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Montana Bullet Works load data
- Thread starter ciwsguy
- Start date
ammo.crafter
New member
44 mag lever fed
Cut down 44 mag brass to 1.273" and keep OAL to a max of 1.746".
Cut down 44 mag brass to 1.273" and keep OAL to a max of 1.746".
So I loaded up some 44 special Keith GC and 44 magnums KGC 0.432 bullets with various loads of IMR 4227. Larger diameter bullets and heavier powder loads make this rifle (Marlin 1894 44 magnum, slow twist Ballard rifling 0.4305 bore) shoot much much better. Mounted a scope to remove the iron sights from the equation. 50 yard Groups dropped from 4 inches with factory 44 mag to less than two inches. Probably a 0.433 diam bullet would do even better.
Thinking about ammocrafter's suggestion of trimming the brass..
IF you have a mold or bullet supply of bullets with an ogive thats a touch too long for lever gun feeding,that might be a good remedy. You are stuck with the crimp groove.
A .020 brass trim can give you a .020 shorter COAL . If a little bit makes the gun/ammo work, little fudges like that are the beauty of handloading.
I'll remember that one. Thanks!
IF you have a mold or bullet supply of bullets with an ogive thats a touch too long for lever gun feeding,that might be a good remedy. You are stuck with the crimp groove.
A .020 brass trim can give you a .020 shorter COAL . If a little bit makes the gun/ammo work, little fudges like that are the beauty of handloading.
I'll remember that one. Thanks!
Ciwsguy's,
For clarification, the slower the rifling twist, the shorter a bullet needs to be to be stabilized by it.
I believe you'll find the long bullet's were either intended for 44 Special or for 44 Magnums with long cylinders, like the Ruger RedHawk, that can accommodate them when the Special crimp groove is used. This was a popular arrangement for silhouette shooting at one time because of the extra powder capacity it makes in the 44 Mag case.
For clarification, the slower the rifling twist, the shorter a bullet needs to be to be stabilized by it.
I believe you'll find the long bullet's were either intended for 44 Special or for 44 Magnums with long cylinders, like the Ruger RedHawk, that can accommodate them when the Special crimp groove is used. This was a popular arrangement for silhouette shooting at one time because of the extra powder capacity it makes in the 44 Mag case.