Light 44 load.

[Tam 3]

Has anyone simply put a 44Spec. charge in a 44Mag. case topped off with a lead 44Spec. bullet and seated it low in the Mag case to Spec. OAL.
Seems that it would very simply give Special performance in the more common Mag. brass.

Am I missing something??

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[TAROMAN]

Just use Trail Boss powder in your mag cases. That's what its made for.

 

[Tam 3]

Understood, but I was hoping to use Win. 231.

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[vico512]

I had the same question. I've seen several threads here advising to just use the 44 Mag brass, and load appropriately. Those that have run tests seem to confirm that there is essentially no difference using the Mag brass vs the 44 Spl brass. Just use a faster burning powder, such as noted above.

Win 231 (HP38) should work just fine -- pay close attention to the loading tables.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Using the Lyman 429421 SWC mould, I get a 250g bullet from straight WW.

In a magnum case, I load 7g W231 under it and I crimp it in the crimping groove.

I figure this to be @ 900fps give or take.

Very nice load.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I've found that using 1/2- 1 grain more of 231 in a .44 mag case than listed for a Special case (depends on brass brand and bullet used) pretty much duplicates the velocity of the same components in the Special case (bullets, brass etc), and there's no need to scrub anything out of your chambers afterwards.

Plus generally (though not always), having the bullet seated closer to the throats and the forcing cone in the barrel helps improve accuracy.

 

[buck460XVR]

Has anyone simply put a 44Spec. charge in a 44Mag. case topped off with a lead 44Spec. bullet and seated it low in the Mag case to Spec. OAL.
Seems that it would very simply give Special performance in the more common Mag. brass.

Am I missing something??

Regards,

Tam 3

Understood, but I was hoping to use Win. 231.

Regards,

Tam 3

I use 231 in .44mag cases for my 329NG. Works very well. I use .44mag specific recipes tho, but get .44 special performance.

 

[HEAD0001]

Personally I do not know what the difference is between a 44 Special bullet and a 44 magnum bullet?? I always thought they were the same thing. And I am also not sure why you would want to seat it any deeper??

You can easily down load 44 magnum to give 44 Special performance. I do it all the time with 2400 for my 329 PD. Tom.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Tam,
The question is a good one. It makes folks think, that is, if they will.

You are and have come up with the right answer. Now, G4F has given a workaround to you for the same situation. It is the reverse of what you are thinking. You are thinking, reduce volume in the case and use 44Spl data. He is giving you the option of seating the bullet as a 44Mag and getting the ballistic results of the 44Spl.

Same same.

The thing you are espousing is what I have been trying to say all along about OAL. OAL doesn't really matter unless the bullets compared are the same length, making the seating depth the same. If you have a 240gr spire point bullet, the bullet OAL is going to be much different than a LSWC. If seated to the same OAL, more of the spire point is going to be in the case. If your load is at maximum, you could be in trouble.

I am speaking in generalities about the loads, not yours in particular.

If a 44mag is seated to 44Spl OAL, and the bullets are the same as the data for the shorter cartridge, guess what? You have a 44Spl load!

At any rate, yes, you can do what you are thinking.

 

[Tam 3]

Thank you for all of the replies.

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[Univibe]

Sure. I have a 6.5" 629. I load 11 grains of AA#5 under a 240 grain SWC. Haven't chronoed it, but published data (extrapolated from .45 Long Colt) indicates around 1050 or 1100 fps.

Very accurate, pleasant to shoot, but you still know you're shooting more than a .44 spl. I call it Magnum Lite.

 

[SLT223]

Understood, but I was hoping to use Win. 231.

Regards,

Tam 3

7.5-8.0gr of 231 is very pleasant under a 200gr plated or lead bullet all in 44RM brass.

 

[stansdds]

I see no reason to seat the bullet deeper into a 44 (or 357) Magnum case when duplicating the velocity of the 44 (or 38) Special. You may need to increase your powder charge by 0.5 to 1.0 grain, but that's the only thing I do.

 

[RoyM52]

seating the bullet deep just gives a larger space for jump to the riffling. No advantage, and possibly less accuracy.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I guess I will take the other side of this discussion . I'm not going to offer up my opinion . Instead I will tell you from experience . I have and do sometimes seat a cast bullet deeper in the case crimping on the front driving band on a swc design . I do use a lower powder charge , something to give target , or even mid range velocities . I have personally seen no different in accuracy . I got started doing this when I noticed some factory lead stuff is seated deeper . One of the " pluses " is that case life is longer as you are not working the case mouth as much with a full roll crimp . For shooting cans and paper targets it has worked just fine for me . Your mileage may vary ---Paul

 

[arjay]

I've used a max 44 special charge of 7 grs Unique with a cast 240 gr swc in 44 magnum brass.It was a nice mild load from a 5" 629 and a 4" Anaconda

 

[Duckford]

Loaded about 490 Keith bullets I cast myself into fresh 44 magnum brass with a lighter load of 7.5 grains Unique, my mistake was seating the bullet long. The rounds were real boomers as the powder burn was not optimal, shot accurate enough, but the muzzle blast made the lighter loads report and blast closer to a magnum, filthy burning. Next round I'll seat them deeper and use a faster powder. Out of work right now, but have been mulling buying a case of 44 Special and/or 44 Russian for light put put loads. Not sure if the powder savings would ever make up for the cost of the brass (which at least would last a lifetime hopefully), I'll try some faster burning powders and deeper seating next time, but if you are going to do a lot of lighter loads a shorter case investment might make some sense.

 

[yeti]

Understood, but I was hoping to use Win. 231.

Regards,

Tam 3

With W231/HP38 I really liked 7.5gr in a mag case under a 240LSWC seated to crimp groove. Nice accurate load that is pleasant to shoot a bunch.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Like the 38 vs 357 thing........
with the ADDED case volume, you need to add a touch more powder to
get the load close to the smaller case's fps.

There is no problem with pressures but you do need to do the job right.

Being in a longer case, SHOULD give better accuracy, but not a given.
Tight groups.

 

[mikld]

BTDT many, many times (44 Magnum is my most favorite round and I've reloaded it since '88). I have used 44 Special loads right out of the manual, same bullets, same charges, no "formula". Just remember that the listed Special loads will be higher than that load in Magnum brass actually produces.

I have way more Magnum brass than I have Special brass, so I have loaded everything from 123 gr balls over a dusting of Bullseye up to a 300 gr T-Rex killer over a near max load of W296 and WC820, all in Magnum brass...