Loading the 44 special

I've settled on the Skeeter load for almost all my .44 Special shooting. Just perfect. Been around forever. The one exception is loading for the .44Special Bulldog where I load 6.0g Unique instead under 240g SWC.


I've also shot the Keith load (17g 2400 under 240-260g bullet) out of my Ruger .44 Special Revolvers, but much prefer sticking with the Skeeter load. In my mind, need more, I have .45 Colt and .44 Mag revolvers to throw bigger and faster. Been there, done that, nothing to prove. Let the .44 Special stay 'special' :) .

Link to Ross Seyfried's article mentioned above:
https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/
 
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Special

The following is what I use for cowboy shooting in my Ruger .44mag.

CALIBRE 44 SPECIAL COWBOY
DATE Jun-15 LOADED 1 PRIMER FED MAG
POWDER WINCH CHARGE 4.9 TYPE 231
BULLET BULL-X WEIGHT 240 TYPE SWC CAST
VELOCITY 650 ENERGY 225 TKO 9
COL 1.486 BC 0.182 SD 0.185

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.

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Power Pistol works great in the Special...lower pressure than Unique.

44 Special is my cartridge of choice...load and shoot thousands of them per year. I have found that it performs very well with PP, Unique, HP38/231, Trailboss, WST, HS-6...just load'em to do what you want to do.

Was never a real fan of the 45 Colt, so I sold off all them except one...44 Special will do just about anything that I need to do with a sixgun...and it is in a sweet little package. If it won't do it...I just reach and get the magnum...it will.
 
Another fan of the 44 special. 90% of the loads fired are 200 lrnfp under 6.2-6.4 grains hp-38. Bout 800 fps from 696. Like others, if a heavy load is wanted reach for the 44 mag.
 
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


I'm a big .44 Spl fan, have been for years. The 7.5 gr Unique load with a 240 gr LSWC is a great load, used by Skeeter Skelton. I've shot it in my 624's after working up to it. Velocity if I remember was about 950 fps.

There was another load using the same bullet with 17 gr of 2400. I tried working up a load with 2400 but stopped at 15.0 gr which gave me a velocity of 1050 fps. For a .44 Spl that's moving. It was very accurate and I felt the need to go no further. I see no reason to push the .44 Spl to far. At 950 fps a 240 gr bullet will handle almost anything I'd want to do.

Myself, I prefer the Skeeter load. It's pleasant to shoot, easy on the gun and shooter. I would not shoot any of these loads in anything but a S&W N frame or Ruger.
 
Keybear,

Maybe so I'm a day late and a dollar short, but I've been loading .44 Specials for awhile lately after acquiring several.

I've found Hodgdon HP-38 and HS-6 to work well for me in the .44 Special, in fact most of my loads are based on these powders of late, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .45 Xtra Short, and .45 Colt.

I'm not so much into the fire breathin' stuff anymore, but old #2400 is my go-to powder for such stuff. Contrary to published data, #2400 beat both H110 and Winchester 296 in my use.

Bob Wright
 
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I have one of the Ruger original Lypsey 44 specials of 2009 with a 4 5/8 inch barrel. I use a 240 gr swc with gas checks and use 15 grains of w296. I don't yet have a chronograph so I can't speak about velocity but it shoots really well and there is enough recoil to tell me it is not a pussycat either. I have loaded it hotter but like the 15 grain load. I have had pretty good loads with imr4227 also. I am not home and cannot recall the brand of bullets or the exact imr load that I settled on.
 
Newer 44 Special Article from Pearce

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

Bryan Pearce also produced an article after the Lipsey 44 Blackhawk came out. I have the Bisley version and it shoots fantastic. So far, I've used 17gr of 2400 under a 240RemSP and 8gr of Unique and Power Pistol under a 255 Keith Lead SWC. I'll look up the article tonight, but he held all the top loads in the article to 20k. Practically, primers were normal and cases fell out the cylinder.
 
I also have a Lipsey's bisley 44 spcl on the 357 frame and used Pearce's article to help develop loads. I like to run mine with the tier 2 loads... it's been awhile since I looked at my notes but I think my 5 1/2" barrel got just about 1000 fps with 240gr. Speers and Power Pistol. Don't quote me on that though, I'm speaking off the cuff and need to go back and review both the article and my load testing notes.
 
Guys, please read this sticky. If you are going to post loads that are over book limits or use powders for which no published loads exist, you have to post that warning at the top of your post. We know the Ruger's are strong and can handle higher pressures than some other guns, so you run that risk that, say, a Charter Bulldog owner might try one of your loads and have a serious failure. YOU may know it's only for the model Ruger you have or that the context of the thread will inform others this is so, but don't count on it.
 
Loads were for a Smith and Wesson 624 that found their way into this gun the first time I shot it.

It CAN happen.

NCM_0827-L.jpg


David
 
Unclenick I don't know if your warning was directed at me or not but if so...
1. I didn't post a charge weight for my load.
2. I would say Pearce's data counts as published since it appeared in Handloader and included pressure data.
 
Was shooting my Lipsey today. A trusted friend let me try his tier 2 S+W 696 loads.
Not extreme at all,but zippy.And 215 gr.

I learned the rear of the trigger guard was uncomfortable against my middle finger. Not brutal,just mildly uncomfortable.

I suspect a 240 gr bullet at another 100 fps will be a bit more uncomfortable.

I might decide to keep it fun.

I DO still have my 5 in bbl Super Blackhawk. :-)
 
Me son and I both have Ruger Flat Tops(new model) a blue and stainless . He is a hunter I no longer can but load for both of us . The 240 XTP just did not Impress me at all around 850 FPS with W296(full load) . The 240gr lead Keith bullet using Unique does work very well out to 100 yards . My son put down and good size buck this fall one shot at 80 yards and ran less then 5 yards . I really would like to make the XTP work but need more FPS .

I do not think it ever will just not safely ?
 
Did you load the XTPs to the factory cannelure?

You may know this but, those were placed with the 44 mag in mind and when seated to that depth in a 44 special case, result in an OAL which is unnecessarily short for your chambers. It also results in a smaller powder space.

When loading jacketed bullets in my 44 special, I roll another cannelure lower down on the bullet using a C&H cannelure tool. It's a very nice, easy to use tool that's affordable and lets you produce jacketed 44 special ammo that is the correct length.

BTW the case difference is about 1/8"; that's how much lower you place the cannelure to give equal OAL to 44 mag and of course the increased powder space lowers pressures some given equal charges of powder.
 
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Power Pistol

Power Pistol works great in the Special...lower pressure than Unique.
Click to expand...
I've used 8-9gr of Unique and Power Pistol under 240 Missouri and Matt's 255 Keith in my Lipsey's 44 Special, based on Brian Pearce' article in Handloader. Cases fall out the cylinder with a tap of the ejector. Power Pistol is cleaner, but they both shoot lights out with those two bullets. I've been loading cast bullets in 44 and 45 for many years, so pay attention to Unclenik's caution.
 
I thank you all for some very good Stuff . If nothing else it got me thinking a little different about my loads and the powder I am using . Right now I load kind of on the light side for myself and a little hotter for my sons hunting stuff . All my lead bullets use Unique and yes it is not real clean but I do like how it works . I really think I am done with the XTP,s I think more RPM,s are needed to make them work well in the 44 Special . The 240gr lead bullets are working very well and I see no need for anything more . I am getting over 850 fps and it is deadly on game . I do have new options now and thanks .
 
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