44 Magnum great result question

[Lee Q. Loader]

Here's a situation I've never seen in all my reloading experience.

I was looking for an accurate load in 44 mag using BE-86, 240 gr Brazos coated SWC and WLP primer.

I started at 10 grains of BE-86 and increased in .2 grain increments up to 11.6 grains.

I got nearly identical size groups in EVERY charge amount and they were all very good for me.
About 1.5" inch groups at 15 yards.
The velocities of the loads ranged from 1100 to 1240 fps.
So I guess I can just decide what velocity I want and load anything in that range.
I thought it was pretty cool and i wondered; Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

At 15 yards and I assume off hand shooting, it's not gonna show much difference. Longer distance and more steady shots would probably show a difference then.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Well, I'm not a bullseye shooter so it's hard to say but it seems like every load of IMR 4227 under a 255gr. LSWC from start to max is the same POI at 25yds. They all go inside the same 10-gallon hat sized "group".

 

[Lee Q. Loader]

At 15 yards and I assume off hand shooting, it's not gonna show much difference. Longer distance and more steady shots would probably show a difference then.

I agree that I'm probably not a good enough shooter to tell the difference.
I was rested when shooting, on the arm of an old couch that someone threw out in the spot where I like to shoot. LOL I guess some people think the world in their junkyard.

 

[Bazoo]

A good load at 15 yards will cluster them into one ragged hole. A good shooter can do the same at that distance, rested.

I consider 1.5” groups at 25 yards good, pending on my gun and purpose of course.

 

[The Glockodile]

I consider 1.5” groups at 25 yards good, pending on my gun and purpose of course.

I shoot at 5 feet and claim 25 yards, when I'm lucky to not shred the target with the muzzle blast.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I shoot at 5 feet and claim 25 yards, when I'm lucky to not shred the target with the muzzle blast.

I have actually seen people do that at the indoor range. Many years ago I seen a guy try it at the outdoor range and the RO about had a conniption fit - told him to pack up, get out, and turn in his membership card. I about laughed myself silly until the old RO gave me the stink eye.

 

[The Glockodile]

I have actually seen people do that at the indoor range. Many years ago I seen a guy try it at the outdoor range and the RO about had a conniption fit - told him to pack up, get out, and turn in his membership card. I about laughed myself silly until the old RO gave me the stink eye.

And then, I post the pics on all the online Forums...

...maybe in the threads which discuss comparisons between kinetic energy and momentum, if I'm in a good mood

 

[Y-T71]

When I was a young shooter, I reloaded because my first pistol was a 6" S&W 629; I didn't have much choice at 18 years old if I wanted to send as much lead downrange as I wanted (and trust me, I really wanted!)

Luckily my shooting buddy and I had an abandoned strip mine a couple miles down the road with one side being much higher than they other so, in the winter months icecicles would form on one (the high) side so we would shoot them down until they became too big for our .22's, we would then go back home and get bigger stuff; 9mm, .45's, .357's etc.

Best part was our "targets" would "grow back" overnight.

It was heaven.

My point is, we never learned to shoot at anything "short" range.
It was 20 years before I shot at anything under 25 yards; 5-10 yards felt (and still does) feel like I was cheating!

I guess the point of this post isn't to brag about "my abilities" because it's been looong time: enough to loose those "skills" (and ,let's face it they were never skills in the first place, just a lotta luck)

What I can say is that we had a lot of fun and can give first hand experience on what is possible with handguns when not knowing what is possible with them; if someone would've told me that what I was doing was"impossible" I wouldn't have had any expectations past 10-20 feet.

 

[Bazoo]

People that can’t hit a washtub at 25 yards find it equally as incredible to believe that I can hit a coke can at 25 yards, as I do the inability of the washtub missers.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

People that can’t hit a washtub at 25 yards find it equally as incredible to believe that I can hit a coke can at 25 yards, as I do the inability of the washtub missers.

What amazes me is how many people who can put five bullets in the center of a target at 25yds can’t hit a wild boar on the run at ten paces.

 

[Bazoo]

What amazes me is how many people who can put five bullets in the center of a target at 25yds can’t hit a wild boar on the run at ten paces.

I missed a rabbit once at about 10 yards. With the single six, but I can easily hit a shotshell on end at that distance... Only thing I can figure is it was a male bunny, which are known as bucks.

 

[DMW1116]

I had a similar experience with my 357. Anywhere between 12.9 and 13.5 grains of 2400 and a 158 grain Hornady XTP shot groups separated by less than 0.02” at 25 yards from a rest. I dk t need the velocity or punishment so I’m just going with 13 grains.

 

[ACES&8S]

To answer the thread question: For myself, I would go with whatever you want to really use the revolver for.
Home defense, controlled recoil is better, so the low end is better, and practice like you mean it, even up
close, very close.
Hunting, go top end and practice a lot for buck fever and such, PS= I use a 44 mag for deer hunting, put a scope on it for
realistic ranges.
General shooting for fun, just the low end. It saves powder and still packs a wallop, plus if you master a mag
you might even get a good group without powder burning the paper.

 

[buck460XVR]

What amazes me is how many people who can put five bullets in the center of a target at 25yds can’t hit a wild boar on the run at ten paces.

Problem is, folks not accustomed to shooting at running game are sometimes looking over their barrel to see if they are hitting the animal instead of looking down the sights. Those same folks tend to stop moving the barrel when they pull the trigger. They are dead on where the hog used to be........