[Mark Van Scoy]

Can anyone reccomend a safe starting load for a  250 gr BT using H110? I am planning on working up a load for a charter Arms Bulldog with a 2 1/2" barrel. I'm really not looking for a bear stopper.
Mark

 

[arkypete]

Need a little more info. Is it the Speer, Barnes or Nosler 250 grain BT 44 Special bullet that you want to load for. Maybe you planned to use a gas checked cast BT bullet then I'd need to know the mold maker.
Jim

 

[MikeG]

I doubt that H110 will burn decently at .44 Special pressures, and if it did, would probably make an enormous fireball from that short of a barrel.

Might I suggest Unique...

 

[Alk8944]

Mark

As Mike said, H-110/296, which are identical, will not burn properly at the pressure level you can use in the Charter.  

Depending on the source, Winchester advises DO NOT REDUCE from it's data for the various magnums and Hodgdon advises no more than a 3% reduction.  This is from 36,000-40,000 PSI loads!  If you are not familiar with these powders, they have been known to cause catastrophic destruction of firearms when reduced loads are used.  This is a real safety issue!

The Charter isn't a magnum in any way of defining it, not to mention it is so light that you would really know you had made a mistake if you ever light off a load in this gun which is capable of exceeding 750-800 FPS, they are too light, it will hurt!

For acceptable loads within this guns pressure limitations I would recommend Bullseye, Red Dot, Unique, 231, or any of the Hodgdon or AA powders in this burning rate range.  6.2 to 6.7 grains Unique works really well in the .44 Spl.

 

[Mark Van Scoy]

Thanks to all,
I have only loaded for the 44 Mag in the past and have plenty of 110 on hand. I do have some Red dot on hand also. Any suggestions? Or should I just get off my cheap rear end and spend 15 bucks on some Unique? The Bullets I plan on using are the Beartooth 250 grain gas checked.
Mark

 

[MikeG]

Red Dot should work fine.  There is data in the current Alliant "freebie" manual for the 246 gr. lead roundnose.  That should get you started.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

Mark,

For your little Bulldog, do try some Unique or Universal Clays, either are superb, the New Unique being much cleaner burning than the old formula.

Try the .44-250LFNGC/8.0g Unique/WLPP/Remington or Starline Brass

This load will be pleasant to shoot, within the pressure confines of the Bulldog's limitations, and a very accurate load to boot!

Hope this helps!

God Bless,

Marshall