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255 gr swc 44 mag loads

5K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  angioplasty 
#1 ·
gentlemen just joined the forum. I started looking through the posts and see that there is a lot of years of reloading experience out there. I have primarily shot and reloaded 40 s&w 45 acp and the 270 win. I'm getting back into the 44 again with hunting season coming up fast. looking for data for the 255 gr swc I have 240 gr and plenty of XTP's I really want to use the 255 (240 is good also)
I have H110, 231, ACC #7 and ACC #9 I would love to see what your thoughts on the powder and the loads. not looking for wrist breakers just a good load for white tail
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thanks for your experience
 
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#3 ·
Hodgdon Reloading gives data for 240 and 270 gr bullets using H110 and W231 in .44 Magnum. You might find a load that fits best by interpolating with starting loads and working up. I know that H110 does not respond well to greatly reduced (over 3% under max) loads, so be careful.
I'm not sure how well AA#7 and AA#9 respond to a 10% reduction below max, but I would EXPECT more predictable behaviour. It seems to me that ONE of the AA#X propellants doesn't like charge reduction, but it isn't nearly as famous for it as H110/W296.
 
#4 ·
H110 is hard on cast bullets from my experience. I shoot 1000's of 429421's (255 grain just like your's) in my 44's and even though it's not on your list of powders, Alliant 2400 is my go to powder for these bullets for mid to heavy loads.

Good luck in your search.

RJ
 
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#6 ·
Also some thing to think about as to bullet weight. . A heavy for cal bullet. For instance . I load a home cast 280gr SWC , BHN 10.5, right at 1100 fps. I use a moderate load of HS-6. Not a wrist breaker ,very controllable, very accurate, but for sure a hard hitting deep penetrating bullet. The greater the bullet weight , the greater the momentum. Momentum = penetration.
Depends what you want it for.I have found the 280gr to be a very useful bullet for the 44. Fits nicely between the 240 & the 300/310gr. Just some info for thought.
 

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#8 · (Edited)
I have been casting & size lubing bullets since 1966. My conventionally sized & lube bullets have worked quite well as to accuracy & performance . The difference I see is where my lubed style bullets would eventually leave some lead in the bore after a few shots. Maybe not a lot , but some. If you kept shooting over time lead would build up to the point you had to do some serious cleaning. How much lead built up & how often you had to clean depended on severial variables. Cleaning was always needed at some point.
I do understand it is hard to change if you have been doing something a certain way for years. But I eventually tried powder coating & have never looked back. It absolutely works. If you coat properly ( easy to do ) you will eliminate leading. You have encapsulated your bullet in a tough poly shield that holds up beautifully to cast bullet velocities. For me & my cast bullet shooting that means a max of about 1800 fps. I have read of other's who claim as much as 2400 fps, but I can't verify that. So for my hand guns & rifles , 25-20, 32-20, 38/357, 40 S&W, & on up to 45-70, PC works. I can , in half an hour explain to anyone how to PC. It is that simple. Not only works, but I find it quite enjoyable.
 

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#9 ·
My go to cast bullet loads have been with a 250 Keith backed with 2400 or for most target work I use Unique. I've not used AA#9 myself but one of my friends loads #9 with his cast bullet loads.
I haven't got into the PC with my bullets yet but know several shooters that have with good results.
Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Those bullets look to purdy to shoot Dom.
 
#10 ·
Welcome to the Forum, angioplasty. 2400, 296 and Unique were always my go to powders for the .44 mag.
That was thirty years ago.
 
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#11 ·
I will definitely be trying to get my hands on some 2400, here at home like every place else is a luck of the draw to find any. surprised that fed-x is running today it took about 6-7 weeks but my order from missouri bullet showed up at the front door. 180gr 40s&w grooveless coated and 200 gr 45acp coated bullets got to hit the loading bench( and plink test ). I saw on line from a few that you should reduce the load by a small percent from the lead loads or treat it as a non coated bullet? and I'm assuming that the tapper crimp treat the same regardles of the coating for the groovless same as my jhp's new territory for me and Dom your coated bullets look like they should belong in a candy dish on the counter. great !!
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#12 ·
gentlemen just joined the forum. I started looking through the posts and see that there is a lot of years of reloading experience out there. I have primarily shot and reloaded 40 s&w 45 acp and the 270 win. I'm getting back into the 44 again with hunting season coming up fast. looking for data for the 255 gr swc I have 240 gr and plenty of XTP's I really want to use the 255 (240 is good also)
I have H110, 231, ACC #7 and ACC #9 I would love to see what your thoughts on the powder and the loads. not looking for wrist breakers just a good load for white tail
View attachment 102473 thanks for your experience
I shoot a very similar Keith SWC cast in an /RCBS mold out of my Black Hawk Hunter and have obtained less then 2 inch five shot groups at 75 yards. The only thing I have done to get this accuracy was to get a good trigger job and then match the sized bullet diameter to the cylinder throat diameter. My throats measure .432 and I honed my sizing die to just over that at about .4323. If your cast bullets are smaller then cylinder diameter you will get gas blow by that will lead your barrel and destroy accuracy rapidly. My bullets are cast from wheel weights alloyed 40 Lbs. WW to 1 pound 95 / 5 tin alloy lubed with the old NRA 50/50 alox / bees wax lubricant. These are loaded in Rem. cases sparked by CCI large Mag. Pistol Primers under 21.5 Gr. H110 using a good crimp. H110 / 296 has always provided me exceptional accuracy with cast bullets in 2 Black Hawks and one Contender and an 1894 Marlin. This load is less then max for the 240 gr. bullets and max for the 270 gr bullets in the Hodgdon Reloading Manual which can be viewed on line. The typical warnings apply here, this load was safe in my firearm but may not be in yours. Consult a reliable loading manual and follow their directions for working up a load.
 
