More chronographing:The 44 Magnums

[bigbore442001]

I had some free time this morning and I wanted to shoot before it got really hot. We're getting a bit of a heat wave here in New England and the range can get very hot. So I decided to do some more testing with the shooting chrony. I was somewhat perplexed by the results but then this is what happens in the real world, so to speak.

I tested four types of 44 magnums. Two revolvers and two Contender barrels. I shot one type of handload over the screens. The load is as follows:
44 magnum case Starline
22.5 grains of IMR 4227 powder
270 grain Speer Gold Dot Soft Point
CCI magnum primer.
Profile crimp used on cases

The guns:

Ruger Redhawk stainless 5 1/2 inch barrel
Ruger Redhawk stainless 7 1/2 inch barrel, magnaported.
TC Contender 10" barrel
TC Contender 16" barrel.

The chronograph was set up ten feet away from the muzzle. I did not test for accuracy per se . All of the data was based on ten shots for each type of gun.

Ruger Redhawk 5 1/2 :

1194.5 fps average velocity

Ruger Redhawk 7 1/2 :

1219.7 fps average velocity

TC Contender with 10" barrel:

1323.6 fps average velocity

TC Contender with 16" barrel:

1412.8 fps average velocity

I was expecting to see a greater difference in velocity between the two revolvers but that wasn't the case. In addition I expected that the sealed breech of the Contenders would show a much greater difference. The load that I used for this little shooting session wasn't what I intended to use. I have the same load using Hodgdon's Lil Gun powder. I inadvertently used a box of reloads that used some IMR 4227 powder. The next time I go shoot I will have to look carefully and use the batch that has the Lil Gun under the bullet.

[DixieBoy]

Big Bore - Except that you didn't see a little more velocity out of your 7 1/2" bbl. Redhawk over the 5 1/2" bbl. I don't see
that much else that's surprising. Your two Redhawks are giving you basically 1200 fps with that load, the 10" Contender is
giving you close to 1300 fps and the 16" Contender is giving you pretty much 1400 fps. I'd say that any wild hogs, 2 or 4
legged, that cross your path bes' steer clear. - DixieBoy

[Terry Murbach]

THERE IS SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE RESULTS YOU OBTAINED IN THE TESTING. THE NUMBERS FROM THE SIXGUNS AND THE CONTENDER BARRELS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HELLOFALOT FURTHER APART. LIKE MAYBE 5-600 FEET APART INSTEAD OF 200fps DIFFERENCES. I THINK THAT THIS LOAD USING IMR4227 DOES NOT HAVE THE MOXIE TO COME CLOSE TO WHAT 296 OR H110 WILL DELIEVER IN SUCH GUNS. AND YET YOU ARE TWO FULL GRAINS OVER THE TOP LOAD FOR THE 270grGDSP SPEER HAS IN THEIR NEWEST MANUAL. INTERESTING.

[bigbore442001]

Well I am all out of IMR 4227 and I believe I will stick with Lil'Gun and H110 for my 44's. I was somewhat disappointed in the numbers across the screens. Hopefully that will be different with the other powders.

[Ravenman]

Some data of my reloads:

Ruger Redhawk 7 1/2" stainless

Hornady XTP HP 300grs. Alliant 2400 17.0 grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'191 fps
Hornady XTP HP 200grs. Alliant 2400 22.0 grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'499 fps
Keith 250grs. SWC, Alliant 2400 17.2grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'283 fps
Remington SP 240grs, IMR 4227 22.0grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'260 fps
Remington SP 240grs. Blue Dot, 16.6grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'365 fps
Sierra SP 300grs. Alliant 2400 18.5grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'250 fps
Sierra HP 240grs. Alliant 2400 22.5grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'532 fps
Speer HP 240grs. Alliant 2400 21.2grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'453 fps
Speer SP 240grs. Alliant 2400 21.2grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'519 fps
SSK TC 310grs. Alliant 2400 19.0grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'332 fps

S&W 29 3"

Sierra HP 180grs. Alliant 2400 22.0grs. Rem 21/2 heavy crimp 1'125 fps

Winchester Trapper

Hornady XTP HP 200grs. IMR 4227 26.0 CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'716 fps
Norma SP 240grs. IMR 4227 23.0grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'483 fps
Remington SP 240grs. IMR 4227 23.0grs. CCI 350 heavy crimp 1'490 fps

Out of the Trapper I got very good accuracy with IMR 4227. The Ruger Redhawk likes the Alliant 2400 much better.

[Old Savage]

Not too surprising. I tested five different 45-70 loads in an 1895SS, 1895 Cowboy and an 1885 Browning. There were trends and there were also surprises. That seems to be a common outcome for this sort of thing.