250 gr. 30 days easy returns; 100% money back guarantee. . ", "Truth is treason in the empire of lies" Ron Paul, Colt's Manufacturing Company Armorer Instructor. 12-07-2019, 10:15 AM #7 Larry Gibson An excellent assortment of expanding jacketed bullets is available in .44 caliber these days. 15,500 PSI is the maximum SAAMI pressure. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM Concealed Carry 2023, P.O. With 5.5 to 6.0 grains of Red Dot, that same bullet does yeoman service in target loads, too. Make sure to watch till the end. over the decades have fired many rounds of cast 240 SWC deep . Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. .44 Special (Using Hornady Bullets) reloading data with 223 loads. They are accurate in Smith & Wesson and other guns with a .430-inch groove diameter. Contest open to U.S. residents only. | Most casting companies use hard alloy, it casts better and ships better. For me, the .44 Special and the above loads fit the bill nicely. Since then, even the .44 Magnum's performance has been eclipsed by several bigger bore and more powerful handgun cartridges. Your email address will not be published. for 240 gr, bullet for about same results. Eventually Federal Cartridge offered a 200-grain lead SWC-HP at 900 fps (recently reduced to 870 fps), while Winchester followed suit with a 200-grain Silvertip HP and Remington with a 200-grain LSWC at the same velocity. Powders include Winchester, Hodgdon, IMR Handgun Data. It was left to handloaders to fill the power vacuum. Skeltons favorite handload consisted of the 250-grain Keith bullet pushed around 950 fps (4-inch barrel) using 7.5 grains of Unique powder. My favorite load for my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special is something I got from an article by Skeeter Skelton. With 6.0 grains of Unique and a 51/2 sixgun the result is a very pleasant shooting, and accurate, load of 825 fps. ), (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.). All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. December 18, 2018 By J. Scott Rupp Unfortunately, the .44 Magnums greater power pushed the Special from the stage. Since you are buying bullets, they will probably be too hard. It shares the same cylinder length as the Model 29-5 (bottom) rather than the short cylinder of the original Model 1950 Target (top). An occasional trip through the case trimmer will result in more uniform crimps - a big part of consistent ballistics - and better accuracy. Have a question? I am not able to find data for various bullet weights. For general-purpose plinking, target work and even defense, using one of the various 245- to 255- grain cast SWC profile bullets pushed around 850 to 875 fps will prove effective and pleasant to shoot. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Hornady's new 225-grain Flex Tip eXpanding bullet borrows technology from the company's popular rifle ammo and is a good midweight hunting bullet. The Hornady 240-grain swaged lead bullet makes an easy recoiling target load at 850 fps. Both bullets were seated out to their second crimp groove for overall lengths of 1.582 and 1.588 inches. Make sure they are a snug slip fit inyour cylinder throats. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. This is definitely not the case if youre looking for accuracy. If you want to baby your 44 Special revolver, or just want a decent plinking load, then 6.5 grains of unique or 4.7 grains of Red Dot is fine. The overwhelming answer in the avalanche of replies was "Red Dot!" Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Took this load form Speer #13 manual and it shot very well in both my 44 mags, very accurate and not even max. SWC-HP is one of the first jacketed bullets offered by Speer nearly 50 years ago. does not engender a reputation as a "hot" cartridge. If you have a lightweight .44 or older gun, always start with 10% less than amounts listed above, and work up to the full maximum loads. Learn the difference between revolvers and semi-auto pistols and what makes them different. I have .44 Specials whose chamber throats are as tight as 0.427 and as large as 0.433, and I just took possession of a Spanish copy of the old S&W Triple-Lock with 0.437 throats. The new big bore pistols feature industry-first capacity, with a standard 15-round capacity and 22+1 rounds of 10mm or 18+1 rounds of .45 ACP from the extended magazines. The loads I have tried today are all 240 gr's, and OAL set to 1.45" Unique 6.5 gr = 640fps 7.0 gr = 749 fps 800X 7.0 gr = 650 fps Bullseye 5.5 gr = 720 fps AA#2 6.0 gr = 708 fps For those that load for the 44 special, max 15500 loads what are some of your pet loads you like? But there are limits to the bigger-is-better scenario, based upon your tolerance to recoil. jacketed bullets from Hornady, Sierra, or Speer with any of my first mentioned standard load powders result in slightly slower velocities than cast bullets, giving right around 900 fps from a 51/2 barrel. check out the. This site is going to be as much member run as possible. First, not all guns are of equal strength some will handle significantly greater pressures, while others cannot. That is why you dont see FPS by every load. When smokeless powder loads appeared, velocity was standardized (with the, same bullet) at 755 fps, which is offered by Remington and Winchester (although actual velocities usually hover around 700 fps). All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Standard pressure loads are suitable for all guns and are within SAAMI specifications of 15,500 psi. bullet at 900 fps left little to be desired. 