Fastest powder for short barrel big bore

M

mapsjanhere

New member
I've been looking into minimizing powder waste from a 3" 44 mag, and the fastest powder I found published loads for so far is Unique. I know it's hard to get a 44 Mag perform out of this short a barrel, with standard factory load it barely beats a 44 spl from a 4-5" barrel. I'm trying to achieve about 1000 fps with a 240 gr without wasting most of the power (and recoil) to blow out unburned powder. If there are other calibers that give equal power out of a short barrel revolver without the fireball I'm open to suggestion too.
 
Mason Williams (The gunwriter, not the guitarist.) once tackled the matter, although with a 2" .357, not a 3" .44. He settled on Blue Dot.

There are more powders on the market now and you could do a lot of shooting to pick something.
 
If there are other calibers that give equal power out of a short barrel revolver without the fireball I'm open to suggestion too.
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I'm trying to achieve about 1000 fps with a 240 gr without wasting most of the power (and recoil) to blow out unburned powder.
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Not the answer you are probably expecting, but I have both a 3" S&W 629 and a 4.5" Glock 20. The Glock shoots 200 gr hardcast Double Tap ammo at 1300 fps from my gun. Although the barrel is 1.5" longer, it is an inch shorter overall and 3/4 lb lighter. Holds 2.5X more ammo and recoils less with a lot less muzzle blast.

I enjoy shooting both, but when I go hiking and feel the need for a lot of power in a small package the Glock goes. With a much longer barrel the 44 mag is in another league, but from small packages 10mm holds it's own.

 
I've got a similar thread going for the exact same thing - but mine is a 5". I think I'm going to go with Titegroup. It's fast burning, there are lots of published loads with it in a .44 mag, and, best of all, my local dealer has some in stock (can't say that about any of the other choices listed).
 
Very much doubt you'll get 1,000 fps with a 240 out of a 3" barrel with any powder. Velocities aren't really high out of the 8.275" Hodgdon used for their testing. Highest start load is 1,219 fps with 9.0 of TiteGroup.
 
Unique is not a bad choice. (also, surprisingly, Bullseye) Herco or AA#7 would probably be better. I haven't used HS-6 before, but it's about the right burn rate.

I really dislike Titegroup in revolver cartridges. You can't tell by eyeballing it if you have a half charge, full charge, or a double or more; they all look the same.
 
'Ballistics By the Inch' got 1120 fps with a 240 gr Hydra-Shock from a 3" S&W.
My 44s have 6" barrels. 1050-1100 fps is a light-to-medium load with Unique or HS-6 and a 240 gr cast bullet.
231 might do it.
 
Don't remember the details, but you might look up 800x and Blue Dot.
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That would definitely be going the wrong way. Neither powder is suitable for your purpose - at all.

Unique may be your best choice - or something in the same burn rate range (AA#5, HS-6, Silhouette, BE-86, or the albeit notoriously flashy Power Pistol). Silhouette and BE-86 are flash suppressed propellants; so they would most obviously be worth looking into.

You could try something even faster (Nitro 100, AA#2, W231/HP-38, Bullseye, Red Dot), but getting them to punch a 240 grainer 1KFPS through a 3" bbl is a tall order and may impart more pressure than is safe.

As for load data for a given propellant: If you can't find anything, you may have to strike out on your own. Because I'm a "fast powder centric" loader, I've had to go it on my own a bunch of times. Start with very conservative charge weights and with lead slugs (they slide through the barrel easier; so they yield lower pressures when all else is equal). It can be a bit of a process and a chronograph is essential; but it can definitely be done.
 
Thanks for all the good hints. I was amazed that Alliant has a Red Dot 44 mag load, might add that to the mix. I'm not too married to the 1000 fps, more to the efficient use without fireball. If I wanted that I could carry a 500 S&W Alaskan.
 
jmr40 said:
Although the barrel is 1.5" longer…
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Try measuring both the same way you would a rifle rather than the way a revolver is normally measured. You may be in for a shock.


Mapsjanhere,

QuickLOAD seems to think about any powder made can get you to 1000 fps without going over-pressure, including the ultra fast powders like Clays, N310, and R1. Alliant Red Dot looks like giving you the most case fill (about 2/3) for the velocity you are after. Of course, in a real gun with an actual barrel/cylinder gap, some pressure will be lost.
 
According to my Speer no. 13 Manual I don't see it happening, 240 gr. bullet going 1K fps using Unique out of a 3" bbl. Need to lower the bullet weight and/or use a slower powder.
 
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Yes I see it in the Speer manual. I'm guessing the velocity lost would be 30% or more.
 
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In my Googling, I've found references to Vitavitori N340 and N350 being quite decent for mid-power .44 mag rounds. Both are medium fast powders and apparently both burn quite cleanly. Unfortunately, Vitavitori (of all flavors) seems to be quite scarce on dealer shelves.
 
Blue Dot

A while back "experts" were advising big bore handgun reloaders from using Blue Dot powder in the .41 mag.

Just passing this along.
 
I would use AA#7 but the question is.. do you have it or can you get it?

What do you have.. and what can you get?
And the circa 1992-94 Hercules data is just fine to use. If you call Alliant, they will quote you that dayas for Red, Green Dot, & Herco.
 
jmg40 but when I go hiking and feel the need for a lot of power in a small package the Glock goes

This is for my hiking bear gun, but I never felt comfortable carrying a striker fired gun with a round chambered in a back pack/coat pocket. Probably means I'm outdated, but I can claim age by now.

Unclenick, thanks for the volume data, that makes it pretty attractive.
 
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