44 mag reloading

[Sim G]

Ignore the Luddites...... you should have seen the trouble getting the two of them to use percussion caps over flint.....!!

Anyhoo, accuracy wise, with a decent bullet and load, expect one hole groups at 25 yards, rested, if you do yor bit. At 50, look for around 2 inch groups, rested. That will give you confidence for GR style comps. And trust me, a 240gn bullet, even at a modest 850fps, will make a steel gong ring loud enough!

When you start to push lead up to 1600fps, expect leading. Waldorf and Stadler will tell you just to use gas checks, but I prefer to go for a full jacket..... At 300 yards, 10 inch groups are easily obtainable with qualty reloads.

[dromia]

When you start to push lead up to 1600fps, expect leading.

Not true with quality boolits and handloads, leading is function of poor boolit fit, usually undersize, wrong lube and too hard an alloy up to 2000fps.

Like all handloading do it right, be consistent and you will get results.

Jacketed in pistol calibre rifles is over kill and unnecessary.

[ronboy]

Hi I remember a few years ago shooting steel plates, my load was 240 grn bullet at around 900 ft/sec. Just before the Phoenix I run out of my usual primers, Winchester so I used cci. During the comp my loads were chronoed and were 29 ft/sec over the limit so I was disqualified. check power limits. My current load is 249grn hard lead RNFP pushed by 4.7grns of Titegroup, Fed primer. If you really want a powerful underlever there's the .444, .45x70, Ronboy

[Sim G]

So, a softer bullet produces less leading? I'm using "Lyman #2 alloy" any suggestions?

[dromia]

Range scrap 50/50 with roof flashing but you boolit needs to be 2thou over groove or fit the throat whichever is larger. If its micro grooved then nearer to groove diameter is better. Slow for the calibre powers work best to when looking for velocity.

[Sim G]

See, now you've given me something else to develop and obsess over ....... "high velocity lead loads"!

[dromia]

A Luddite in waiting methinks. :lol:

[FredB]

Adding to what Dromia said, one of the early post in this thread suggested that 44-40s are often .427"----my gallery rifle is a Winchester '92 in 44-40, made in 1902 and it is definitely .429" groove diameter. I have seen the reference to .427" in several books over the years but have never encountered a Winchester which slugged .427" and I have checked about eight, mostly '73s.
Believing this myth encourages the use of undersized bullets with the usual resulting lead build up in the throat.
Fred

[ronboy]

Hi I've been reading in the posts about leading, something I overcame many years ago. I get a really strong plastic bag put in about 250 lead bullets, then squirt a small amount of liquid Alox in. Then I roll over and over (the bag) till all the bullits are lightly coated and leave for a day or two to dry. I've told numerous people to try this method and no one has had leading. A teaspoon of Alox will coat about 2000 bullits.Ronboy

[dromia]

What velocities are you shooting at?

Xlox has its applications but is a low velocity lube up to say 1400 fps, also it will not stop leading if there is poor bullet fit.

It was actually designed as a protective coating for metal rather than a lubricant as such.

Best to apply it very thinly cut 50/50 with white spirit, there should just be a light golden hue to the covered boolit, more that that and it adds nothing to its effectiveness.