2, Alliant Bullseye and Red Dot. Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. They are true magnum bullets, featuring a heavy jacket and 1 1/2% antimony core, yet they will expand reliably at 44 Special velocities. Post WWII revolvers are stronger. Number of Views: 5765, Published on 10-20-2014 09:24 PM Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. My standard choice for loading the .44 Special is whats normally known as the Keith bullet. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). .44 Special: When the .44 Special was introduced in late 1907, even though the brass was longer than the .44 Russian and the Triple-Lock sixgun was certainly stronger than the S&W Top-Breaks, for some strange reason it was loaded to the same level as the .44 Russian; they simply increased the black powder charge from 23 to 26 grains. Product #: 544483. It gives about 950 f/s.Not a top load but a good usable one. Joseph Von Benedikt visits with Aaron Oelger from Hodgdon about the unprecedented demand on the shooting supply industry. In 1953 Keith traveled to the Smith & Wesson and Remington plants to further discuss the matter, at which time he suggested they lengthen the case and make it a .44 Magnum, which became a reality in late 1955. The 200- and 240-grain Oregon Trail RNFP bullets are good choices for cowboy action competitors. (I) Giveaway ends March 20, 2022. Instead of using it in my lighter weight .44 Special sixguns, I mostly use it in .44 Magnums. The Oregon Trail Laser Cast 240 SWC shoots every bit as good as carefully home cast bullets. If economics are important, a one-pound can of Unique (7,000 grains) will fetch you 1,000 loads using a 7.0-grain powder charge. Using an expander ball that is at least .003 to .004 inch smaller than bullet diameter is suggested. The idea of .44 Special for Everyday Workin Loads is a relatively lightweight sixgun, around 1/2 lb. Deployed military should use stateside address. The Skeeter Load (7.5 grains Unique and a 250 -260 grain cast bullet) is widely used because Skeeter Skelton promoted it in many articles. Join the exclusive reloading community founded in 1996 and be the first to know about our latest news, reviews, and insights. Very low recoil, expected more with this heavy of a bullet. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. The old balloon-head cases are certainly weaker, and being nearly ancient often display signs of breakdown by becoming brittle or plagued with corrosion, etc. Tried TB, "didn't fit my pistols". Our goal is to bring you everything you need to accurately reload your own weapon of choice, along with all the accessories to go with it. While Democrat Washington Gov. Ruger Redhawk 44 mag 51/2 barrel & Ruger 44 mag Super Blackhawk old model 71/2 barrel. Can't use 44 Special loads, none will get into the pressure ceiling. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. 429421 bullet to improve the .44 Specials accuracy and terminal performance. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. For these reasons, 240-grain bullets are best when used in conjunction with load data that exceeds industry maximum pressures. Number of Views: 5750, Published on 10-20-2014 09:12 PM Even with 1907/1908-era smokeless powders such as Hercules Unique, velocity could have easily been bumped up to 900 to 950 fps while staying within todays pressure guidelines of 15,500 psi. cast RNFP; 240-gr. So, I'm going to start at 5.5gr and work up from there. Trying to make a 0.430 bullet work for all of these would be an exercise in futility. The Special's case was lengthened to accommodate the use of emerging smokeless propellants. check out the. No doubt, several long trainloads of .44 Special, loaded with Bullseye, 700-X, and other fast-burning powders have been safely shot, probably before I was born! less than a comparable .44 Magnum, and also less recoil while still being more than adequate for any situation which should arise. Cases for the .44 Special are straight-walled, so carbide sizers further streamline the loading process. does not engender a reputation as a "hot" cartridge. If you think I'm an unabashed fan of the old round, you're right. The .44 Associates and several industry notables helped influence Smith & Wesson and Remington to ultimately develop the .44 Magnum, though it was primarily Elmer Keith that was the ultimate persuader. Most notable was Elmer Keith, a cowboy, hunter, big-game guide, and by the middle 1920s a gun writer. Then there is the question of what do you expect to use it for. