The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - .44 Mag update-Again, this time with a Factory Crimp Die

Hal · November 26, 1999, 06:39 PM

Mikey and Robert,
No offence taken. If you notice, I only loaded 6 rounds with this combo.I was trying to work up a heavy .44 Special/light .44 Mag load when this first started a little over a month ago. I ran into problems with keyholeing when using the Unique charge and the lead SWC bullets, so I switched over to 2400 and upped the load to a little less than 10%under max, given at the Alliant site. I am doing a sort of reverse loading, starting with a heavier load and working down to a good plinking load. Walt Welch and Jeff OTMG advised I step the load down even a bit more than I did, so with this batch I reduced my load even a bit more than before. The other load was over 19 gr, and I used the standard Lee seater/cripmer die, and CCI primers. Accuracy in that load was pretty good, but not as good as the Unique load. That first load showed no signs of being over pressure, and was a little milder than the factory stff, but a little heavier than the Unique load. if you are interested, you can find the other threads here under the same title.
I agree, light loads are the way to go for everyday shooting. Heavier loads just cause fatigue, bit in the gun and the shooter, or a least as far as I'm concerned. My ideal is to duplicate the Cowboy load as I find that very pleasant to shoot, and pretty easy on gun and shooter. We determined in the previous thread that becaus of the slow 1 in 30 something twist in the Lever Action, both .44Mag and .45 Colt, that the slug has to be going pretty fast to stabalize. Yeah a Chrony chronograph is high on my wish list, but there are a couple of things ahead of it, so the speed is going to remain a best guess for right now. Thanks for the input.

fal308,
These are the standard loads listed at Alliant web site, and cross checked by me in a cople of manuals. Not my manuals, but a friend looked up the powders for me before I started.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.
http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digita...nsite/can.html

[This message has been edited by Hal (edited November 27, 1999).]

November 26, 1999, 06:39 PM	#5
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Mikey and Robert, No offence taken. If you notice, I only loaded 6 rounds with this combo.I was trying to work up a heavy .44 Special/light .44 Mag load when this first started a little over a month ago. I ran into problems with keyholeing when using the Unique charge and the lead SWC bullets, so I switched over to 2400 and upped the load to a little less than 10%under max, given at the Alliant site. I am doing a sort of reverse loading, starting with a heavier load and working down to a good plinking load. Walt Welch and Jeff OTMG advised I step the load down even a bit more than I did, so with this batch I reduced my load even a bit more than before. The other load was over 19 gr, and I used the standard Lee seater/cripmer die, and CCI primers. Accuracy in that load was pretty good, but not as good as the Unique load. That first load showed no signs of being over pressure, and was a little milder than the factory stff, but a little heavier than the Unique load. if you are interested, you can find the other threads here under the same title. I agree, light loads are the way to go for everyday shooting. Heavier loads just cause fatigue, bit in the gun and the shooter, or a least as far as I'm concerned. My ideal is to duplicate the Cowboy load as I find that very pleasant to shoot, and pretty easy on gun and shooter. We determined in the previous thread that becaus of the slow 1 in 30 something twist in the Lever Action, both .44Mag and .45 Colt, that the slug has to be going pretty fast to stabalize. Yeah a Chrony chronograph is high on my wish list, but there are a couple of things ahead of it, so the speed is going to remain a best guess for right now. Thanks for the input. fal308, These are the standard loads listed at Alliant web site, and cross checked by me in a cople of manuals. Not my manuals, but a friend looked up the powders for me before I started. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digita...nsite/can.html [This message has been edited by Hal (edited November 27, 1999).]