heavy 44 special loads for Lipsey's model?

[kpp80202]

I don't know all the ins and outs of the blackhawks and super blackhawks, but wonder if the Lipsey's special 44 special is stout enough to handle the classic Elmer Keith heavy .44 special loads (which are still below 44 mag level). According to several sources, like http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44spec.htm, a good heavy load was a 250g hardcast bullet at around 1200fps. I know that is hotter than the typical current factory loads, and a bit hotter than the standard 250 @ 1000 load most of us like, so I'd like to know if the Ruger can handle it. (Also, I don't need to be told that I can get a .44 mag for this, as I don't plan on ever shooting anything hotter than 250 at 1200 in a fairly light single action.) Thoughts?

 

[contender]

Well, I have been testing my 44 Spl and I have found that the best, most accurate load is the old standby; 7.5 grns Unique UNDER the 250 grn Keith bullet. While it's not the barnburner, wrist bending load, It IS an accurate load. I prefer to hit what I'm aiming at too. And that load is a PROVEN game stopper,,, so I haven't tried to push the limits.

 

[pvtschultz]

The Lipsey's 44 Spcl Blackhawk is built on the mid-sized 357 Magnum frame and uses a 357 Mag cylinder. I really don't know what pressures it is good for, but for a good read, check out this article over at Gunblast.com.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-44Flattop.htm

 

[Lee Martin]

It's not as heavy as the old Keith load, but 16.0 of 2400 under a 250 grain has been a favorite of mine for years. Right around 1,050 from a 4 5/8" barrel.

 

[kpp80202]

Thanks for the link to the Gunblast article--it was a great read.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Well, I have been testing my 44 Spl and I have found that the best, most accurate load is the old standby; 7.5 grns Unique over the 250 grn Keith bullet. While it's not the barnburner, wrist bending load, It IS an accurate load. I prefer to hit what I'm aiming at too. And that load is a PROVEN game stopper,,, so I haven't tried to push the limits.

Wow, you put the powder OVER the bullet? I never would have thought of doing it that way, but if it works for you...

-- Sam

 

[HardBall]

Well, I have been testing my 44 Spl and I have found that the best, most accurate load is the old standby; 7.5 grns Unique over the 250 grn Keith bullet. While it's not the barnburner, wrist bending load, It IS an accurate load. I prefer to hit what I'm aiming at too. And that load is a PROVEN game stopper,,, so I haven't tried to push the limits.

Wow, you put the powder OVER the bullet? I never would have thought of doing it that way, but if it works for you...

-- Sam

I think I did that on a progressive loader once...

 

[HardBall]

Well, I have been testing my 44 Spl and I have found that the best, most accurate load is the old standby; 7.5 grns Unique over the 250 grn Keith bullet.

This will be the first load I try once I get my Lipsey Flattop .44special.


Sean,

 

[kpp80202]

Given the leading I had loading some hardcast loads too light in my earlier reloading days, I think putting the powder over the bullet would have been an improvement!

Seriously though, Lee's load listed above and the Buffalo Bore load are pretty similar at around 250g@1050fps. That is plenty stout for most applications, though the old Keith load is a little hotter at 1200fps for the same bullet, though that was out of a 7.5" barrel. I'd bet the Keith load would probably clock at 1100fps or so out of a 2" shorter barrel, so I guess we are in the ballpark already.

 

[HardBall]

Seriously though, Lee's load listed above and the Buffalo Bore load are pretty similar at around 250g@1050fps. That is plenty stout for most applications, though the old Keith load is a little hotter at 1200fps for the same bullet, though that was out of a 7.5" barrel. I'd bet the Keith load would probably clock at 1100fps or so out of a 2" shorter barrel, so I guess we are in the ballpark already.

Actually; Brian Pearce, in Handloader #260, shows Lyman's 250gr Keith bullet over 17.0gr of 2400 achieving 1211fps out of the 5.5" Ruger Flattop and, I think, in the article he states that the loads he used went up to 25,000psi.

 

[kpp80202]

Now that's the ticket--thanks HardBall!

 

[jforwel]

19.0gr of H110 with a 240gr XTP is seriously accurate at 1182fps from a 5 1/2"er.

 

[twobisquit]

I had my best accuracy with a 250 and 15.5g of 2400. It was a little more accurate on paper than the 7.5 Unique

 

[contender]

With a red face, I admit that my typing got backwards from what my brain was saying.
It's kinda funny when I re-read it.