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. . could legitimately claim top gun performance. 5, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company There are plenty of bullet weights and styles available for reloading the .44 Special: (from left) 180-gr. For this bullet 8.5 grains of Unique results in 980 fps in a 4 barreled S&W while 15.5 grains of #2400 goes up to 1,140 fps. I used to load down the .44 mag cases to .44 special velocities. Powders include Alliant, Winchester, Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, IMR, Accurate I am not about totest thisbecause the recoil at 1200 fps is decidedly unpleasant in a light-weight Special, and I am a wimp. After a while, however, even the most recoil-tough shooter looks forward to toning things down a bit. The new 9mm suppressor can mount easily to any pistol barrel threaded x28 inches and doesn't compromise on sound suppression, gas blowback or recoil. Its a natural outgrowth of half-jacketed bullets, and unlike traditional jacketed bullets, consists of a full-length copper cup with a lead core. The Hodgdon site on-line has loading data for ~15,500 PSI loads. Bullet weights ranged from 180 to 240 grains. 10mm Firepower: Springfield XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact Pistol Review, The Staying Power of the .257 Roberts Cartridge, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power, Top 5 Most Accurate Factory-Loaded Rifle Cartridges, The Colt Anaconda .44 Rem. First, not all guns are of equal strength - some will handle significantly greater pressures, while others cannot. JHP Contest open to U.S. residents only. 200 210 grain bullets will hit 800 fps with 5.2 grains of Tight Group or Bullseye. Taurus has redesigned this sporting pistol for performance. I have listed the Colt Single Action Army and New Frontier revolvers in Category 2 (22,000 psi). Contest void where prohibited by law. Full Metal Jacket projectiles are the ideal choice for training, target shooting and general range use. Besides, a carry revolver can always be charged with four .44 Specials and a pair of .44 Magnums. During 1927 and 1928, he designed the now-famous Lyman/Ideal .44-caliber bullet 429421 that weighed 250 grains in solid form and 235 grains in hollowpoint form. The fun is in the fact that I can use one powder, Unique. What kind of gun? My long-favored cast bullet load of 7.5 grains of Unique used with this 240 jacketed . JFP, 240 gr. The authority on pistol and rifle loading data since 1996. You can reduce the charge for still lighter recoil depending on the individual revolver. Either 17.0 grains of #4227 or 8.5 grains of Unique will give right around 1,000 fps. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. The .44 Special (center) was based on a lengthened .44 Russian cartridge (left), while the .44 Remington Magnum (right) is based on a lengthened .44 Special case. Number of Views: 5768, S&W models 24 and 624. Toggle navigation . SWC. Reloading Press & Equipment; Molds; Share. Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistic Solar-Powered GPS Smartwatch: First Look, Non-Lethal Personal & Home Defense with Byrna, Range Tested: EAA Girsan Pistols & Shotguns, New for 2023: Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR), New for 2023: All-American RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol, New for 2023: FN Rush 9Ti Pistol Suppressor, New Big Bore Pistols for 2023: FN 510 Tactical and FN 545 Tactical, New for 2023: FN SCAR 15P Rifle Caliber Pistol, First Look: Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum Revolver With 10.5-Inch Barrel, New-for-2023 Taurus Judge Executive Grade 410/.45 Colt Revolver, Smith & Wesson Equalizer and the Brand New M&P 5.7 Pistol. I loaded some for a friend's 6" S&W 624. The revolver pictured above is a reproduction Keith No. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. With a 51/2 barreled sixgun, 9.0 grains of Unique is just under 1,200 fps. .44 Special is a fun caliber to shoot. Much has been written about sizing cast bullets to correspond with groove diameter. I still favor genuine Keith designs for general use, as they are accurate, perform well on game, are easy to cast, and without a gas check, they are especially economical. But I'll trade a little sootiness & extra recoil for the added assurance. Why Choose Us? Powder charges used in the .44 Special case seldom require magnum primers, although they are frequently recommended with ball or spherical powders. During the past 40+ years, I have shot dozens of big game from pronghorn to black bear and elk with the .44 Special, all with handloaded ammunition. Number of Views: 5768. 10grs is a hot load; maybe not unsafe, but hot. Including, free printable targets, tips, safety instructions and of course gun loads. