ratgunner

I have a Ruger 50th Anniversary in .44 mag. But I just got a Ruger FT .44spl. in 5.5". So my loading manuals all show pretty tame loads but I know I can go up to 7.5 of Unigue for Skeeters load in this gun.Ive made up some 240XTPs with 6.8grn of Unique and 200XTPs with 13.5grn of 2400 but haven't shot them yet. No I'm not trying to make "magnum" loads for it but just want to reach it's potential for safe loads. The books are cautious for older guns. I'd like to hear any info especially for 200 and 240 grn XTPs. I'm also looking to get some cast bullets. Thanks.

leroy

We shoot a ton of 250 hardcast flat base semi wadcutters in our 44 specials (...colts, smiths, and rugers...) and mags. We use the 7.5 grain Unique "Skeeter Load" with excellent results. Velocities in the 900 to 1000 fps range. These loads are accurate, powerful, and relatively cheap to produce. Take the time to check out the Penn Bullets website and the Western Bullets website for some good cast bullets. We use the lyman 429424 type bullet.

Hope this helps.
leroy

ratgunner

Thank you. I was looking at Lasercast 240 swc at Cabelas but they seem expensive. Any help on the XTPs ?

rclark

Check out Rimrock Bullets . I get excellent results. Load 7.5g Unique/Universal almost exclusively. There are 'plenty' of other good loads too that I've found!

Rodfac

As to Hornady's 200 gr. XTP bullet, Sierra's CD Load Data program goes up to 8.8 gr of Unique for a chrono'd velocity of 950 fps using Winchester brass and CCI 300 caps, in a S&W M24 with 6.5" bbl.

I've used 8.3 gr of Unique, Winchester brass and caps in my Ruger 4-5/8" bbl'd .44 special with great results. Velocity was a chrono'd 925 fps and groups ran under 1-1/4" at 25 yds from a sitting rest position.

For cast bullets, I've had good results with the Skelton load (240 gr cast with 7.5 gr. of Unique) but find that Unique does not meter well through my Dillon 550B press. Instead, I use Winchester 231 or HP38 (Win 231 and HP38 are the same powder with a different label according to a trusted distributor). With 231, 5.6 gr's gives me a mild 750 fps, and 6.5 gr, over 950 fps. Both will do better than 1-1/2" gps at 25 yds with any good LSWC I've tried.

A favorite for me when not casting my own is Missouri Bullets 240 gr. BBLSWC; really good bullets from this outfit, almost as good as my carefully hand cast ones! If casting my own, I size them to .432", but find that commercially cast ones at .430 or .431" do about as well...good accuracy and minimal leading.

If the gun is new to you, you might try jacketed bullets for a box or two to 'season' the bore. It helped my SS .44 Special Ruger, which had some leading issues initially. I really like the 200 gr Hornady XTP in this caliber when I go to Jacketed bullets...it can be pushed faster than the heavier ones, expands well, and is more accurate than I can hold. It's my understanding that the 240 gr XTP has a heavier jacket than the 200 gr bullet, and is meant to be a compromise bullet for both rifle and handgun...the 200gr meant for short gun use. Can't tell you where I heard that, but it makes sense to some extent. I've not done comparative expansion tests, and Hornady's site is mum on the subject...

The pic below shows some of the 6.5 gr / Win 231 results with one of my cast Lyman #429215 GC bullets. That's an authoritative load, fun to shoot, lighter recoil wise than the heavier 240's...and one of my favorites.

HTH's Rod

NVcaster

7.5 grains of universal and a kieth bullet! 5.5 grains of american select does well too>

rclark

Rodfac, you might want to see how Universal meters in your Dillon. Load it the same as Unique (7.5g) under the 240g bullet.

Ruger .44Spec Flattop 5 1/2"

7.5g __Unique, CCI-300, 240g SWC, 1033fps, 10 SD, 29ES (12 shots)
7.5g Universal, CCI-300, 240g SWC, 1037fps, 10 SD, 36ES (29 shots)

Both meter fine for me, so I just interchange the two powders depending on what I have on hand or feel like.

Another excellent load that matches the skeeter load is

9.5g AA#5, CCI-300, 240g SWC, 1029fps, 7 SD, 26ES (15 shots)


Also noted that W-231 shot well in my flattops as well. I only tested 6.0g and 7.0g...

6.0g W-231, CCI-300, 240g SWC, 895fps, 8 SD, 32ES (15 shots)
7.0g W-231, CCI-300, 240g SWC, 996fps, 5 SD, 14ES (10 shots)

As I said above there are 'plenty' of good loads for .44Special. Out of all my tests, there are only two loads in my .44Spec load table that I haven't marked as accurate... It is funny, because I have tested a lot of .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .44Mag, and .357 loads, but only a few do I have marked as accurate. What's with these .44 Specials I wonder? Yes, I wonder....

Rodfac

rclark thanks for the tip on Universal...I share your sentiments on the accuracy of .44 Special loads...I've got four of them now...3 Rugers, and a Smith...and son #1 has a Colt SAA and another Smith...both of us have had excellent luck with them. To be honest, I've never found a load that was "Bad", given a good bullet (for lead that is), but none of mine like Remingon's 240 JHPs (+3" gps on these, tho they group nicely in .44 Magnum loads). Hornady XTP's of both weights shoot wonderfully...often down around an inch if I'm having a decent day with my glasses and the iron sights.

