44 Bulldog / 44 American... anyone tried reloading

M

Magnum Wheel Man

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I've got one of these on a solid frame revolver, & been looking at what I'd need to do a load up for these...

... I think I can trim down to length 44 special cases ??? & I'll use a light loading of Trailboss to start... just curious if anyone else has played in this area ???
 
Hello, Magnum Wheel Man..Do you mean you have two revolvers..each chambered for one of the cartridges? If not..they are two distinct cartridges..not the same! I know the .44 American itakes a "heeled" bullet..constructed like a .22 rimfire..rebated section inside case..bullet body same dia. as outside case. Not sure about the .44 Bulldog.
 
I'm not positive right now... I'm assuming it's a bulldog chamber... I'll have to do a casting & compare to my Cartridges of the World book... this is why I haven;t loaded for it yet...

... but expect I could use shortened 44 special cases, & if I have to, lead round balls like I use for my gun test loads in 32 & 38 S&W...

just curious if anyone has already "been there, done that" ???
 
While a light load of any smokeless powder won't cause a catastrophic blowup, it will over time stretch the frame. Black Powder is your best bet.
 
Hello MWM. Buffalo Arms Co. has S&W American brass. I wonder if you could use a hollow-based bullet? Otherwise if you try a .429 dia., it will probably fall right thru that oversize bore!
 
My loading mentor ( retired tool & die guy ) has given me an original 44 Bulldog cartridge... a look see with a caliper looks like unless the chambers are tight, the shortened 44 special cases should work... a soft lead round ball looks like the projectile needed, as the bullet is heel seated, or maybe a gas check lead bullet without a gas check I load soft lead round balls in both my 32 & 38 S&W for my light loads even if the round ball 44 is loose in the bore, being a round ball it'll fly straight enough at belly gun distances
 
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the gun... I'd been wanting one for quite a while, & with the loading gate, & reciently was able to get this one off Gun Broker for a couple $100.00 less than others have been selling for...:)

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picked up the revolver today... it's in beautyful condition... ( though the cylinder pin is stuck ) the cylinder is stepped, I tried a 44 special cartridge, & it fits nicely ( or would ) if I trimmed off 1/4" off the case length... bullet was tight enough fit in the bore to get belly gun accuracy... now looking for a very light cast bullet or mold to load in the cartridge... should be interesting... the hole in the end of the barrel is impressive, since the gun is about the same size as a 3" barrel J frame
 
I, also, have a pistol, a British Bulldog, chambered for the .44 Bulldog. The proper bullet is, indeed, a heeled bullet...so the diameter of the bullet is the same as the outside diameter of the case. Both bullets and loaded ammo are available from GAD Custom Cartridges. I have had success with cut down .44 spl cases into which I seat lead round balls of .445 diameter over nine grs of FFFg black. The act of seating shaves off a ring of lead and the fit is tight.
In addition, the .44 Bulldog is a shortened version of the .44 Webley. Chances are that your gun may also chamber the slightly longer cartridge. The difference is powder capacity.
It is also possible that using .44 Spl case will require that the rims be thinned a bit so as to avoid binding the cylinder. Maybe.
 
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.44

You can also make cases from .303 British brass - they require a bit more work as the inside of the mouth of the case needs to be reamed. Very strong case.
The one of the left is made from .303; the scratched up case on the right is a .44 Mag case.

Pete

Bulldogcases.jpg
 
I used cut down 44 mag cases and made some wax bullets for mine. mine isn't in that good of shape and I wouldn't trust it with real ammo.
 
trying an experiment

Cut down wome .444 Marlin grass....inside diameter was way too small for a
.44 bullet. So, loaded them up with 5-8 grams of black rifle powder for blanks. Recently used a tubing cutter to cut .44 special ammo to the proper length according to Wikipedia....loaded with 6, 7, and 8 grams of the same rifle powder....specs called for .97 grams, but that filled up my brass to the point that I could not get a .44 round ball to seat, so I cut back on the load. I figure the base of .44 Special brass may be a little bit on the thick side...If this experiment works I may cut down some more .44 special brass, but make it a little bit longer....I shoot black powder cap and ball Remington and Colt replicas and will try some conical bullets from those guns at a later date...gotta find them first....my pistol is a .44 Belgian made "British" Bulldog....similar to a Webley Metropolitian Police....mechanically in fine shape, but not sure I trust the metallurgy....therefore light loads with rifle powder....:cool:
 
.44 Bulldog

.loaded with 6, 7, and 8 grams of the same rifle powder....specs called for .97 grams, but that
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Not sure what you mean by black rifle powder. There is no BP that is specifically for rifles. The two granulations commonly used in both rifles and pistols are FFg and FFFg.
Wikipedia is not a reliable source for load data. Powder charges are normally stated in grains, not grams. Nine to eleven grains of either FFg or FFFg will work.
Have you slugged the bore to determine the size bullet needed?
Pete
 
Hello, 455webley..your last post said.."black rifle powder for blanks". Are you using salvaged rifle blank ctg. powder? If so..it is not real black powder..in fact this stuff has been written up in several handloading books warning of not using for bulleted loads.
 
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