.44 Mag 240 gr SWC load

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democrat

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I'm trying to figure out a starting load for some 240 gr "Hardcast" LSWC from Magnus Bullet Co. using Unique. Three different books are giving me 5.7, 7, and 10.8 grains to start with a 240 gr LSWC. Any thoughts?

I've also got some 296, 4227, AA2, AA5, AA7, and I think some 2400 on hand.
 
What do you want to accomplish, light target, medium power, hunting loads?
Your list of powders will all work for different levels of performance.

10.3gr of Unique will give around 1250fps with that weight bullet, @ 36,000psi which is a medium+ load.



NCsmitty
 
I have had great success using 8 grains of unique or 231. Both are pleasant and easy to shoot but are capable of taking deer and hogs
 
For this load I'm basically just after a light to medium target round. I guess my concern was the wide spread of starting loads in different manuals: 10.8 from Lee, 7 from Alliant, 5.7 from Lyman. Generally I use jacketed bullets so I'm new to lead (and .44), but I regularly load 9mm .40S&W, .223, .308, 30-06.
 
MY Lyman P&R #2 shows 5.7 grains of Unique as a starting load for 250 gr .44 SPECIAL.

Alliant probably shows as light a load as 7 grains Unique because they don't want anybody to get upset over barrel leading with cheap bulk cast bullets.

Lee doesn't actually test loads, they are probably reprinting an old Alliant or Hercules data point.

Some old guy name of Keith recommended 8 grains of Unique and a 250 gr SWC for a medium target load in .44 MAGNUM. That is close to standard .45 Colt ballistics.
 
MY Lyman P&R #2 shows 5.7 grains of Unique as a starting load for 250 gr .44 SPECIAL.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I'll double check, but I'd swear I was looking at Magnum. First thing I thought with that light charge was that I was looking at Special, but now that you mention it, I'll look again when I've got the book in front of me.
 
I used 9.5 - 10 gr of Unique with a 250 gr LSWC from a local caster in my old M29. I never had a crony in those days, but figured the velocity was ~ 1100 fps. AA#7 saw some limited use also at 10 grs with the same bullet.
The Speer lead bullet in the Alliant data is a "swagged" bullet and too soft to drive very hard. That is the reasoning behind the lighter charge IMO.
Lymans #48 recommends 10.0 - 11.7 gr of Unique with their #429667 / 240gr LSWC
 
240 RNFPBB - BHN ~21 (similar to MBC I'd guess)
Powder / charge (gr.) / velocity (fps)

Unique 7.0 917
Unique 8.0 1043
Unique 9.0 1127
Unique 10.0 1233

240 SWCBB - BHN ~21 (Dardas, also similar)
Powder / charge (gr.) / velocity (fps)

Unique 6.5 825
Unique 7.5 928
Unique 8.5 1015
Unique 9.5 1123


All shot through a ProChrono Digital, at 15' from muzzle, averages of varying temperatures, from an 8.5" Taurus Raging Bull. WLP primers, 1.605" OAL in both of the above cases.

Hope this helps.

LOAD AT YOUR OWN RISK! WORK UP SAFELY FROM STARTING CHARGES. That being said, neither of these approaches the maximum and for both bullets the max charge listed results in no significant leading.
 
Ok. Consulted the books again. I was misremembering. Lee and Lyman were both in the 10 grains starting range. Alliant as stated was 7. Hornady was 5.7 and maxing out around 7 or so--I presume their lead 240 gr swc is rather soft, perhaps?

Anyway, thanks for the info, I think I've got a good starting point.
 
Yep, Hornady's lead slugs are soft swaged and can't handle anything over 900 fps without making a leading mess.

With a good hardcast boolit you should be able to use medium jacketed data with good result. I load a up-towards-max of Titegroup for target loads with hard lead with no leading.
 
Part of the problem is you are comparing apples & oranges.

There are numerous bullet shapes & designs that weigh 240 grains.

Lyman lists two that are 240 & 245 grain. One is a RNFP and one is a Keith SWC.

The max load of Unique with the 240 is 11.7 grains.
But it is 13.0 grains with the heaver Keith style bullet.
A different 240 SWC could use a different charge.

Different designs change the amount of bore friction.
And Alliant & Lee aren't real specific what bullet they are talking about.

rc
 
Part of the problem is you are comparing apples & oranges.

There are numerous bullet shapes & designs that weigh 240 grains.

[snip]

Different designs change the amount of bore friction.
And Alliant & Lee aren't real specific what bullet they are talking about.
Click to expand...

Exactly. That's why I was asking for opinions for a starting point for Magnus' hardcast SWCBB. Since Magnus doesn't provide load data, nor do any books refer to the Magnus bullet, I'm left to compare data for similar profiles and weights and ask for the advice of folks who may have used said bullet.
 
I run 7 grains under a 245 lazer cast for my sis-in-laws to shoot the big 9.5" SRH. In my other 44s it's still a very light load.

If you're looking for a mid range plinker, Keith was on the money with the 8.0 load.
 
This load had a fair kick to it, but duplicates high end 44 Spl loads.

The bullet I was using was commerical cast bullet, about 13 BHN, and this load was accurate, and powerful.


S&W M629-4 Stainless, 5" Barrel

240 LSWC 8.5 grs Unique thrown, Midway Brass WLP

25-Nov-04 T = 58 °F

Ave Vel = 1023
Std Dev = 25
ES = 99
Low = 958
High = 1057
N = 30
 
44 Magnum in S&W M29

Just shot yesterday, 10.2gr of Unique using my Saeco #441 240gr Keith Type (real weight 255gr as cast). Using the same bullet with W296 @ 23.7gr was very accurate as always (my pet load) Found some very old (1972) H110, loaded 12 rounds with that @ 22gr. Using Federal mag primers, normaly use WLP. They all did fine accuracy wise.
th_44mag.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] USE THIS DATA AT YOUR OWN RISK.
 
I have shot a truck load of the magnus 240 swc, over 8.0 grns of unique, it is my favorite 44 load, i drop down to 7.5 in my 624 44 spec, and shes a damn good shooter, i cant realy tell you what kind of vel im getting, my 44 magnums and 44 specials are 4 inch


csa
 
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