Special are, 6.3 grs. of 231, 5.5 grs. of WST or 6 grs. of Auto Comp. All with a 240 SWC. I like AA#5 with my carry load with a 210 gr. JHP. at 1000 FPS. All shoot one hole groups from a bench.

 

[Buddy G]

Thanks Iron...I have a BIG can of 231. I'm starting with 6.0 and almost went to 6.3, but I am sure I will work up to it.
Won't be able to shoot for a couple days, makes me crazy.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I am a very big fan of 231, but if you try Power Pistol, you may never go back to 231 for this round. Higher velocities with equal or lower pressures, equal or better accuracy. What's not to love?

 

[Buddy G]

If Power Pistol ever shows up here, I will try it. We are still pretty limited as to what we can buy. Every time I look up on the shelf and see that new full 4 lb can of 231, I love it

I have to buy locally to avoid a stiff hasmat fee. It's as much as pound of powder. I have Unique, Bullseye, Red Dot, Blue Dot, H110, 700X and others, and will have to use that for now.
Some of it I have had a long time. I have 8 pounds of PB.
Primers are my main concern right now. There were a few at the gunshow this weekend. At $40.00 a pop. I will remember those folks later.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

We have never been short of any powders here, but the primer situation is pathetic. They are starting to show up, but are very limited and a lot of places have a limit of 1000 for the time being which is ok with me, because if that rule had been in place before all the shortages really got going, a lot of shooters would have been able to keep on shooting, some of whom were new to this, and have since sold off their guns for lack of supplies, and we need everyone to maintain their interest in our sport. Especially right now.

Yea, I know the BS about it not being anyone's fault but my own for not stocking up, but some of us weren't in a position financially at the time to stock up. I did buy several bricks to go with the supply I had on hand, but it also curtailed my normal amount of shooting, since no one knew/knows how long this will last or if things will ever get back to "normal". On top off that, the primers we do have here now are running between $50 and $60 a brick!!!

 

[Dale53]

I have been a fan of the .44 Special for many, many years and have several revolvers in this caliber.

MY target load is 5.0 grs of Bullseye behind a 240-250 gr SWC.

The perfect field load in the .44 Special is 7.5 grs of Unique behind a 240-250 Keith SWC.

Deer hunting is handled by 17.0 grs of 2400 behind a 240-250 Keith SWC.

Superb cartridge.

Dale53

 

[thedane]

I use the same loads that Dale53 just documented with the exception that my "hot" load is 15.0 grs of 2400. Elmer Keith used 17.5 grs of 2400 for his hunting load.

The 5.0 grs Bullseye is very nice and accurate.

All are behind a 240-250 gr SWC.

 

[Joed49]

I
JoeD49, I would shoot that in my mag case,with 6" barrel, but not in the special case w/3", I think it would make my teeth hurt.

That load of 15.0 gr 2400 with 250gr LSWC is not as bad as you'd think it is. It's just a shade over 1000 fps from my revolvers.

 

[38-44HD45]

I use SR-4756 pretty much exclusively in my .44 Specials. It works great under 250-260 grain cast bullets, which I load to around 935 fps. (252gr. GC) or 880 fps. (262 gr. GC) from 4"-4 5/8" barrels. Pretty close approximation of "Skeeter load" ballistics, but with cleaner, better metering powder. Haven't chronoed any from my 3" 624, but they'll obviously be a little slower from it.