Really special .44 Special

[LDB]

I've been debating next year's guns. Likely a .22lr lever action for the rifle. For the handgun I'm stuck between a plus capacity .357M and a .44M revolver. I've never had a .44 of any variety. I do not like recoil and always figured I wouldn't like shooting it. I just found this ammo this evening, .44 Special, 510fps and 104# energy. In a revolver the size of the Super Redhawk Alaskan or 629 Deluxe it can't be any more than a non-+P .38 if even that much. Maybe more like a .22M. Then I just have to find a load recipe to make something similar. Lyman Cast Bullets was no help as their lightest entry is for a 205gr bullet. So the hunt is on.

https://choiceammunition.com/produc...tcfp-black-hi-tek-coated-cast100-hand-loaded/

 

[jimbo1096]

Never heard of them before, but that doesn’t mean anything
I’m probably delusional, but I swear I could throw baseball that fast when I was young

 

[LDB]

Well, a 100mph fastball is about 147fps which combined with the 149gr weight of a regulation MLB baseball gives a "muzzle energy" of ~7.1#. But that doesn't provide the load data for a 180gr. .44SPL, to semi-stay on topic. And I hadn't heard much about them either other than seeing their boxes on the Midway ammo page. Took a look last night and discovered a magic .44SPL round that I know would be nice shooting for range time. But spendy so looking for data to load something similar.

 

[arfmel]

You won’t need to go that light to have minimal recoil from a brick like a Super Redhawk Alaskan. A standard .44 Spl “cowboy load” should be fine.
If you load your own, be careful not to stick a bullet in the barrel.

 

[contender]

Get a .44,, then load up some normal cast 240 grn SWC's with starting loads from a few manuals. You may be quite surprised.
I wouldn't worry about trying to find a lighter bullet. If you just go with a normal, often offered weight,, and load light,, in a tank like the Redhawk,, you should enjoy it. Now,, the Alaskan does have a shorter barrel,, so you will get a little more noticeable flash & possible recoil a bit. But not too much.

 

[s4s4u]

I hope you are shooting a snubby, 'cause 500 fps may be flirting with a stuck bullet. I can't find published data that slow for any grain bullet so I am curious as to what they are using in them.

 

[LDB]

I hope you are shooting a snubby, 'cause 500 fps may be flirting with a stuck bullet. I can't find published data that slow for any grain bullet so I am curious as to what they are using in them.

Yes, as I said in the first post, the two "suspects" are the Ruger SRH Alaskan which is a 2.75" bbl. and the S&W 629DLX which is a 3" bbl.

 

[LDB]

Lyman 427098 205gr which is in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Ed. and using 2400 and Unique both of which I have produces ~735fps. which is excellent for what I want. I just have to find a source for them that isn't make them at home. I don't and won't be casting my own. Otherwise I'll be looking for an alternative bullet option.

 

[peachhead]

Hard to beat Lyman 429421 and 7.5 grs Unique. That's the standard Keith swc which can be bought many different places. Roughly 950fps. Accurate as all get out. Minimal recoil.
However I will admit, finding Unique now is, well, unique.

 

[jgt]

The bullet you mentioned comes from a mold designed for 44-40 and guns like Colt and Uberti with smaller diameter barrels. I would suggest you would be better off with the afore mentioned 429421 for standard weight bullets and 429415 for lighter weight bullets. Faster burning powder like 231 or red dot works well in short barrels.

 

[Paul B]

First off, any handgun is going to have some recoil, even the lowly .22LR. As a matter of fact so does a handgun in .22 Short. I used to have one.
Two, what is the planned use for the handgun? Targets? Self Defense? hunting?

Recoil s a fact of life and how you handle it is up to you. The late gun writer once said this about recoil. This is as close as I can remember; "Shooting a hard recoiling rifle is a bit like boxing. You're gonna get hit so if you don't like getting hit, don't step to the ring" or something to that effect. He was speaking about rifles but the same analogy applied to handgun as well.
Thus endeth the lecture.

Regards which lead bullet to use? I go with what everyone else has recommended. The Lyman #429421. It's my favorite bullet in the .44 Spl. and magnum.

