elpac3
Member
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.
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.