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Left to right: 250 gr. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. A better question would be, why not? This revolver is equipped with the usual target trigger, target hammer, and adjustable target sights complete with a red insert on the front blade and a white outline on the rear notch. I like to load the .44 Special using moderate amounts of powder thus providing a very economical cartridge to use any time in any .44 Magnum. The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. Your email address will not be published. Works well in a 3" Sheriff's Model, a 12" Buntline Special, and everything in between. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Having always been a fan of moderate loads using lead bullets suitable for casual paper punching, the .44 Special naturally comes to mind for use in .44 Magnum revolvers. The 44 Special shines with a moderately soft 240-250 grain Keith style SWC bullet driven to the 900-1000 fps range. If the pressures are too low or powder energy is insufficient, bullets will stick in the bore, so do not reduce suggested starting powder charges. For light loads with 250-260 grain bullets, 5.3 grains Vhitavouri 320 or 4.8 grains Tight Group will deliver 700 fps and good accuracy. This isn't your grandpa's muzzleloading system. It's superbly accurate and extremely versatile when handloaded to any of several power levels for plinking, personal defense or hunting. A favorite load of mine using a 240 grain cast bullet is in 44 Magnum cases, not 44 Special. During 1927 and 1928 he designed the well-known Lyman/Ideal .44- caliber No. Since many shooters shoot Specials in their .44 Mags for practice and plinking, I also chronographed some representative Special loads in a six-inch M29-3. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. Bullet sizes vary from .429 for jacketed to .432 for some lead in diameter. Forum; Reloading Tutorials; About; Login.44 S&W Special. Published on 10-20-2014 09:25 PM These .44 Special single-action sixguns include (1) a custom Colt New Frontier SAA, (2) Keith No. A few loads are offered, however, that utilize the Hornady 240-grain XTP-HP and Speer 240-grain Gold Dot HP. Factory loads are readily available and range into the dozens, but reloading is the way to go. SWC-JHP, .44 with 250 gr. 5 Accurate No. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). The manuals dont show every type of powder for every bullet weight for the .44 special. Much also depends on the particular model, age, and condition of the .44 spl. But in 1956 Keith's efforts culminated in the introduction of the .44 Magnum. Early ammunition contained 26 grains of black powder that pushed the 246-grain, lead roundnose bullet 780 fps. 5 as produced by Bowen Classic Arms; at right is the original KEITH LONG RANGE COLT.. Cast bullets work well in the .44 Special, including the original Lyman/Keith No. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. Study them carefully, as measurements vary even from the same manufacturer. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Meet the all-new Taurus Judge Executive Grade, a revolver featuring a hand-polished satin finish, presentation-grade wood grips, a brass rod front sight and an exceptional hand-tuned trigger. The .44 Special is an ideal cartridge for cast-bullet loads, with literally dozens and dozens of designs and weights readily available. The new rifle is built on an aluminum billet chassis with carbon-fiber forend and cheek riser featuring V-block bedding. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Balloonhead cases, such as these from Peters, U.M.C. It is important to note that the .44 Special has an industry overall cartridge length of 1.615 inches, while the .44 Magnum is actually shorter at 1.610 inches. Why the .44 Special? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 5.6 gr . Although it's a bit longer than the hollowpoints, loads with it fit comfortably in the S&W's cylinders. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. 44 special 240gr Hornady HP/XTP 2400 Starting 8.9gr for 600fps Max. Lighter and tougher and more precise than ever, it's the perfect back country hunting rifle. 5 are top choices for loads that push standard weight (250-grain) bullets between 900 to 1,000 fps. (Ret.) Red Dot, Green Dot and Blue Dot shotgun powders, and HS-6 and Unique excel with these lighter bullets. The original loading was a 246 grain round nose lead bullet at about 700 fps. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. For any loads over 1000 FPS, I suggest GC for sure or using a jacketed bullet. The .44 Special is really anything but special in terms of performance, as least as factory loaded. Though to me the .44 Special is not that special, and I dont need oodles of powder choices behind it for a particular use in the field. JSP; Nosler 240-gr. Charges less than those shown are not recommended, however, as there is the very real danger of sticking a bullet in the barrel. For full-power loads that push 240- to 280-grain bullets to around 1,200 fps, Alliant 2400 remains a top choice, as it ignites easily while producing top velocities and accuracy. