New (to me) 44 Spec load

[H Richard]

A friend gave me a handful of 44 Spec cases several days ago, and when I got home to pitch in my 44 brass container I noted there was a pretty good accumulation of dirty brass, so I tossed it all in the tumbler and cleaned it all up. Then I decided to size it all, and cleaned the primer pockets. I looked over my pile of supplies and find a box of 245 gr cast SWC and a box of 200 gr cast RNFP. Not full boxes but enough to play with.

I looked up 44 Spec in my Lyman manual and for the 245 gr SWC I find recommendation for potentially most accurate load is 8.2 gr SR4756. I just happened to have a lb of that that a friend moving gave to me, and I had never used that powder before.

For the 200 gr RNFP I used Unique, 8.3 gr, also listed as potentially most accurate load with that bullet. I was reminded why I never liked using Unique, Just doesn't meter worth a darn, had to trickle in a top off on every load.

Shot them last night at my indoor 50 ft range and the 245 load gave a little less felt recoil and better accuracy than the 200, but all of them (12 rds each load) were within 4". For me, with a 3" barrel and iron sights I consider a good group.

I have just about enough bullets left in the box to fill up the available brass, so guess I'll just put them together. Soon as the weather warms up enough I'll have to run over the chronograph to see just what velocity I am getting from a 3" barrel.

Makes me think I will put this 24-3 into my carry rotation again.

 

[dannyabear]

I like the Speer 200 grain HP - Flying Ashtray

 

[992B]

My all around 44 Special load is 240 cast, 7.0 of Unique and a Remington large standard pistol primer. Make sure the bullet has a good , but not heavy crimp. Accurate, dependable and good enough for deer out to 50 yards. You can shoot them all day in a full size handgun and enjoy them. Gary

 

[andy52]

I load 250gr Keith style bullets on top of 6.5 grs of Accurate #5 for all my .44 Spls. My 24-3 6 1/2" shoots them with laser accuracy as well as my 3rd model. The Triple lock like them but not as well, however my 24-3 3" Lew Horton is lucky to get a 4" group at 50 ft off a rest.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I find good quality 246 grain SWC's out shoot anything else in any of the 44's (Special, Mag, Russian, and WCF!)

Ivan

 

[jimmyj]

In my present medical issues (numb fingers tips) when using Unique Powder I use a powder dipper and weigh each charge using a Hornady electronic powder scale.

 

[stu1ritter]

Dick, I have a couple of pounds of 4756 and am really liking it. Only problem, it was discontinued last year. I would buy more if I could find it. :~(

Stu

 

[cowboy4evr]

My favorite 44 special load is " THE Keith " 245 gr swc ( HG 503) on top of 7.5 grs of Winchester Super Field . It's not quite as powerful as the " Elmer Keith / Skeeter SKelton " load , but it sure works well . 4756 was a single base powder . I have often wondered about the powder line , Nobel Sport ( Vectan ) as it is also a single base powder . There might be something there that has about the same performance as 4756 . Regards , Paul

 

[elpac3]

Have also experienced the Unique frustration with metering. Just started experimenting with BE-86. Meters like Bullseye and throws pretty much grain for grain with Unique.

Have been working on some .44 loads as well as .357 and 9mm using BE-86. Always nice to have a back-up powder in case something should happen to the supply line.

 

[bigggbbruce]

In my present medical issues (numb fingers tips) when using Unique Powder I use a powder dipper and weigh each charge using a Hornady electronic powder scale.

Not sure what your medical condition has to do with Unique..

Before you trash me.. I have a plate in my neck at c4-5, degenerative condition at c3-4 most of my left hand is numb, neuropathy in all extremities..Glad to walk and shoot.

I use Unique and mostly just look in each case to compare charge to all in my loading block and test weigh a few. I don't run max loads, so a little error here and there is not catastrophic.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have no problem using SR4756 over Unique in a lot of my weapons.
Just that I am down to my last pound and hate to use it up, due
to the accuracy and fps that it will give me.

Also, night & Day on how it meters vs Unique powder plus I can
get very nice sub-sonic loads in my 9mm pistols with a 124 &147 bullet.
The noise level is so low with the 147gr, that I can hear the slide working
while wearing my head muffs.

Have fun.

 

[keith44spl]

I've been seriously loading the 44 Special for neigh on fifty years.

Of course, I load the 'Keith' load of a Lyman 429421 cast SWCs over Elmer's dose of 2400.

Also, Skelton's load of the Speer lead SWC and 7.5 gr. of Unique.

I sometimes, use a load of 15.0 gr. of 2400 with the 429421 cast hard
and the same powder charge of 2400 with a Winchester 210gr. Silvertip JHP.

I've used a Lyman No. 55 powder measure from the start. It's accurate.

