Zero Bullets 44 mag 240g measurements and load questions

[Typetwelve]

So, I know the deal with Zero's 44.

I just received 1000 of them and they do seem good to go. With that said, I decided to measure them to see how they stack up to Horandy XTPs (the only other 240g jacketed projectiles I have). First off, looking all over the web, the issue with them being listed as .431" comes up more than anything else. With random pulls from the box, the Zero seem to come in at .430" across the board. The Hornady are mostly .429 with my mic being in between the .429 and .430" marks. It seems that Sierra does the same thing, the dia of their 240g projectiles are listed at .4295" as well. With all the stuff I've read, I'm not going to get twisted about a .0005" dia difference.

So, I'm not concerned about dia...what I am concerned with is the seating depth. The XTP is considerably deeper under the crimp line. Average depth into the case is just around .345". The Zero is a much shorter .300". Being that I need to seat to that line, I'm going to have more open space in a Zero load than I am a XTP...so attempting to use XTP data may cause an issue. I do have 2400 but I was planning on using up some H110 with these fellas.

So...load data with H110. Here's where it makes my head hurt. I'm going to pull from 4 points of data, Hornady, Hodgdon, Nosler*, and Lyman.

Hornady states- 1.600" OAL, 20.7-24.8g of H110 (which seems like a wide spread of H110 to me)
Hodgdon (with a Nosler projectile) states- 1.600" OAL with 23-24g of H110.
Nosler states- 1.580 OAL with 22.8-23.8g of H110
Lastly, my Lyman manual states- 1.600 with 22.5-23.5g of H110 for Sierra projectiles
1.610 with 23.5-24.5g of H110 for generic "240g HP"

So...an OAL of 1.580-1.610 and H110 charges from 20.7-24.8 grains?

I'm taking a stab here at 1.600" OAL with a charge of 23g to 23.5g of H110? Sound about right?

(...sorry about the wall of txt)

 

[murf]

no, that is too high a start charge. start at 22.0 grains and put a heavy crimp into the crimp groove. don't worry about seating depth. the crimp groove takes care of that.

the speer reloading manual shows 22.0 grains as a start charge for their bullets that are shaped just like your zero bullet.

luck,

murf

 

[crestoncowboy]

don't worry about seating depth. the crimp groove takes care of that.

Very much. Good crimp is especially important in tube fed rifles or ultralight revolvers (329pd) and the big bores.

 

[Walkalong]

I'm taking a stab here at 1.600" OAL with a charge of 23g to 23.5g of H110? Sound about right?

Nope, 23.5 is where I ended up after working up with Hornady XTPs a very long time ago. And I use AA #9 &/or N-110 these days.

Start more like 22.0 Grs as @murf suggested.

 

[Typetwelve]

Not trying to argue, but more so discuss. Of all the data I've seen, all say not to go too low with H110. Of all the data I've read, the only one that lists a really low H110 charge is Hornady. Besides them, the lowest charge is 22.8g and that's with a slightly deeper seated round. Hodgdon doesn't recommend going below 23.

With what you guys have seen, is going to 22 going to be safe? There's going to be more open case volume as that Zero doesn't have as much projectile going down into the case anyway.

Perhaps I'm just overthinking this...

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I started at 22.5gr H110 worked up to 23 .5 with 240gr XTP now days 7.5 gr of Unique is my friend under a cast bullet if I go on the wild side now it's with 2400

 

[Typetwelve]

I started at 22.5gr H110 worked up to 23 .5 with 240gr XTP now days 7.5 gr of Unique is my friend under a cast bullet if I go on the wild side now it's with 2400

I loaded up 24g of H110 with a 240g XTP (again, using Hornady's load data where they list max at 24.8). That produced a fire barking hand smacker out of my 7.5" super redhawk. That produced an average FPS of 1424 fps. I will not be loading those again anytime soon, they're not fun to shoot.

 

[Walkalong]

Not trying to argue, but more so discuss.

22.5?

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

All this talk about loading some 44 magnums got me thinking so I grabbed my SBH and loaded up a 100 rounds using a RCBS 245gr
bullet with 19gr of 2400 under it living on the Wild side I will give them a go on Wednesday

 

[crestoncowboy]

I loaded up 24g of H110 with a 240g XTP

I did the same year's ago. Worked up to that load with my 7.5 inch redhawk from my 7th edition Hornady. (Max is listed 24.8 so that's .8 grain under max btw) I used it for years on many deer. It was full power but nothing terrible. I didnt have a chrono back then. Shot it in a few Blackhawks too. Then I got a 4 inch 629 and that round was bad news. Way over pressure... tattooed the starline brass emblem around the firing pin on that Smith. Still works great but I fire hot specials more than magnums through all my Smith's now. I liked Ruger better ever since at least for hunting. Interestingly people say h110 and 296 are the same powder but all my books list different numbers. Idk

I had a good conversation with the great RC over that load. Good times