No more Speer light load .44 mag?

[681ismyfavorite]

I looked and looked and cannot find any more Speer 200gr. .44 mag Gold Dot short bbl. this round was my favorite in my 6" mod. 629. loaded light for a .44 mag but still stouter than any .44spl. I sent an e-mail inquiry to Speer but got no reply. anyone know of a substitute?

 

[Cal44]

I read somewhere that the Speer Gold Dot 44 mag loads were discontinued.

I looked also and didn't find any in stock anywhere. Not on the Speer web site either.

Buffalo Bore offers a couple 44 mag low recoil loads. One SWC and one JHP.

They recommend these load for the model 329.

 

[Rammer Jammer]

Speer did discontinue them. This site says they are in stock, but their shipping is outrageous. Something like $29 to ship one box! Probably why they are the only ones to have them in stock.

Ammo Bee | Speer 44 Mag "Short Barrel" Gold Dot Hollow Point 200 GR 20Rds # 23971

 

[Borderboss]

When I bought my Model 69 2.75-inch, I sought this stuff out and managed to buy the last 200 rounds that Bud's Gun Shop had. I paid probably half what that Ammo Bee place wants.

Speer makes a .44 Special load with the same Gold Dot bullet. I contacted Speer to see if they have tested it with a short barrel, since most carry .44 Special guns are shorter barrel (think Charter Arms). They told me that they hadn't tested it, as they only test loads they feel will be used by law enforcement. They then told me that the bullet is designed to expand at or above 750 fps.

I've not yet been able to chrono the Speer .44 Special load in my 69, and I haven't found anyone on YouTube that's tested it in a short barrel gun.

 

[muddocktor]

Heck, they still make the bullets. Roll your own since they don't make them any more. Speer has load data on their website for the 200 grain bullets and 44 mag SB.

 

[Cal44]

A couple other interesting rounds, one of 44 mag and one for 44 special, are the Buffalo Bore 200gr hard cast wadcutters.

Sort of like the flat point 38 Special wadcutters some use for SD and small game hunting -- on steroids.

 

[Borderboss]

Buffalo Bore gets mentioned a lot, but I think their prices are crazy. In this case, over $2/round for their heavy 44 Special or lower recoil 44 Magnum is kinda nuts.

 

[muddocktor]

Buffalo Bore gets mentioned a lot, but I think their prices are crazy. In this case, over $2/round for their heavy 44 Special or lower recoil 44 Magnum is kinda nuts.

I'm with you on that, Borderboss. I'm not going to pay $2/round for something I can load myself for a small fraction of that price. And the Speer bullets are known good performers too and they have specific load data on their website for loading short barrel ammo with that bullet for 44 Mag.