One Load For Pistol and Rifle

[markn30135]

I know someone has some experience here with developing one load for a pistol and rifle. Do you develop the load for the pistol or rifle? Looking at .357 Magnum and 44 Magnum rounds.

Thank you,
Mark

 

[DGW1949]

I started by testing how well my "known performer" revolver load worked out of my rifle. After that, it only took a little experimenting with the powder charge to come up with a similar load that is satisfactory for both.

DGW

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

Consider twist rate of both guns. For example, if your rifle is a Rossi 92, that could be a limiting factor for a load that will work in both ( for example: 30" twist in the rifle vs 16" in a revolver).

So for me, having a Rossi 92 in 357, a S&W Model 28, and a 6.5" New Model Blackhawk, I take loads that shoot good in the rifle and check them in my M28 and BH.

 

[keyston44]

You didn't say if you are using cast bullets or jacketed. That might matter in the 44 because industry standard for handguns is .429 while the rifle is .432.
For jacketed bullets there shouldn't be any problem.
For me to use the same cast bullet in both guns I had to size them to .433. They would be squeezed down some in the revolver but would fit the barrel perfect in my Marlin.
If you use a .430 cast bullet in a rifle you will get alot of leading, even with a gas checked bullet.

Key

 

[sandman228]

my own cast 158 swc (unchecked) sized to .358 with 6.0 gr of herco shoots great out of my s&w 686 and my r92 with no leading .

 

[8emem]

.44 magnum - Win 240 HSP, 15.0 gr Blue Dot, WLP primer.
.357 magnum - Rem 158 JHP, 9.0 gr HS6, WSP primer.

Caution - the Blue Dot load is over maximum in some manuals, but not all. No signs of pressure in the 77/44, Redhawks, Blackhawk. I am getting great accuracy, a good size flash, and magnum recoil so I stopped there. Economical way to load into the full-power magnum range.

 

[phonejack]

For my 2 357 pistols and 1 rifle. 158 JHP's. 14.0 h110

 

[No-1]

Depends when I had my Ruger 44 carbine I had to increase my pistol load to reliably cycle the action. Wouldn't have been a problem with a lever or bolt gun

 

[6gun]

I know someone has some experience here with developing one load for a pistol and rifle. Do you develop the load for the pistol or rifle? Looking at .357 Magnum and 44 Magnum rounds.

Thank you,
Mark

I have a Vaquero 44mag. and a Wincherter 94 44mag. I do use a hotter load for the rifle to get more power out of it, but I can alway use my standard round in both, I use brass cases for my rifle only rounds and nickel for hand gun to never mix them up.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I work-up mostly Max. loads with slow powders for my rifles and then shoot them in my revolvers along with a lot of different reduced loads.

 

[Ruber]

By complete happenstance, I found out my 200gr SWC load for my 94 in 44 mag also works really well in my 10.5" SBH. That SBH has pretty loose throats and the SWCs are sized .433, a nice fit.

That hasn't worked the other way around, my 94 doesn't like the 300gr loads I worked up for the SBH's...

 

[chefrob1]

just started reloading and i am starting with 2 different loads....
sierra 250gr FPJ @ 14gr blue dot
nosler 240 gr JHP @ 14 gr blue dot

i had not anticipated the powder weight to be the same but it just worked out that way......planning to go to the range on my day off to see how they shoot.

the 2 guns are a 9" SRH and a 96/44, any thoughts are welcomed..........

 

[6gun]

just started reloading and i am starting with 2 different loads....
sierra 250gr FPJ @ 14gr blue dot
nosler 240 gr JHP @ 14 gr blue dot

i had not anticipated the powder weight to be the same but it just worked out that way......planning to go to the range on my day off to see how they shoot.

the 2 guns are a 9" SRH and a 96/44, any thoughts are welcomed..........

240gr. bullets are biggest I have gone, let me know how the 250gr. work out for you, I've also had real good results with 200gr. for both.

