Range Report - .44 WC target loads

[elpac3]

Just got back from the range. Have been working on some .44 target loads on mag. cases for a summer shooting league.

Loads were worked up on .44 mag Starline brass using Bullseye powder, Federal large pistol primers and 200 grain RimRock wad cutters, seated to the crimp groove with a moderate roll crimp. Shooting was done over a rest using a 4" model 29-2 and a magneto speed chronograph.

4.0 BE 661 FPS
4.3 BE 771 FPS
4.5 BE 775 FPS
4.7 BE 798 FPS

The 4.0 grain load produced very poor accuracy at 50 yards. It was more like a pattern than a group and rounds were scatted within the 8 ring on the B-27.

Accuracy with the 4.3, 4.5 and 4.7 grain loads all shot x-ring accuracy cutting one ragged hole. I was a little surprised at the non-linear velocity jump when going from 4.0 to 4.3 grains and the very modest changes in velocity between the 4.3 to 4.7 grains.

Extreme velocity spread with the 4.0 grain load was 30 FPS and very smokey, while the velocity spread with the 4.5 grain load was 4 FPS and burned rather clean for Bullseye (all charges were individually weighed).

For comparison I loaded up some .44 special cases with 4.0 of BE using the same 200 grain RimRock wadcutter. Velocity was 712 FPS (velocity spread 5 FPS) and accuracy was excellent, producing X-ring groups at 50 yards.

There was really no noticeable difference in recoil between the 4.3 and 4.5 grain loads with time back on target between shots being about equal.

 

[ontargetagain]

Sounds like you found a nice load for the magnum case as well as the 44 spl case. Hope you do well in the leagues

 

[Nevada Ed]

Glad to see that those loads are working out when they get
near 773fps.
Maybe a 4.4 gr load for the sweet spot ?

Looking good.

 

[m657]

I've been surprised to find most of the pistol loads/calibers I shoot, prove more accurate at about 80-90% of their published maximum charges for any given slug.

Using 6 different powders & the same cast SWC-coated I recently bench tested some autopistol 10mm 180 loads with BE & found it producing the 2nd-best groups using the '3 steps down from max' recipe.

I was pleased in rooting around the loading cabinet to find I had another jug of BE hiding, so I wasn't really 'nearly out' of it as anticipated.

 

[elpac3]

Glad to see that those loads are working out when they get
near 773fps.
Maybe a 4.4 gr load for the sweet spot ?

Looking good.

The data was interesting. When you factor in the spread, the +/-, all the top three loads are within the margin of error of one another.

I have had the experience that wadcutters tend to fly best between 750 - 800 FPS. They have have the form factors of a rock and 50 yards is a stretch for any wadcutter (IMO). I am thinking the upper end loads we are seeing pressure increasing without the corresponding increase in velocity for this particular bullet and case combination.