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. JHP 250 gr. We manufacture Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition and much more. Manufacturer #: 44B (50) UPC #: 754908168118. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM Jul/Aug 2023, P.O. I recently read the .44 Special cast bullet is standardized at 0.430. Theyre certainly capable of doing everything we expect the sixgun to do. HP, .44 with 225 gr. Shown is Elmer Keiths customized Keith Long Range Colt that was originally owned by Teddy Roosevelt. VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. Medium-burn-rate powders, such as Alliant Power Pistol, Unique, Hodgdon CFE Pistol, Winchester AutoComp and Accurate No. and the special requirements for residents of these states; CA, CT, IL, MA, NJ, and NY. This was the dawn of the smokeless era, and with it came some problems. SWC+GC, 265 gr. They offer moderate recoil and muzzle report, low extreme spreads, and they are easy to shoot accurately while being capable of taking big game. Our 6204 members have posted 87352 times in 5929 discussions. No purchase necessary. Bullet fit is key for accuracy. HP, .44 with 225 gr. What bullet weights? 44F. For any loads over 900 FPS, I suggest using a jacketed bullet. You must be a subscriber to see the full article. I used the M24 for jacketed bullet loads and the M624 with cast bullets. Looking at the accompanying data table, it is obvious I made the choice to use the .44 Special at lower velocities and work toward loads with jacketed and lead bullets that would be fun to shoot. Forty-four Special cases manufactured since World War II (or very shortly thereafter) are of solid-head construction and are equally as strong as .44 Magnum brass. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. Colt Model 1861 Special Musket: What's Its Value? I replicate that load with a Lyman 246 grain round nose or a Magma 240 grain round nose and 5.0 grains of Bullseye in my Ruger Bisley Flat Top. Contest void where prohibited by law. 4.3 Grains of Trailboss. Top performing examples include Hodgdon Longshot, Accurate No. The Judge has been promoted! A charge of 9.5 grains of Blue Dot produced 880 fps and consistent accuracy with the FTX. Our Price: Many guns will easily handle loads that generate 22,000 psi, 25,000 psi and even more; those loads will be discussed here in a future Pet Loads article. For a "Knockdown" Load, I used 5.0grs of Titegroup under a 240-250gr RN. Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. I DO always double check the charged cases before the projectile goes on, but I stick with bulkier powders as a "belt and suspenders" measure. It remains popular in both the .44 Special and .44 Remington Magnum cartridges. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. I am using it to knock down steel targets from 20 to 50 yards. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. ; they are best relinquished as collectors items and should not be used with the accompanying data. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. Skeeter Skelton was perhaps most influential for helping to renew interest in the .44 Special, with articles appearing in the late 1960s and 1970s that ultimately helped influence Colt to reintroduce the Single Action Army and New Frontier during the late 1970s (both of which are currently available again), while Smith & Wesson produced its Models 24 and 624 (1950 Target) during the mid-1980s. The .44 Special was introduced in about 1907 and is an extremely accurate cartridge. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. For many decades this was the standard load from Winchester and Remington and is still available. You can follow the Elmer Keith trail up to 1200 fps with 250 grain bullets, but the pressure is 22,000 - 25,000psi and bullet diameter, seating depth and alloyare critical. 5 by Clements Custom Guns, (5) factory-engraved USFA PreWar SAA, (6) custom Colt Flattop Target pattern, (7) original Keith Long Range Colt and (8) a USFA factory engraved SAA. (II) Limit one entry per household. The .44 Russian proved very accurate, and it didn't take long for savvy target shooters of the day to realize its potential. SWC-JHP, .44 with 250 . However, when specifically handgun hunting I rely on the same bullets pushed to a velocity of 1,200 fps to help extend effective range, which in practical terms shares the same velocities and trajectory as most current .44 Magnum 240-grain JHP factory loads while offering better penetration, less pressure and the unique advantage of being fired in lighter guns that usually feature a lower bore axis for less felt recoil.