Loading full wadcutters 44mag/Spl

[BillBro]

Ive never loaded full wadcutters in any caliber, Ive really only recently started with cast bullets, but recently bought some 44cal 215gr hollow base wadcutters and am having quite the time finding any load data. Anyone have any advice? Places to look online? Loads theyve used? I have two Lyman manuals downloaded but they dont have this bullet.
These are an 11bhn alloy and could be fired in either a mag or Spl. Obviously the mag loads would be very light loads, maybe 900fps-950fps. Theyre .430" so too small for my Redhawk (.432" throats!) However my M29 or my 696 would be happy with them.
I have HERCO, PowerPistol, IMR4227, A5, A2, A7, A9, TrueBlue, titegroup and a few more.
I know folks are reluctant to offer loads to others firearms but Im aware of all the disclaimers and safe workup procedures.





These are also a hollow based wadcutter so can be loaded too as a hollowpoint. That would be a load there. Like the Federal 38spl HST load.
Also, if anyone has advice on crimping this type of bullet I am all ears.

 

[Rlg#17]

Flush with the case mouth is all good with crimping. Hogdon.com will give you all the info you need reference load data.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

 

[4barrel]

I have a shooting buddy with a Freedom Arms that they do good in but my SRH don't like them. Stay under 900 fps. His is a 1 in 20 twist.

 

[StakeOut]

I loaded some of the 44cal .430" 215gr HBWC a while ago in 44 Magnum cases using 4.0gr of Trail Boss.
I shot the in a 629-4 Mountain Gun and 3" 629-4 Bacpacker at 10,15,and at 25 yards in the MG with nice groups.
Too expensive to load a lot so I stick with the .44cal SWC bullets I get from summers enterprises.

 

[BillBro]

His bullets are a bit pricey. Thats why I only bought 100 to try. He has a couple that Ive tried that for my guns at least are worth the price. Ironically theyre some of his cheaper offerings but my Henry and RH love them.
So, as he suggests, keep them around 950fps and Im good? No special steps or preps to loading WC's? Crimping is standard roll? Flush with case mouth?

 

[Drm50]

That bullet doesn’t look like normal HBWC. Looks more like a button nose with HP cavity in base. I don’t believe you would have the considerations of velocity following conventional HBWC.
I recently obtained a 44 HBWC mold 214gr. Not finding data I decided to match velocity of 38Spec HBWCs which is easy to find.
I was concerned to stiff of load will damage skirts of HBWC and residue could possibly cause bulged barrel on next shot. I’m loading 5.0 gr Unique. I’m sure your Bullet could be pushed in 800 to 900 FPS with no problem. I have same bullet minus the cavity in 242gr for 45 cal. I run it with same charge as the 250RNFP original 45 Colt bullet at 850 fps.

 

[4barrel]

Sprue end looks rounded so seat flush with a small roll crimp.

 

[DWalt]

FWIW, my suggestion would be to use a manual’s recommended minimum (starting) load of a medium rate propellant (e.g., 231, Unique, AA#5, etc) for a similar weight but conventionally-shaped bullet if you can’t find any full WC load data. You say you have Herco, that should work well, not much different from Unique.

 

[rockquarry]

Years ago, I wound up with a Lyman .44 caliber wadcutter mould, probably from the '60s in like new condition. Bullet weight was in the 180 grain range with wheelweight alloy. I never could get the bullets to shoot decently. I have no load information in my notes on this one so can't provide any specifics, but, as I recall, I used data from an old Lyman book.

I never determined why this bullet shot so poorly for me.

 

[DWalt]

Years ago, I wound up with a Lyman .44 caliber wadcutter mould, probably from the '60s in like new condition. Bullet weight was in the 180 grain range with wheelweight alloy. I never could get the bullets to shoot decently. I have no load information in my notes on this one so can't provide any specifics, but, as I recall, I used data from an old Lyman book. I never determined why this bullet shot so poorly for me.

The Lyman cast bullet handbook does have loads listed for a 180 grain FWC .44 bullet.

 

[TexasViking]

Ive never loaded full wadcutters in any caliber, Ive really only recently started with cast bullets, but recently bought some 44cal 215gr hollow base wadcutters and am having quite the time finding any load data. Anyone have any advice? Places to look online? Loads theyve used? I have two Lyman manuals downloaded but they dont have this bullet.
These are an 11bhn alloy and could be fired in either a mag or Spl. Obviously the mag loads would be very light loads, maybe 900fps-950fps. Theyre .430" so too small for my Redhawk (.432" throats!) However my M29 or my 696 would be happy with them.
I have HERCO, PowerPistol, IMR4227, A5, A2, A7, A9, TrueBlue, titegroup and a few more.
I know folks are reluctant to offer loads to others firearms but Im aware of all the disclaimers and safe workup procedures.


