So I bought a Henry 44mag/44spl lever gun, 20in barrel. Ran through the manuals, put some loads together. Had some VERY odd results.
Only did 3 round groups for the initial workup to conserve primers and powders. Was just trying to get a rough idea of how things were going to work. Goal was between 1,000 and 1,100 fps to keep it subsonic.
Starline 44SPL Brass
240g Hornady XTP
Winchester Large pistol primers (for standard OR magnum loads)
Firm crimp
Power Pistol
6.6g, avg 773, SD 21, ES 42
7.1g, avg 860, SD 46.7, ES 93
7.6g, avg 980, SD 20.13, ES 40
CFE Pistol
5.7 492 (only got 1 reading, not sure what happened)
6.2 Avg 572, SD 88.79, ES 177
6.7Avg 770, SD 50.24, ES 92
HP-38 (AKA W-231)
5.2 avg 527, sd 55.63, es111
5.7 avg 629, sd 24.25, es 48
Really expected these to perform better. These loads all showed around a 790fps to 850fps range out of a 6 to 7in pistol barrel. Not sure why they
performed so poorly in the rifle.
I seriously thought I had squibs with the CFE Pistol, it felt and sounded like a sub sonic 22LR. But I got chronograph readings and could see light down the barrel. I hoped this would perform the best as this was the slowest burning powder I tried.
I was also concerned I was having chronograph errors due to the low velocities and the sun being low in the sky. However after each string I fired one 44 mag and it was giving me correct velocities.
Only did 3 round groups for the initial workup to conserve primers and powders. Was just trying to get a rough idea of how things were going to work. Goal was between 1,000 and 1,100 fps to keep it subsonic.
Starline 44SPL Brass
240g Hornady XTP
Winchester Large pistol primers (for standard OR magnum loads)
Firm crimp
Power Pistol
6.6g, avg 773, SD 21, ES 42
7.1g, avg 860, SD 46.7, ES 93
7.6g, avg 980, SD 20.13, ES 40
CFE Pistol
5.7 492 (only got 1 reading, not sure what happened)
6.2 Avg 572, SD 88.79, ES 177
6.7Avg 770, SD 50.24, ES 92
HP-38 (AKA W-231)
5.2 avg 527, sd 55.63, es111
5.7 avg 629, sd 24.25, es 48
Really expected these to perform better. These loads all showed around a 790fps to 850fps range out of a 6 to 7in pistol barrel. Not sure why they
performed so poorly in the rifle.
I seriously thought I had squibs with the CFE Pistol, it felt and sounded like a sub sonic 22LR. But I got chronograph readings and could see light down the barrel. I hoped this would perform the best as this was the slowest burning powder I tried.
I was also concerned I was having chronograph errors due to the low velocities and the sun being low in the sky. However after each string I fired one 44 mag and it was giving me correct velocities.
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