Question for Owners of the 44 special flattops

[UnderDawgAl]

I'm a decent shot but...

I've seen enough of your targets posted on the forum over the past few years to know that you are more than a decent shot. I wish I had as much decency as you!

 

[Larry from Bend]

I'm a decent shot but...

I've seen enough of your targets posted on the forum over the past few years to know that you are more than a decent shot. I wish I had as much decency as you!

Plus, he has these MAGIC FlatTops that shoot all loads to (without a lot of adjustment) the same POI. Really, he should send them back to Ruger for reproduction; since they are the only ones Ruger ever made that do that.

I'm also wondering if he doesn't have a MAGIC Chrony that reads 1200 fps for a 260 grain Keith in a 4 5/8" barrel. Please share your load.

 

[armprairie]

I have owned the Bisley Flattop for a year or two and just shot my new regular flattop today. I've had to pretty well bottom out the elevation screw on both with 250 grain bullets with about any charge that gives me about 875 f/s.
After I replace the cheese graters, I think this will be my favorite ever handgun and I've owned a bunch since I bought my first 41 Mag BH about 1975, or my Browning HP in 1970. I like the way I can wrap my fingers around the grip better to keep the trigger guard from hitting my middle finger. Now to find some smooth grips!

 

[Rclark]

... that reads 1200 fps for a 260 grain Keith in a 4 5/8" barrel.

Just use the Keith load in your .44Spec. My load is a half a grain less than the Keith load, and I get a 240g SWC at 1246fps out of a 5 1/2" flattop. This just touches the bottom edge of .44Mag velocities. As for accuracy, my specials seem to match Rodfac's. What 'does' seem 'magical' is in all my .44Special load development, it was hard to find a load that the test gun did NOT like. Seemed to just be boringly 'accurate'.... Go figure. So for me, I just setted on the Skeeter load and was done with it. I don't shoot anything less than 240g bullets in mine.

 

[Larry from Bend]

... that reads 1200 fps for a 260 grain Keith in a 4 5/8" barrel.

Just use the Keith load in your .44Spec. My load is a half a grain less than the Keith load, and I get a 240g SWC at 1246fps out of a 5 1/2" flattop. This just touches the bottom edge of .44Mag velocities. As for accuracy, my specials seem to match Rodfac's. What 'does' seem 'magical' is in all my .44Special load development, it was hard to find a load that the test gun did NOT like. Seemed to just be boringly 'accurate'.... Go figure. So for me, I just setted on the Skeeter load and was done with it. I don't shoot anything less than 240g bullets in mine.

What makes up a Keith load?

At that velocity, I imagine you're close to 35,000 psi. My 5" 629 44 Mag. gets a similiar velocity with a max load of H110 and a 240 grain 429421.

My FlatTop shoots some loads better than others. 200 grain XTPs are under an inch (6 shots) @ 25 yards using Power Pistol. Everything so far is 2" or less. Very well made 4 5/8" revolver but nothing like the velocity that you're quoting. I'm getting 1050 fps with a 250 grain HardCast and 16.0 grains of H2400. My bore looks like a mirror and I wouldn't want the cylinder gap any tighter.

The point of my post was that I've never seen a 44 Special FlatTop put all loads to the same POI. I've never seen a 44 Mag or a 40 S&W do that either. And, Yeah, I'd like to know what load puts out 1200 fps from a 4 5/8".

 

[Mtn Biker]

Brian Pearce reported 1211 fps with 17gr of 2400 and a 250gr Keith bullet out of the 5.5" flat top 44special in his 2009 Handloader article. I don't think he measured them in the shorter barrel.

VL

 

[Larry from Bend]

Brian Pearce reported 1211 fps with 17gr of 2400 and a 250gr Keith bullet out of the 5.5" flat top 44special in his 2009 Handloader article. I don't think he measured them in the shorter barrel.VL

Yup. I bought that back issue; thanks to hearing about it on this site. Great info that I still refer to. Wish he WOULD have chronoed the 4 5/8" example.

BP's 2400 loads and his H110 loads were waaaaay faster than mine; although his top loads used 1 more grain of powder. Interestingly, his Power Pistol loads were very close to mine.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I've seen pistols shoot the same POI at about 10 yards with loads close to each other and maybe within 5" of each other at 25

 

[mohavesam]

I don't understand the push to make a magnum load in a special case. To me the whole point of the medium frame 44 SP: was a packin' SA with sub-sonic loads.

And the blued flat-top Rugers are more to my liking in a quality leather holster anyway. Never had a rust issue, and white guns are just... white guns.

YMMV.

 

[Jim Puke]

I don't understand the push to make a magnum load in a special case. To me the whole point of the medium frame 44 SP: was a packin' SA with sub-sonic loads.

YMMV.

X 2

 

[xtratoy]

Just as a matter of interest, you don't have to remove the front sight ramp. Your gunsmith can mill off the blade and cut a groove in the ramp. Then he can make a new blade of correct height and pin (or screw) it in place. No refinisheing is required. And a fairly simple and inexpensive process.

Bob Wright

I have checked into this before and have never found a gunsmith willing to do it inexpensively. If I recall correctly most wanted close to $200 to do this. I have an OM 30 Carbine that would benefit from a taller front sight.