.

 

[dr. mordo]

I wish I had some SR4756. It seems like a great powder, but one that was underutilized, so they quit making it.

I use Universal because I can't get Unique locally, but many folks say Universal does everything Unique does but meters better. Same with Herco.

 

[Kinman]

I carry a 24-3 L.H. Special on a regular basis. I messed around with some new molds I ran across (NEI .429 185Gr FWC). I like to call it the "Trash Can". I've tried a couple of decent loads the most accurate was 7.5gr. Unique, it shoots well with 8.0 gr also.

 

[Benchrest1]

I also have had good results with Universal for my 44 special loads.

 

[Forrest r]

While 4756 is a good powder it's not the best choice for the low pressured 44spl loads. Unique on the other hand performs extremely well in the 44spl cases.
Baffles help with powders that bridge like unique. Myself I never worried about it, the Hornady throw I use is +/- .2gr when using unique. Close enough for my needs.
I have a lot of respect the snubnosed 44spl's & have used/carried charter arms bulldogs since the 80's. The 44spl is a real thumper & is not only worthy of being an excellent choice for carry. You have to get into the 357/10mm range of cartridges in short bbl'd firearms to rival the 44sp.
Brian Pearce did an article on the 44spl back in AUG2005/#236, well worth reading.
http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/Brian Pearce on the 44 Special.pdf
Pearce did another article in feb-mar 2018/#312 on the 44spl with updated powders. I have that article with the updates. I've also done a lot of testing over the decades with my own cast & swaged bullets. At the end of the day unique, power pistol & the "king" of the 44spl loads 2400 are your friends.
FWIW:
I prefer 180gr to 220gr bullets in the short bbl'd 44spl's. Used to have a 6 1/2" bbl'd 624 & preferred the bullets in the same weight range in it also. In a 2 1/2" bbl'd ca bullgog I was getting 970fps to 1010fps with several bullets in the 180gr to 220gr weight range with 8.5gr to 9.0gr loads of unique. The last set of testing I did in the snubnosed 44spl.

I've showed that photo before, while it looks like hot loads. They really aren't. The bullet on the bottom left is a h&g #142 hp (h&g version of the lyman 429215 215gr bullet). Pearce used 3 different classes of pressure/firearms in the 2005 & 2018 articles. In the 2005 article pearce used 16.0gr of 2400 with the heavier lyman 429421 bullet for the class II loads. In the 2018 article pearce used 18.0gr of 2400 with the lyman 429215 bullet for the class II loads.
I targeted/stopped at +/- 1000fps with bullets in the 180gr to 220gr weight range in the light weight snubnosed 44spl revolver because of controllability. Start going hotter with a 18oz revolver & it's starts to get interesting. It's hard to get to the 1000fps range with heavier bullets in the short bbl.'s 44spl revolvers unless you step up to the class III loads & even them you're pushing the envelope.
For me it's lighter bullets in the short bbl'd 44spl's like these 220gr hbwc's turned backwards.

If I want to use a heavier bullet in the 44cal's I step up to 240gr/250gr hp's in the 4" bbl'd 44mag.

I'd be looking at some heavier loads with the unique/200gr bullet combo over a chronograph. You should end up with an eye opening 1000fps+ load in your 3" bbl'd 44spl.

 

[fltbed]

Have also experienced the Unique frustration with metering. Just started experimenting with BE-86. Meters like Bullseye and throws pretty much grain for grain with Unique.

Have been working on some .44 loads as well as .357 and 9mm using BE-86. Always nice to have a back-up powder in case something should happen to the supply line.

I to have been experimenting with BE-86 the last few years. Originally bought it to try in the 10mm and it's fair in the autoloading calibers, (9, 40, 10, 45acp) but I find it really shines in the revolver cartridges. (38/357, 44, 45Colt)
For light to medium loads it's impressive. My GP 44 Special load is the old button nose 215 gr SWC from Bear Creek. 7.2 gr of BE-86 gives me right at 950 f.p.s. in my Flat Top and I can hold around a 3" group at 25 yards with it. The young buck, SF sniper, with the perfect vision at my club, can group around half that with it. (oh to be young again)

I would suggest anyone frustrated with trying to throw charges of Unique to give BE-86 a try.

Jeff

 

[RoyM52]

I went back to 2400

 

[mattallamerican]

I used 7 grains of 231 with a cast 240 in a charter bulldog not for the recoil sensitive it really barks

 

[BC38]

I haven't seen anyone mention AA#2.
4.5gr under a 240gr LSWC moves out at 750-800 fps, which is pretty decent and the recoil is manageable, even in something as light as my Bulldog.
I also like it with a 200gr LRNFP over 5.2gr at 800-850 fps.