.44 Special Handloads

T

TheLastGoodFight

New member
I've handloaded exactly 56 rounds in my entire life; that is the extent of my experience.

I've been trying to cook up some hunting loads for my s&w model 21 .44 spec. equipped with a barrel just north of 4 inches. Its not so much that I want to hunt with it as much as I just want a round that could put down a medium size critter when I'm out on horseback if I needed to.

I put a 240 weight jacketed hollowpoint on top of 7.5 grains of unique with large handgun/magnum cci primers in once fired brass.
Once I got it outside I found that I was shooting consistently seven inches southeast of my chosen mark. I do not experience this same inaccuracy with factory rounds (210 grain).
1. Why am I experiencing such a dramatic difference in accuracy?
2. How do I properly combine close-range deer downing capability with a tighter group?
 
What flavor revolver are these loads for? I assume your weapon has fixed sights.

Edit: excuse me, I was too hasty. I see it's a Smith.
 
You may have to try a number of different combinations to get a fixed sight revolver to print to the "point of aim". Especially since you're working with a heavier bullet than the 210 factory load the gun likes. A gun writer named Brian Pearce has written numerous interesting articles on reloading for 44 spcl in Handloader magazine. If you can find them you might also find that helpful.
 
TLGF,

To be clear, you are saying the 210's shoot to point of aim but the 240's are impacting lower and right? Normally, up to about 40% beyond the range at which the trajectory arc peaks, a heavier bullet will impact higher. The low and to-the-right result is what I would expect from a left-hand dominant shooter flinching or snatching the trigger. Does this happen shooting off good sandbag support? If so, what range is the target?
 
That is correct.
This is at fifteen yards, good sandbag hand rest. It may be my pull; I am not 100% comfortable with the unfamiliar trigger so I may need to readjust a bit.
 
7.5 grains of Unique under a 240 gr SWC has always worked for me, I question if you would get any expansion using that under a JHP.
There seems to be some question as to whether fixed sight handguns undergo any factory regulation, and finding one that is "just right" involves a lot of "hit or miss", pardon the pun. Skeeter Skelton wrote that fixed sighted handguns usually shot an inch or so left for him, Charlie Askins said that he made a tool to adjust the sights on the Colt New Service 38 Specials that were issued to the Border Patrol in his day, though he gave no specifics as to what it looked like.
 
7 inches low and left at 15 yards??

You aren't ready for hunting with that...

Especially if the cause is your shooting skills.

7.5gr Unique under a 240gr bullet is a very warm load for the .44 Special. Like 900fps ish from a 5" barrel.

Since the factory load is a lighter bullet at slower speed, fixed sights are going to be "off" quite a bit.

And don't bother with magnum primers for Unique, they aren't needed.

There seems to be some question as to whether fixed sight handguns undergo any factory regulation
Click to expand...

Fixed sights are "regulated" at the factory. I've seen a laser bore sight and jig set up for that. What they are regulate for, depends on the factory, but normally the "standard" bullet weight at the "standard" velocity, and point of aim for 25 yards.

EVERYTHING other than that is likely to be "off" from the sights by some amount, and that also can include ammo of the standard bullet weight an velocity from a maker different than the one used to sight in the gun at the factory. (IF ammo was used. With modern tech, a laser bore sight is sometimes used, and the sights aligned to it, without actual firing).

Some makers fire only a single round to test function, some do a full cylinder, I don't know of any that test fire for accuracy as part of the normal production process.
 
TLGF,

Your range is short enough that I'd expect impact to be a couple of inches higher rather than lower. The "ball and dummy" exercise may be modified to help you identify the issue. Look up into the air and load a fired case or two, spinning the cylinder lightly between additions of cartridges, and then closing the cylinder without looking to see where the empties are. When you shoot, concentrate on keeping your eyes open and on the front sight to see how it jumps up and where it comes back down (can tell if your grip is off if it lands very far off-center). When you snap on one of the fired cases, you'll see if the front sight dives down and right when the hammer falls on one of the fired cases.

The other trick is to takes a good two-hand hold and, firing single-action, let a friend press the trigger for you from the side. You may still flinch, but it will be too late to affect the bullet. Nobody's reflexes are that fast.
 
I'm thinking that you do not need a magnum primer with Unique. I load Unique in 44 magnum with 240gr cast for light loads and use a standard large pistol primer, not a magnum primer.
 
Uncle Nick gives good advice with methods to find exactly what the problem is andwhere the pistol is shooting.
Another method is to just shoot left handed from a rest that supports the wrist.

After you gain more trigger time with the gun and your loading technique,
I recommend using 2400 for .44 Spec. loads.
Great combination of accuracy and power with quality cast bullets.

You are lucky to have a horse that will stand gunfire.
I've never been on one that was willing to stay in the same zip code
if the muzzle blast was too close to them, much less off their back.

JT
 
I have a model 21 classic Smith and is very accurate with lee's 240gr RN. I'm currently working up a load with the RCBS Keith 265gr. I sent mine back to Smith complaining about excessive barrel cylinder space which they took care of. Maybe it was screwed together on a Friday afternoon.
 
You are lucky to have a horse that will stand gunfire.
I've never been on one that was willing to stay in the same zip code
if the muzzle blast was too close to them, much less off their back.
Click to expand...

One of my favorite parts of Jeremiah Johnson, the elk hunt...

Training a horse to gunfire is nearly a lost art these days, but there are still some who can & do.

Never seem to get one of their horses, though!...;)

Elmer took the .44 Special and 2400 and created the .44 Magnum. Me, I save the 2400 for the magnum, and go with Unique for the special.

I have .44 Magnums, I don't need the Special to be one...;)
 
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