Heavy 44 Cal w/ gas check projectile

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D.B. Cooper

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So...I'm looking for a projectile. Some years ago, a local old timer loaded up some 44 magnum bear loads for me. He used a 312 grn hard cast projectile with a a gas check. As I understand it, the gas check allowed him to load a near maximum charge of H110 (22 grns I believe) for a velocity of about 1600 fps (20" rifle barrel).

I can't find a 300-ish grain projectile with a gas check anywhere. I'm fairly certain he cast the projectiles himself. I don't want to get get into casting my own projectiles, but what would be a good substitute projectile for this application? (Bear protection/moose hunting out to 100 yrds. from both 20" rifle barrel or 4" revolver barre.)
 
With h110 you have to be close to max load, not much need for a gc since there not needed with powders coating and the other stuff. There's a chance the rifle may not shoot a 300+ grain bullet to good. There are some places online you can buy coated bullets some seem over priced. Maybe some one here can hook you up.
 
There's a chance the rifle may not shoot a 300+ grain bullet to good.

It doesn't.

The barrel twist is 1:38, which is a hold over from the old 200 grn 44-40 black powder cartridge. The 300 grn bullet has to be really really moving to stabilize in flight. If not, it's a 25 yard gun.

And this is why I want to make up some more of these hand loads. The factory HSM bear load (305 grn LWFN) doesn't stabilize well, and groups are measured in feet, not inches at ranges beyond 25. But the hand loads have always done well. In fact, I'm thinking about pulling one apart and trying to weigh the powder to make sure I'm correct on my powder charge. If I thought a 200 grn bullet would be up to the task, I'd probably go that route.

Oddly enough, the 305 grn HSMs shoot well in my 4.2" barrel Redhawk out to 25 yards, other than being very high POI vs POA. That's a 1:20 twist.
 
I run the 240 mbcs over 24.5gr in both mine and my buddies .44SBH at 1400 and change from both guns, no issues with leading. Id be inclined to try the 300s burt mentioned.
Something ive read/heard is that .44 rifles actually have a .430 bore, which might contribute to some of the stability issues....cant say from personal experience, ive never owned a 44 long gun.
 
I like the 260-270 grain in the 44 rifles, still makes good speed and hits hard. I like the 200 lee shoots flat and from some 4x4 and 6x6 I've shot still penetrate good. Plus they take less lead.
 
I run a 300gr WFN-GC from Montana Bullet works. That's with 22.0gr of 300-MP. From my 5.5" RH it hits just over 1200fps. The RH could handle higher pressure of course, this is just a standard .44 Mag load.

I run the same bullet with 16.8gr of 2400, for 1100fps out of a SBH with 4-5/8" barrel. So maybe a little faster from the longer RH.

Shooting off bags, both loads give me easily under 2" @ 25 yards. That's with irons, and the limiting factor there is me. At 50 yards, the 2400 load did this with my RH off a wrist rest.

IMG_20200324_051529865.jpg

10 shots, 1 flier. 50 yards, 5" group of 9 shots. (Those are 1" squares). So it's not terrible out at 50 yards. But beyond that, I wonder if a jacketed bullet would preform better. I've had good though limited experience with the 300gr Swift A-Frame. And some with the 300gr Hornady XTP too.

There is an extra tall front sight available from Bowen Classic Arms, for the RH, that actually fixes the POA/POI issue with 300gr bullets.
 
Looks to me that you've got a winner, winner, chicken dinner.
I run a 300gr WFN-GC from Montana Bullet works. That's with 22.0gr of 300-MP. At 50 yards, the 2400 load did this with my RH off a wrist rest.

View attachment 901706

10 shots, 1 flier. 50 yards, 5" group of 9 shots. (Those are 1" squares). So it's not terrible out at 50 yards.
 
The barrel twist is 1:38, which is a hold over from the old 200 grn 44-40 black powder cartridge. The 300 grn bullet has to be really really moving to stabilize in flight. If not, it's a 25 yard gun.

And this is why I want to make up some more of these hand loads. The factory HSM bear load (305 grn LWFN) doesn't stabilize well, and groups are measured in feet, not inches at ranges beyond 25. But the hand loads have always done well. In fact, I'm thinking about pulling one apart and trying to weigh the powder to make sure I'm correct on my powder charge. If I thought a 200 grn bullet would be up to the task, I'd probably go that route.

My Marlin M1894 has the same twist and bullets much above 240 grains are inaccurate because they won't stabilize. I tried 290 LSWC's and they tumbled. End of that experiment.

Wish you luck.
 
Got this from the Rimrock Bullets gas check list:
$ g/ch .44/.444 290 gr. SWC per 100 in a plastic 39.00 ammo box
$ g/ch .44 305 gr. LBT-WFN per 100 in a plastic 40.00 ammo box
 
My Marlin M1894 has the same twist and bullets much above 240 grains are inaccurate because they won't stabilize. I tried 290 LSWC's and they tumbled. End of that experiment.

Wish you luck.

I've had similar results with any factory 240 and 305 grn ammo in my Winchester as well.
 
Jerry Michilack says the 300 grain XTP is the most accurate bullet hes ever shot out of a 44 mag handgun. But what does he know lol.....yes that's me being funny at the end there.
 
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