Best "+P" .44 Special Factory Load for Dual Use

[.455_Hunter]

I just picked-up a 1985 4" 624 (Yes, I know about the recall...). I would like some more powerful factory ammunition than the traditional loadings from Win/Rem/Fed/Hornady. The gun will be used for CCW in areas where the threats are two-legged AND four-legged (attacking dog, rabid coyote and mountain lion).

My choices appear to be:

Cor Bon- 165 gr. JHP
Cor-Bon- 200 gr. DPX
Buffalo Bore- 180 (or 185?) gr. JHP
Double Tap- 200 gr. Gold Dot
Any others ???

I would like to choose one load and zero the gun to match.

Does anybody have any knowledge on how the above loads perform for penetration/expansion in gelatin/water/newsprint/???

Please comment and discuss the possible pluses/minuses of the available loads.

Thanks,

Hunter

 

[.455_Hunter]

I just picked-up a 1985 4" 624 (Yes, I know about the recall...). I would like some more powerful factory ammunition than the traditional loadings from Win/Rem/Fed/Hornady. The gun will be used for CCW in areas where the threats are two-legged AND four-legged (attacking dog, rabid coyote and mountain lion).

My choices appear to be:

Cor Bon- 165 gr. JHP
Cor-Bon- 200 gr. DPX
Buffalo Bore- 180 (or 185?) gr. JHP
Double Tap- 200 gr. Gold Dot
Any others ???

I would like to choose one load and zero the gun to match.

Does anybody have any knowledge on how the above loads perform for penetration/expansion in gelatin/water/newsprint/???

Please comment and discuss the possible pluses/minuses of the available loads.

Thanks,

Hunter

 

[OKFC05]

For openers, there is no SAAMI spec for a "+P .44 Special." .44 Special is listed at 15,500 PSI, which is less than a .38 Special. Handloading of course opens up new possibilities.
http://www.handloads.com/misc/saami.htm

In general, a penetrating heavy bullet is considered better for hunting applications, while a middle weight expanding bullet is often preferred for 2-legged defense.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I know that "+P" is not an OFFICIAL designation for .44 Special loads, but the "+P" concept has been anecdotally applied to it and various other loads to indicate performance above traditional levels. While it is great ammo, current factory .44 Special from the "Big Four" generates 200-300 fpe out of a four inch barrel. The ammo from Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore generates from 400 up to 500 fpe, a not insignificant jump. These hotter loads should be great for my 1980's 624, not so great for a vintage Triple-Lock or loose goose Charter Bull Dog.

Currently, since my reloading skills are not very high, I prefer factory ammo for any time a gun could be used in a defensive scenario.

Thanks for your input!

 

[OKFC05]

Well, if some writers are referring to "enhanced performance" ammunition as "+P". then the writers need to get 40 lashes with a loading manual.

Corbon, Hornady, and others make a specific point that they achieve higher velocity without increasing peak pressures. They can achieve this because the velocity is determined by the total area under a pressure curve (work), not by the peak pressure. By carefully selecting their powders to produce a flat pressure curve, they can achieve greater velocity and keep the same peak pressure.

The most famous .44 Special handloader, Elmer Keith, favored heavy SWC handloads at true +P loadings, which led to the development of the .44 Magnum.

 

[Farmer17]

I like the Double Tap 200 grain load mainly because it is a little cheaper than the other premium ammo. It has basically 45 ACP +P power
and still has manageble recoil, but I would really prefer a heavier bullet. Like a 240 grain SWC hollow point at about 1100 fps would be nice but I don't know of anyone making it in a factory load.

 

[Spotteddog]

If you could find such an illusive a creature as Farmer (above) described, I'd go with it. But of the roster of what you already listed? IMHO not a nickel's worth of difference between them. Pick the least expensive (LOL!), zero your gun and your done. I'm currently running Buffalo Bore's 255 grain SWC/GC @ 1000 FPS in my .44 Special. Anything other than the emasculated 246 grain LRN will get the job done.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Take a look at Hornady's 180 grain XTP .44 Special.

 

[flop-shank]

Originally posted by Wyatt Earp:
Take a look at Hornady's 180 grain XTP .44 Special.

I've shot Hornady 180 gr. XTP .44 mags into Perma-Gel. I'll bet that bullet at .44 spl. velocities is the butt spanker.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I've fired the 180 XTP .44 Special into water, and it failed to expand at all. Not a bit. I'm going to pull the bullets and load them in Magnum cases and see if I can load them to failure speeds.

 

[Rich S]

i might like a 240 gr lswc at around 1000fps. does buffalo bore make something like that? possibly in a WFN?
it's a classic kind of a low tech .44 load but it is still useful.
Regards,
Rich

 

[Tin]

Federal has made a 200gr, lead h/p at one time..Winchester has also produced a 200gr silvertip bullet and PMC has produced a 240gr H/P and a 240gr SWC. Dont know how available these rounds are but you might be able to find them at gun shows or at older pawn shops that stock ammo..I would believe that any of those should suit you.. TIN..

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Originally posted by Vanilla Gorilla:
I've fired the 180 XTP .44 Special into water, and it failed to expand at all. Not a bit. I'm going to pull the bullets and load them in Magnum cases and see if I can load them to failure speeds.

This is very interesting: http://brassfetcher.com/180grHorn44mag.html

Hornady 180 gr XTP .44 Magnum
4" revolver
MV: 1571 fps
Pen: 12.6 inches
ED: .743 inches

Based on the photo, the bullet held together very nicely.

 

[Spotteddog]

Yeah Rich,
B/B's is a 250 grain broad meplat "true" Keith SWC with the extra 5 grains coming from the gas check. FWIW: It's VERY hard cast and should be expected to penetrate like a half inch drill bit, that's been set on 1000 FPS!

 

[NE450No2]

I know you said you wanted one load, but I would carry a HP in the city and Buffalo Bores 255gr Cast bullet in the "woods".

If I could only have one load it would be the 255gr hard cast SWC.

 

[Andy Griffith]

If you want a factory load...try the CCI Blazer .44 Special Gold Dot.

It's about as much of a "flying ashtray" as you can get, and I've read of exceptional expansion with it, however I have never shot any game other than paper targets with it.

 

[senecaap]

I have had a great deal of success with the Buffalo Bore 255gr Keith SWC. I get good accuracy and have no qualms being in the bear areas with a HARD cast 255 @ 1000fps. It's the load I keep in my 24 all the time. I prefer the SWC for all my revolvers, and such loads are my choice from .38-.44. In second place, I like the Hornady 180xtp, for a lighter hp load.

 

[38-44HD45]

If you want a factory load...try the CCI Blazer .44 Special Gold Dot.

It's about as much of a "flying ashtray" as you can get, and I've read of exceptional expansion with it, however I have never shot any game other than paper targets with it.

The Lawman version of this load is my choice for SD in .44 Special, although I've carried the Blazer, too.

Re: Wyatt Earp's results with XTP; Exactly what I long ago came to expect from XTPs. Gotta run them FAST to get expansion. The tables Hornady publishes showing expansion velocities are nonsense on the bottom end. Very accurate bullets in every caliber in which I've tried them, but if you want expansion, better be driving them at magnum velocities.

 

[Two Guns]

I carry the 200 Gr Winchester Silvertips for my 3 inch 44 Special.When I roll my own I use a 240 Gr SWC Bullet with 5.4 Gr of Winchester 231 powder.

 

[stevep]

i just bought some of these, haven't tried them yet. .44 Special 255g Keith Style HardCast - Reed's Ammunition & Research, LLC