 

[PO2Hammer]

To me, the point of owning a revolver and carbine in the same caliber is so they can share loads, not having separate loads for each.

Happily, most loads I develop for my revolvers work great in my carbines. Even light target loads seem to work well in carbines. The only loads that don't work well in carbines are HBWC's.

 

[mikld]

Since I had 4, .44 Magnum revolvers before I got a .44 Mag. rifle, I usually start with developing loads for the handguns first. But, after several years, I have determined that each of the 5 guns has their preference for bullets. My Ruger and Puma likes 240 gr. Ranch Dog RNFP bullets sized .432" for the Puma and .430 for the Ruger. MY S&W and Dan Wesson prefer/shoot well with 429421 cast from wheel weights sized .430". My Contender likes everything I've put through it. I also have "generic" loads that shoot pretty good in all my guns (250 gr. LSWC over 9.0-9.5 gr. Unique). Part of reloading fun is developing loads custom fitted to each gun to get the optimum performance...

 

[cbass]

I have three loads I use in my various .44 mags. 240g MBC FP over 8.5g unique or 20.0g 2400. They also like 20.0g 2400 under a Sierra 240g HP. YMMV.

 

[Rodfac]

I've got several rifles that shoot pistol rounds: .44 Magnum, .38-40, .44-40, and .32-20. In the interest of safety, I've developed loads that are safe and accurate in both guns. Having one high pressure load for a hunting rifle, that's too much for the hand gun, just didn't appeal to me. Rod

 

[wavehopr]

You didn't say if you are using cast bullets or jacketed. That might matter in the 44 because industry standard for handguns is .429 while the rifle is .432.

Now there's something I've never heard. I've only seen SAAMI specs for ".44 Remington Magnum" without any caveat for rifle or pistol. Where did you find this info?

 

[keyston44]

You didn't say if you are using cast bullets or jacketed. That might matter in the 44 because industry standard for handguns is .429 while the rifle is .432.

Now there's something I've never heard. I've only seen SAAMI specs for ".44 Remington Magnum" without any caveat for rifle or pistol. Where did you find this info?

Sorry, I was wrong. Rifle is .431 but handgun is still .429. Try shooting a .429/.430 cast bullet down a rifle barrel. Messy.

http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm?page=ANSI

Key

 

[mr surveyor]

I believe the Rossi rifle barrels are pretty consistant at .430, at least from what I've read from those with a lot of experience with the Rossi lever guns. I bought a Rossi M92 a couple of weeks ago and have had no leading issues with .430 cast boolits.

And, concerning the revolver/rifle combo cartridge, I've worked down to a somewhat mild load of 18.5 gr of A2400 with 240 gr lswc. That's pretty much a pussycat load in the Super Red Hawk, but amazingly is enough to mildly get your attention with the M92. That nasty crescent buttplate will certainly get your attention with a number of full magnum loads.

 

[Rodfac]

My Marlin 336 in .44 Magnum (a 1964 vintage gun), as well as my son's octogon barreled 1894 both have .432" groove dia. barrels. I slugged and measured them both. A lot of testing showed me that any lead alloy bullet, gas checked or not, needed to be at least .432" dia or it wouldn't group at all...ie. 5-6" gps at 50 yds. Properly sized (.432" gas checked home cast bullets) did much better. With either gun, scoped with a little 2.5x Leupold Alaskan, Lyman's #432215gc bullet, cast from wheel weights and sized .432" will keep 5 shots in less than an inch and a quarter. Don't know what Winchester, or Rossi measure, but our two Marlins take larger dia. cast bullets. Standard, jacketed bullets from Remington, Winchester and Hornady that measure .429-.430" do as well as the larger lead alloy ones.

HTH's Rod

 

[mikld]

FWIW; in the SAAMI Cartridge and chamber drawings section, the specs for .44 Magnum rifle barrel is .431". Don't know how to post a specific pdf page but here's the link http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/206.pdf page 85.