Need M29 medium loads, 3" bbl data

[sonny]

I have used Search, but was not very successful. I have a new (to me) 29-4, 3" bbl and want medium loads with my 250gr hard cast Keith bullets. About 1000 fps. Do I use faster powders (W-231, Unique, HS-6) to burn cleaner or slower powders (2400, H-110, IMR-4227 for velocity)? And throw in the theory. Thanks.
Sonny

 

[sonny]

I have used Search, but was not very successful. I have a new (to me) 29-4, 3" bbl and want medium loads with my 250gr hard cast Keith bullets. About 1000 fps. Do I use faster powders (W-231, Unique, HS-6) to burn cleaner or slower powders (2400, H-110, IMR-4227 for velocity)? And throw in the theory. Thanks.
Sonny

 

[Snapping Twig]

Fast or mid range powders for non magnum.

In a magnum case, try 7g W231 under that boolit. It might not get you to 1000fps, but it will push it over 800fps and produce some spank downrange. Experiment for best results.

Unique or HS 6 might be your best bet here. I don't have data, but I am certain others will.

Edit for theory...

Efficiency is lost when magnum powders are used for mid range loads. Pressure is king for complete combustion. You get this with fast and mid range powders for light and mid range loads. Loading 2400 and W296 or 4227 light wil cause unburned powder and potentially squibs, especially with W296.

 

[mark5pt56]

I use 8 grains of Unique in both the 3" 629 and 6 1/2" 29. Tried 7.5-9 so far in .5 increments, the 8 was by far the most accurate and mild.

I might try some Universal down the road.

What grips are those?

Mark

 

[Watergoat]

Get the current Speer loading manual. They have separate pages for loading the Short Barrel Gold Dotd in 357 and 44. About 1000 fps is where you want to be. They have advice on powders. I think I used Power Pistol, can't recall.

 

[sonny]

Originally posted by mark5pt56:
What grips are those?

Mark

The grips are by Eagle, but are slightly too large for my average hands. I am thinking of trying the Ahrends brand.
Sonny

 

[MTKTM]

I've been shooting for 50 years, reloading for 40, and, oddly, have never owned or reloaded for a 44 Mag. Every other caliber under the sun, it seems, but not that one.

My father had one of the early S&W 44 Mags that he got in the 50s which, sadly, was stolen during the 80s, so I bought him a nice 629 to replace it. He used a load of 10.0 grains of Unique with a 240 grain gas-check bullet almost exclusively for decades. It was not a full-tilt load, but was not a 44 Special equivalent either. Others have suggested a slightly milder load, and that's not a bad idea. Eight to nine grains might be just the ticket for what you are trying to do.

Unique it a little bit 'dirty', but a good versatile powder aside from that aspect.

 

[Sara Noh]

I use the ever popular Skeeter load of 7.5 gr. Unique in both .44 Special and .44 Magnum. I've used 9.0 gr. Unique in the Magnum, while 10.0 gr. might not be a maximum load I'd imagine it would be rather lively. A little bit more than I'd want to shoot other than occasionally.

 

[mark5pt56]

Look nice, what to fat?

Originally posted by sonny:

Originally posted by mark5pt56:
What grips are those?

Mark

The grips are by Eagle, but are slightly too large for my average hands. I am thinking of trying the Ahrends brand.
Sonny

 

[RidgwayCO]

According to QuickLOAD, 10.0gr of Unique should get you in the ballpark, at reasonable pressures. And all of it is predicted to be burned before the bullet exits the barrel.

Personally, I'd be very careful with the faster powders because as charge weights increase, the resultant pressure doesn't always increase in a linear fashion. And the slower "magnum" powders (#9/2400/N110/296/H110/4227/etc) need more pressure to be efficient (with low or moderate pressure, there'll be a lot of unburned powder blown out the barrel or left behind to bind up the cylinder).

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

In Handloader number 237, there's an excellent article by Brian Pearce on mid-range .44 loads. For the 250 gr. Keith(Lyman no. 429421)he has the following listed from a 4" S&W.
1)7.5 gr. 231 =942
2)8.0 gr. 231 =983
3)8.5 gr. Unique =922
4)9.5 gr. Unique =1,024
5)12 gr. HS-6 =1,067
6)13.5 gr. HS-7 =1,108
7)9.0 gr. Power Pistol =959
Standard large pistol primers (CCI 300, Fed 150) used throughout. Hope this helps, Gun.

 

[tommy F]

my latest med load is Keith SWC seated to front shoulder over 6.0 Titegroup for approx 900 fps

 

[sonny]

Thank you all for your help. My bullets came in today from Leadheads Bullets in St. Johns, Kansas. Will be able to get some cartridges loaded up in the next week.
Merry Christmas to all you folks.

Sonny

 

[Don K.]

10.0g. of Unique, 250g. Keith from leadheads, in mag cases averages 1055 fps out of the 3" 29.
7.5g. of Unique in Special cases with same bullet, averages out at 897 fps in the 3".

 

[South40]

About 18.0 grains of 2400 would be a good place to start. With a chronometer you could adjust the velocity to get your 1000 f/s. It may be that you can get your 1000 f/s with 16 or 17 grains, but I'm not familiar enough with 3" .44's to give a more precise estimate. {You'll definitely feel 250's going 1000 f/s from a 3 incher!} BTW, the best single method a reloader can use to validate safe pressures and insure MV's meet your needs is with a chronograph. The reloading tables are often way off with respect to your gun; some use 8" test barrels [which may be tighter than yours] so the velocities are quite different than you'll get. CHRONY is a cheap one and quite reliable. If you're a serious reloader, you'll get a chronograph which will be a valuable tool to help you through all the various reloading manuals - some of which will be accurate for your guns, some not.

 

[Wesprt]

I've starting using Bullseye for .44. 6.5 grains and a good roll crimp gets around a thousand FPS out of a 4'' with a 255 Keith. Very clean and a SD of something like 6. I also get around a thousand loads from 1 lb

 

[Wyatt Earp]

6.5 grains of W231 under a 250 grain SWC or 6.0 under a 200 grain RNFP.

 

[29aholic]

I have shot 1000's of rounds of 7grs. of 700X and a 240 LSWC. Hot enough load to obturate the bullet, but mild enough you can shoot them all day.

 

[Catshooter]

I think south40 has it about right. I've chronoed the classic Keith load of a 250 and 22 grains of #2400 out of my three incher and it was 1350 fps or so. You do notice it.

Cat

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
I have a Trail Boss 3 in
and I use Trailboss powder for light loads.
Go to the websight , get the max load for
your bullet weight, use a heavy crimp,
and don't forget the mag primers.
Pressures will be light, about 800 to 900fps,
clean, and no worries about double charging