My .44 Spl. is the S&W 624 with 6.5" barrel and my preferred load is 7.5 gr. Unique with the Lyman # 429421 bullet. I use it exclusively in that revolver. I also use that bullet loaded to full power in the .44 Magnum but rather than running .44 Spl. brass in the magnum I use magnum brass with 9.5 gr. Unique which comes close to the load for the Special. Felt recoil feels about the same.

For your use, I would look at the starting loads with the #429421 bullets and call it good. The load would be safe as long as you check to insure no double charges and the load should be at or near factory ammo which is rather mild.
Paul B.

 

[LDB]

Yes, I expect recoil. I used to have a .45 1911 and it shot well. I just don't care for it beyond mandatory levels. In the interim the voice of reason triumphed and I've ordered the 1774 GP100. It will be EDC and go to the range. It will primarily host .38SPL with some +P and just a little .357s. Turns out the targets don't care which of those they're hit with so I'll go least expensive option with light .38s. All subject to change at any time of course.

 

[Justice B. Swift]

LDB, I have been shooting the 44 Special for many years. When Cowboy Action Shooting I use a cast 200 gr. RNFP bullet. for many years I purchased them from the Lazer Cast line from Oregon Trail Bullets of Baker City Oregon. That company was sold to Rim Rock bullets in Polson Montana and they Produce the same great bullet. Contact them at (406) 883-1899 or (406) 883-0741. I back this slug with 6.7 gr. of W-231 powder for 750 fps. or 5.0 gr, of Titegroup for nearly the same velocity. Both loads give good clean burn and good accuracy, while providing modest recoil. I rarely use 240 gr. slugs in my "Special" loads, preferring to keep recoil low. I save the 240 gr. slugs for the 44 magnum loads. I do sometimes load the "Special to a much hotter level, but still using the 200 gr. Slugs. In my Ruger mid-frame Blackhawks I run 8.0 gr. of Unique to run just over 1000 fps. or 6.0 gr. of Hodgdon 700X for about 950 fps. You will fall in Love with the little .44 Special. It is a very versatile and fun round. Hope this is of some value.

 

[Jakeintexas]

LDB, I have been shooting the 44 Special for many years. When Cowboy Action Shooting I use a cast 200 gr. RNFP bullet. for many years I purchased them from the Lazer Cast line from Oregon Trail Bullets of Baker City Oregon. That company was sold to Rim Rock bullets in Polson Montana and they Produce the same great bullet. Contact them at (406) 883-1899 or (406) 883-0741. I back this slug with 6.7 gr. of W-231 powder for 750 fps. or 5.0 gr, of Titegroup for nearly the same velocity. Both loads give good clean burn and good accuracy, while providing modest recoil. I rarely use 240 gr. slugs in my "Special" loads, preferring to keep recoil low. I save the 240 gr. slugs for the 44 magnum loads. I do sometimes load the "Special to a much hotter level, but still using the 200 gr. Slugs. In my Ruger mid-frame Blackhawks I run 8.0 gr. of Unique to run just over 1000 fps. or 6.0 gr. of Hodgdon 700X for about 950 fps. You will fall in Love with the little .44 Special. It is a very versatile and fun round. Hope this is of some value.

I often shoot a 245 grain MBC Keith over 8.2 grains of universal. It’s a fair bit warm for a .44 special (and likely only suitable for heavy frame revolvers) but I only shoot it in my .44 magnums; usually the shorter barreled Smith 69. It’s pleasant as a light .44 magnum loading.

 

[Rclark]

I've standardized on 240gr SWCs for my .44 Special and .44 Magnum loads. I don't shoot cowboy competitions, so my loads are 'normal'. My goto load is the Skeeter load which works great in any .44 Special except my CA Bulldog. In that I drop to 6.0gr Unique under 240gr bullet. I've loaded down .44 Special for fire-lapping with Trail Boss powder. Loaded 4.5gr under 240gr bullet here for around 700fps. The idea here is to shoot as low a velocity as possible without sticking a bullet in the bore.

 

[CBH44]

I’m thinking sight adjustment is going to be very problematic at such a light load.