#15 ·
Usually, one of the first steps in accuracy work on a revolver is to ream the cylinder throats to a uniform maximum diameter. Ask the previous owner if he has done that or had it done. If not, buy or find someone with pin gauges who can tell you how uniform they are. The old accuracy revolver smiths would also shim or modify the bolt (cylinder lock) to center the chambers perfectly with the barrel. Finally, you should slug your barrel with a pure lead ball or bullet or sinker to feel for a constriction where the barrel screws into the frame. Lapping that out, if you have one, reduces leading with conventionally lubricated cast bullets and improves accuracy with cast bullets (coated or otherwise).
 
#17 ·
gentlemen just joined the forum. I started looking through the posts and see that there is a lot of years of reloading experience out there. I have primarily shot and reloaded 40 s&w 45 acp and the 270 win. I'm getting back into the 44 again with hunting season coming up fast. looking for data for the 255 gr swc I have 240 gr and plenty of XTP's I really want to use the 255 (240 is good also)
I have H110, 231, ACC #7 and ACC #9 I would love to see what your thoughts on the powder and the loads. not looking for wrist breakers just a good load for white tail
View attachment 102473 thanks for your experience
I would start with the AA #7 and load to around 1000-1100 fps. I load most of my 240-250 gr lead bullets over 9 grs Unique for 1000 fps in my Rugers with 5-1/2"bbls. Very accurate and mild to shoot all day. I'm guessing #7 would be close to Unique in burn rate.
 
#20 ·
Never needed to ream cylinders owning many .44s. .45 Colt Rugers...yes.
That experience is a combination of 45's being particularly problematic after the .454 to .451 change and luck of the draw on the 44s. I bought a Redhawk in the 80s that would shoot all but one chamber into about an inch off bags at 50-yards with cheap American Eagle 240-grain HP ammo and using a 1.5X Burris scope on top. A friend of mine was so impressed with the gun, he bought his own copy. His would not stay in a 7" circle at 25 yards. So we sent it back to Ruger with an accuracy complaint and included photocopies of the groups from my Redhawk next to groups from his so they would know this wasn't coming from a flincher trying to blame the gun. They returned it a few weeks later with a carbon of the shop record that simply said: "reamed cylinder". It shot close to mine after that. I don't know of any drawback to the chamber reaming, and I think that's why it is such a standard revolver accuracy step.

Here's a group from mine when it was new. The low and right shot appeared consistently and always came from the chamber with the narrowest throat, which was about a thousandth and a half narrower than the largest one.
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#21 ·
My .44 is a Special, but there is not a lot of difference. I use the 240 grain SWC, and have used both the lubed and the coated, either is fine. Coated bullets can now be bought online, if you want to try some before you buy the equipment to make your own. I've used all the powders you mention, and for hunting, H110 and Accurate #9 are the ones you want to work with. Pay attention to what the manuals tell you. Most of my handgun-hunting is done with my 6" M57 S&W in .41 Mag, and there is not much difference there, either. I hunt mule deer, though. Have fun, Gene
 
#22 ·
A friend gave me a couple hundred of what looks like the same bullet as the OP. I typically use Unique with cast bullets and load to moderate velocities, and 296 with magnum-level loads and jacketed bullets mostly out of my scoped Redhawk. I shot a couple deer with jacketed magnum loads - they were complete pass-throughs and hurt my ears. I switched to 240 gr. LSWC's at moderate velocities (my practice load) some years back, they pass completely through, too at least on the 2 or 3 deer I've shot with them.
I've been experimenting with the 250/255's and they shoot well in my guns, very accurate with moderate charges of Unique. I know I can make them go a lot faster, but I don't see the need. Haven't shot a deer with one yet, though.
to the OP: I'd start with a medium load of 231, work up a little at a time and when you find an accuracy sweet spot, or when you get to 1000 fps, go with it. Unless you're taking shots past 50 yds. that should be plenty to punch through a deer, though I don't know where you're hunting or how big they are there. If your Mod. 29 is your close-in gun, or out to 35-50 yds., it should be fine. If it's your primary hunting gun, you may want to go for the higher velocities for the longer shots.
 
#24 ·
Been away for a few days internet was very spotty. I am in awe from the responses and knowledge that you guys have given to me totally appreciate from all. for those who have asked the previous owner had slugged the barrel and i believe it was.430 he had work done to the cylinder and cylinder lock. he used to cast his own lead but decided to sell his mold to someone in pensylvania inturn he had I tink 1000 cast bullets made for him. I am starting to work up loads with H110 / Accurate #7 accurate #9 and trying to get 2400. I obtained 1000 240gr swc (.430) the 255gr swc are also (.430)
my jacketed hp's 240gr are running .4295 and .430 I will be looking for shots up to 50 yards and it seems that around 1200 fps will work just fine with the 255ers I thank all of you again will report on my progress. I'll keep checking and looking forward for more advise and see what I can do with help with my 45.
angioplasty
 
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