We decided to use Power Pistol powder and then use Unique*. Not knowing anything about the bullet we finally decided on 7.7 grains of Power Pistol with CCI 300 primers. The test medium we used was phone books and catalogs that were bound together and soaked overnight in water. In north Arkansas we have very small phone books but we ended up with an 8 inch bundle.
I used my Taurus 431 with a 3 inch barrel .44 special to test these Lehigh “Extreme Penetrator “Bullets. Shooting from about 25 feet through both Chronys I missed the first shot using a center of mass hold. The next two shots just grazed the top of the bundle. This load with the 220 grain bullet shot pretty high. I took a low six o clock hold and got a center hit. Loaded another five rounds and shot three more times. We took the bundle apart and found all of the bullets that hit the bundle. Most had tumbled and some were looking back at us. None had penetrated more than four inches.
We then loaded 8.2 grains of Power Pistol powder that Jim had on hand. It did shoot closer to point of aim and penetrated over 5 inches. The three of us feel this bullet needs heavy loads for accuracy and penetration, just the opinion of an unscientific old red neck and two engineers, no trains involved. But we have loaded a round or two through the years.
At this point we decided to try one bullet with some Unique, 7.5 grains and the 220 grain bullet did not exit but did get in a little deeper. So it was time to use the load that I thought most folks would know for a standard load for the test. A 240 grain cast lead semi-wadcutter with 7.5 grains of UNIQUE!!!!, I slipped one in the chamber and took a six o clock hold. The swc made a nice fifty cent size exit hole and kept on it’s way. The impact was noticeable. Jim then loaded one of the Lehigh bullets with 12 grains of Unique in a .44mag case and put it in a ten inch Blackhawk for 1200fps and knocked the bundle off the table. That one passed through too. We decided that bullet might not be a good self -defense load for .44 special but it might be all right for a heavy loaded magnum.
We had a good time working these loads and shooting together again. I want to thank wvfarrier for sending them so we could try them.
Bullets acted like copper solids, zero expansion on all recovered rounds.
.44 Spl Starline case, 7.7 gr. Power Pistol, CCI 300, OAL ~1.6”: Taurus 341
Chrony F1 Chrony Beta
728.5 716.7
657.3 639.8
548.8 550.8
542.5 ERR
576.1 570.8
All 5 rounds shot high with three different shooters at distance. Recoil akin to factory .44 Special loads (wimpy); Primers show no flattening and all rounds ejected easily. Bore was leaded prior to testing and velocities decreased as the extreme penetrator did the only thing we found it good for.
.44 Spl Starline case, 8.2 gr. Power Pistol, CCI 300, OAL ~1.6”: Taurus 341
Chrony F1 Chrony Beta
569** 832
**Shooter too close to Chrony F1 for reliable reading.
Recoil sharp (less than Skeeter load); primer 80% flattened.
.44 Spl Starline case, 7.5 gr. Unique, CCI 300, OAL ~ 1.6”: Taurus 341
Chrony F1 Chrony Beta
662.6 656
Recoil mild, primer ok.
.44 Mag brass, 12 gr. Unique, CCI 300, OAL?: Ruger Blackhawk 10”
Chrony F1 Chrony Beta
1239 1272
Recoil mild (of course), primer normal akin to factory .44 Mag (flat)
*All loads loaded with Dillon progressive loader and charges weighed with Ohaus/RCBS 1010 scale.
Short version for Merkins: Save your money for Keith bullets or a Lewis tool.