These are also a hollow based wadcutter so can be loaded too as a hollowpoint. That would be a load there. Like the Federal 38spl HST load.
Also, if anyone has advice on crimping this type of bullet I am all ears.

You have some really good powders to work with. With the WCs having a BHN of 11, the velocity limit to avoid leading the bore might make starting with .44 Special a good idea. AA No 2 and TiteGroup will certainly work. And they're not as sensitive to powder positioning in the case as your powders that burn slower. Titegroup burns pretty hot but might do well with mid-range loads and pressure.
I'd probably want to compare True Blue because it's so pressure stable with less flash if you go with the hollowpoint option, but No 5 should be close. Herco and Power Pistol are in the same general burn-rate group while No 7 is a little slower. No 9 and IMR 4227 might be better used for a harder cast bullets at higher velocity.
As far as crimp, some just remove the flare for lighter HBWC loads, with no actual crimp. If you load them faster as a HP, a light crimp might help. Data isn't going to be easy to come by. the Western Manual has data for a 220 gr. Lead MCB using No 2 and No 5. My 2 Lyman manuals show mostly SWCs with one 180 gr. WC load in .44 Mag. Maybe Hodgdon and Alliant will have more. Lyman used a 215 gr. SWC in the 46th that became 210 grs. using a different alloy in the Pistol and Revolver III. If all else fails, a Start Charge for a 240 gr. SWC should work as a place to start.

 

[rockquarry]

The Lyman cast bullet handbook does have loads listed for a 180 grain FWC .44 bullet.

Yes, I think several of my old Lyman books have loads for this bullet.

 

[Forrest r]

interesting design, cast/shot thousands of them. I cast a 8/9bhn hbwc bullet

That bullet above was shot out of a 2 1/2" bbl'd ca bulldog

 

[smoothshooter]

Ise the same powder charge you would with any other 205-215 grain .44 lead bullet bullet. It does not matter that much.

 

[Nevada Ed]

With all those powders, I would first try a few Herco loads, if you can find any data.

Then try the faster and slower powders, if things don't work out for you.

You are not going to get too many test with just 100 bullets.

Good luck.

 

[Drm50]

With true Hollow Base Wadcutter the loads are reduced from solid WC.
Look in loading manuals under 38sp loads and notice the difference in charges. HBWCs loaded to hot can blow skirts. Ruining accuracy and possibly leaving skirt pieces in barrel. That’s how I came up with my loads in 44sp. Matched 38sp velocity.

 

[Chubbs103]

Ise the same powder charge you would with any other 205-215 grain .44 lead bullet bullet. It does not matter that much.

I would re-think that. Full wadcutters tend to take up a lot more of the case.

 

[Skeet 028]

With that HBWC bullet try 9 gr of Herco. Being HB you probaly won't have problems with the larger throats. The 180 gr Lyman is the 429 348 I think. I used it to shoot a lot with an old RSB 44. I ran across that mold a couple days ago. The original flying ashtray. I got good accuracy with both Red and Green dots but don't remember the loads. Maybe look for a load with 231

 

[venomballistics]

I have a love / hate relationship with wadcutters.
They make for some nice, relatively low report, subsonic loads. They hit harder than most at a given velocity as well. That's the love part...
It when we try to get that little bit extra out of them that the relationship begins to fall apart.
Around 1250 or so, soft target terminal performance makes a marked improvement well worth pursuing.
There is a shift from simply driving a hole through tissue toward a degree of pulverization.
This becomes more pronounced with greater velocity.
The problem here is that wadcutters tend to tumble at supersonic velocities. Perhaps at the accepted standard defensive ranges of 7 yards, this might not be any kind of an issue. It's appeal as a woodland load is spoiled by this issue however. I seldom load them today

 

[DWalt]

The principal purpose and intent of a WC bullet is to punch a very clean round hole in a paper target. They should be fired at a relatively modest velocity which has been determined to produce good grouping performance on target. While there is no doubt that WC bullets can be successfully used on living targets, I believe that there are other bullet designs better suited for that purpose.