Here's my story on Unique..I've loaded since the early 60's, and over that time, accumulated a variety of powders...more than I use for the most part. Ken Waters excellent books "Pet Loads" has contributed to my powder collection maybe more than any other source. About 15 years ago, I got on a kick to see if I could find one powder that would work in virtually all of my guns, the short ones, and for the tgt to mid level loads! I'd had good results with Win 231 and soon found that it worked well for them all...from .30 Luger to .45 LC...it's just about "universal". Good accuracy, relatively clean and it meters through anything. This project started before I got my Dillons, but I noted that it meters there just fine.

I've had good luck with Unique, but again, in small charges especially...say less than 5-6 grs, the charge to charge differences were excessive...sometimes up to .5 gr, and this even through an RCBS universal measure, with the small pistol drop tube installed. When I got the Dillons (two 550B's, kept set up for Large and Small primer sizes), I polished the drop tube and flaring mechanisms to smooth their use with stick powders, but had no luck with Unique.

Finally, I dropped Unique as a regular propellant, except for occasional use...231 or its equivalent, HP38 does it for me, and I buy them in the big kegs too.

Thanks too for the load data...you're getting 50-75 fps more velocity from your loads than I'm getting with mine...I use Winchester caps almost exclusively for their easy, non-jamming feed in the Dillons. CCI's have been a problem in my presses. Velocity is a function of bore size and condition, crimp strength, age of the brass, and manuf. of the brass, and I may have missed a cpl variables so who knows.

With Win 231 or HP38, 6.5 gr is my standard for all LSWC's in .44 Special...great shooting load, maybe a smidgeon slower than the Skelton load of 7.5 gr of Unique.

Again, thanks for the tip...I enjoy your posts...Rod BTW: the pic is one of the first 25 yd groups shot with hand cast Lyman 429215 gc's, a 220 gr bullet when cast from WW, and that 6.5 gr load of 231...the Ruger Flat Top sports a pair of my grips...Cheers.

rclark

I know. It was for that reason, I had one of the guys here put his chronograph behind mine awhile back. Chronographs agreed within a few fps. I also bought check weights for my scale and it was still reading right on..... So the conclusion was, well we are a mile high here which I have heard will make a difference than someone shooting closer to sea level. I haven't done any research to that, just accepted it . Doesn't matter what caliber either.

NVcaster

I have trouble with Unique metering and to some extent universal. I think its a static problem.

Dale53

I have been a fan of .44 Specials for more years than most of you have in age. However, I didn't get my first one until the sixties when a good friend died. I helped the widow dispose of his guns and reloading stuff. I have a personal rule to never buy anything from a friend's estate - just try to sell and get the best price for the widow. However, in this case my friend had a 1950 Target model in .44 Special and after he died (before the estate sale) someone with poison hands had handled the revolver without wiping it off. It was covered with light rust...

After I managed to sell all of the reloading stuff, the widow insisted I buy the revover. It had been priced by someone else and was a fair price. I decided to buy it. I sent it back to Smith and had it refinished. I still have this fine revolver. It is not a collectible by any means but a great shooter and reminds me of my friend and good days in the past.

I early on settled for the Skeeter load (I had a .44 magnum SBH and didn't need a magnum level load for the Special). I get great results with the Skeeter load. I have taken all of my deer with the .44 magnum but have taken a nice pile of edible small game (cottontails, squirrels, snowshoe rabbits and grouse).

In my early years with the Special I used the Lyman 429421 Keith bullet but a few short years ago I got involved with the Mihec group buys and ended up with both solid and hollow point bullets for the Mihec H&G #503 bullet. This is a 250 gr home cast bullet as near a perfect Keith as is possible to land. I furnished the dimensions to Mihec from my early H&G two cavity mould. Here is a picture of the Mihec mould and the hollow point bullets:





The solid or hollow points work extremely well in both the .44 Special and Magnum revolvers.

I have six .44 Specials currently (1950 Target, two Smith 624's, a 6½" and a 4", a Cimmaron Single Action, and last, but not least a blued 5½" Flat Top Lipsey Special and a 4 5/8" TALO Special. I will NOT pick a favorite but suggest that any one of them are "good to ride the river"...

Dale53

Rodfac

Good Post Dale...that Mihec 250 shoots like a dream in my .44's....specials and mag's too....Great pics, Regards, Dave

ratgunner

Lots of good info here on cast bullet loads wich I will use after I break my gun in with jacketed. So does anyone have a load book for Hornady 200XTPs ? I could really use the info for Unique and 2400,thanks.

rclark

Sounds like a good excuse to go down to your Local shop and pick up a Hornady Reloading manual . Never enough manuals . You won't find a 2400 load for .44Spec but Unique for the 200g XTP goes from 5.2g to 7.0g .... I don't shoot jacketed...

Dale53

ratgunner;
Brian Pearce has an excellent article in the #260 Handloader magazine. Wolfe Publishing has back issues for sale. Or, you can send me a P.M. with your email address and I will send you a PDF of the article. It is EXACTLY what you want...

Dale53