44mag and 2400

[JO JO]

1600 fps that is cooking , I am just punching paper at an indoor range with a 800 ft pound energy max restriction
Ruger revolvers are built tough i have two super Blackhawks

 

[Typetwelve]

1600 fps that is cooking , I am just punching paper at an indoor range with a 800 ft pound energy Max ,
Ruger revolvers are built tough i have two super Blackhawks

I worked my way up to that load, basically to see if I could. Now that I have? Yeah, I'm ok not doing that again. I'm going to load those 2400 rounds back down to the 1300 fps range, maybe 20g loads. If I got 1432fps average with 21g, 20 should get me down in the more comfortable 1300 fps area.

For 12-1300 fps loads, Unique seems to be a good solution.

 

[GONRA]

GONRA agrees with LUCKYDAWG13.: Use Blue Dot in .44 MAG, .44 AUTO MAG, .45 WIN MAG auto pistols Just Fine!

 

[brutus51]

Used to use a lot of Unique, great powder but meters poorly. Switched to Universal which meters great and provides about the same performance with less powder.
My favorite target load was 8.0gr. of Unique under a lead 240gr. semi-wadcutter.
Now the same bullet over 7.5gr. of Universal yields 960fps. out of a 6" model 629. Hope this helps.

 

[Typetwelve]

Used to use a lot of Unique, great powder but meters poorly. Switched to Universal which meters great and provides about the same performance with less powder.
My favorite target load was 8.0gr. of Unique under a lead 240gr. semi-wadcutter.
Now the same bullet over 7.5gr. of Universal yields 960fps. out of a 6" model 629. Hope this helps.

I load my 44 special brass with 7g of Unique under 240g lead "cowboy" projectiles from Missouri. They're easy shooting and accurate, high 800 to low 900 fps range. The powder thrower on my Dillon 550 does a solid job of metering a very consistent load with Unique...rarely much over or under. Not enough to make a difference safety wise.

 

[brutus51]

I've found that by switching to the larger orifice rifle barrel in my uniflow I could get Unique to meter quite well but I got tired of switching out the barrels.

 

[Typetwelve]

I've found that by switching to the larger orifice rifle barrel in my uniflow I could get Unique to meter quite well but I got tired of switching out the barrels.

I will say that I haven't used the 550 system to throw larger magnum charges...nor will I. I hand meter those at the moment. Eventually I'll get my hands on an auto thrower.

 

[Toprudder]

I tested down to 18.5gn of 2400 with a 240 XTP bullet and got 1129fps out of a 10” barrel. I also tried a 240 coated bullet and got 1269fps. No accuracy testing at that load, though.

It is my opinion that if you want a reduced recoil load you would be better off using a faster burning powder in the upper half of its charge range, rather than a slower burning powder at the bottom of the charge range. Most powders burn cleaner as you go up in pressure. Another factor is the initial peak pressure that expands the brass and forms a gas seal, the better the seal, the less gas will blow by the case and back into the gun.

For good midrange loads in 44mag, I really like BE86. For really light loads, Clays works well.

 

[JO JO]

Yep got some BE86 plan on running it over a Chrono next week , I did this a while back with good results so I will continue with BE86 I did try unique with good results but liked BE86 a bit better

 

[sparkyv]

Let's just say I was goofing around with 2400 this weekend and let's just say that I got a 240g lead projectile to slightly over 1600 fps from my s.redhawk.

Let's also say that I do not plan on doing that again as my palm was less than happy about that...

Average: 1614 fps
High: 1600 fps
Low: 1634 fps

I don't think I'm going to post load data on that one...not 100% it is a safe load (although my revolver handled them just fine).

 

[TRX]

I used a ton of 2400 in .357. In .44s, I always found unburned powder flakes on the bench in front of the gun. (5" barrel) Likely wouldn't be an issue with a 6" or longer barrel.

Theoretically the incomplete burning should have affected accuracy, but whatever the spread was, it was within my usual levels of inaccuracy...