Chronographing M24-3 3" .44 Special

[special44]

Has anyone chronographed a M24-3 3" .44 Special as opposed to a 4" or 6-1/2" barrel of the same model ? If so, what were the results ? I'd like to know what to expect in the way of velocities from the 3" using something like R.C.B.S. 44-250K over 6.5 gr. Unique with CCI standard Large Pistol Primers.

 

[Frank237]

In my 3" 696....... Starline brass, CCI300, 245 gr #429421 Keith slug, and 7.0 of UNIQUE
gave me 880 fps.

Same but with 7.5 of UNIQUE...... 950 fps.

FN in MT

 

[canoe on the yukon]

As you know,the same load will yield a different velocity with different revolvers even with the same barrel length.That being said,it's reasonable to observe ball park figures.

While not the 44 special,I've used a lot of reduced loads in the 44 magnum which can be used for comparison.One particular load of Lyman429421(250 Keith),backed by 8.5 gr of Unique in the magnum case showed nearly 200 fps less in a 3" 629 compared to a 6 1/2" 29.

The old school method of 35 fps for each inch of barrel length can be referred to but I've found it to be a bit more than that.As a generic ball park estimate,I usually expect around 100 fps or so less from a 4" than a 6" and about 50 fps below that with a 3".

As others will point out,the only way to know is to chronogragh using the particular load in a specific gun.But if you estimate 150-200 fps or so less with the 3" revolver compared to a 6".I think you'll be in the ball park.

 

[canoe on the yukon]

Special44,

Since responding to your thread,I've looked up old records and can now give a more definate answer than before although the gist of it doesn't change.

The reduced load that I mentioned gave an average velocity of 1017 FPS from a 6 1/2" model 29(kind of spooky as the old lyman manual showed 1015).A 3" model 629 gave an average of 834 FPS......183 difference.

A test that Lee Jurras did some years ago is impressive for the reason that he put a 10 inch Douglas premium barrel on a Ruger Super Blackhawk,chronographed three loads and proceeded to test removing one inch at a time.To make certain of consistancy,he used the very same chamber for each shot.There was no change other than the one inch reduction of the barrel between strings of ammo chronographed.He went from ten inches down to two inches.About 400 shots were fired in all.

The medium velocity load will be more relevant to your 44 special question and so I'll limit comments to that.The Remington medium velocity load gave the following results.The ten inch gave 1077 and as each inch was removed they gave 1085,1057,990,1000,973,923,873,655.As you can see,the six inch giving 1000 while the three inch shows 873 makes a difference of 127.Not bad.But as always,it depends on the guns involved.

I've seen revolvers with the same barrel length show well over 100 FPS difference with the same load.

 

[bronco45]

Brian Pearce in a Handloader magazine a couple of years ago, did a series on 44Spls and listed the loads as recorded in a 24-3 3",4" and a 6.5".

His loads were listed from factory duplicates to "high test" in the 25K pressure range.

Lost that "don't lose" issue in a spring cleaning frenzy.