44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

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JohndeFresno
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44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by JohndeFresno »

Handloader Magazine June 2017 (HL issue 308) has a good article on 44 Special Handloads. ".44 S&W Special Bullets and Powders for Standard Pressure Loads" by Brian Pearce shows several loads with different bullets, bullet weights and powders at 15,500 psi pressure levels and some factory loads. It has a nice little history of the round and pics of various handguns, and some charts I have not seen before - like Typical Groove Diameters of various Gun makes, Representative Throat Diameters of various Gun makes.

There are multiple loads of several powders - e.g. 6.5, 7.0, 7.5 with MV's; and I like the he included some newer powders like True Blue and Hodgdon CFE Pistol in the loads.

As an aside, there also is a better than average article on Annealing Rifle Brass.
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Sixgun
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by Sixgun »

John,
Yes, excellent article. I still say these guys need things to write about to preserve their usefulness.

I still have not figured out a better load for all around shooting/plinking than 6 grains of Bullseye and the 250 Keith SWC. That's the problem with getting semi old....you know what works and close your mind up. Go to 7.5 or 8 of Unique and your good for deer ....anything more, get a magnum.----6
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JohndeFresno
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by JohndeFresno »

Sixgun wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2017 1:57 pm ...I still have not figured out a better load for all around shooting/plinking than 6 grains of Bullseye and the 250 Keith SWC...
I totally get that, Sixgun. My all-time favorite load for my .44 Magnum, for example, is a "warm" .44 Special strength load in magnum casings. It uses a a 240 grain SWC and 9.0 gr. Unique for just a tad over 1,000 fps (chronographed) in my 6.5-inch Taurus barrel. Unique is great for my .45 Colt loads, as well. And I like Bullseye for the .45 ACP.

It's nice to know of other powders that work, in case of emergency or shortages.
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GunnyMack
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by GunnyMack »

I tried CFE Pistol in my 41 mag, I wasn't all that impressed with its performance. But then again I wasn't looking for a plinking load.
Love the 44 special much more the mags in a wheelgun, Geeze haven't played with my 44's in a long time...
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JerryB
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by JerryB »

I have been loading Unique in the .45 Colt since 1960 and the .44 special since 1983. Top loads for the Colt are 9 and 10 grains of Unique and I think the old Skeeter load of 7.5 is the top load for the .44 special.
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by Sixgun »

Sure....you guys know Bullseye and Unique will do whatever these new powders will. These new powder companies just want a piece of the action and then make all kinds of claims to their superiority. I hear "cleaner burning", less flash, not affected by temperature,....bs.....I have 30 half full containers of various powders and keep going back to the 8 pounders of Bullseye and unique.---6
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BruceB
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by BruceB »

JerryB wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:50 pm I have been loading Unique in the .45 Colt since 1960 and the .44 special since 1983. Top loads for the Colt are 9 and 10 grains of Unique and I think the old Skeeter load of 7.5 is the top load for the .44 special.
I've been told that 8.5 gr of Unique was the top for .45 Colt now.
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JerryB
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by JerryB »

Just to stay on topic: I really like using Unique for my .44 special. But I have not seen or heard that 8.5 grains is the top load for the .45 Colt. Are you saying that is the top load for a Colt SAA or the top load for the .45 Colt round in any gun?
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JimT
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Re: 44 Special Handloads - Handloader Mag

Post by JimT »

For longer range I use 16.5 gr. 2400 and the Keith 250 gr. SWC in my .44 Special. It's a good hunting load also.

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