Load(ed!) Question???

slymule · March 9, 2000, 04:18 PM

Looking at purchasing a bunch of reloaded .44 mag bullets. Heres the specs - 240gr.SWC bullets, 20.7 grains of Accurate #9 powder, I'm not sure what the primers are. Cases have been reused several times is all. Price is $100. for 650 rounds. Is this a "safe" reload? Considered mild, hot, or what? Any ideas what velocity would be like? SWC bullets - mainly used for target practise, hunting, or what? I can get a really good deal on these but reloading isn't my game and would like to know more about what I'm buying. Thanks guys.

johnnybravo · March 9, 2000, 04:47 PM

Slymule
According to my Accurate loading manual, the maximum charge for a 240 gr lead bullet is 21.7 grains of #9, with a starting charge of 19.5 grains. The max charge gives you 1550 fps out of a 7 1/2" barrel. Assuming these are loaded in magnum brass and assembled properly, there shouldn't be a problem. Might be a little on the warm side, but that's what you get with a large caliber.

------------------
johnnyb
A slow hit beats a fast miss.

johnnybravo · March 9, 2000, 04:49 PM

Slymule
According to my Accurate loading manual, the maximum charge for a 240 gr lead bullet is 21.7 grains of #9, with a starting charge of 19.5 grains. The max charge gives you 1550 fps out of a 7 1/2" barrel. Assuming these are loaded in magnum brass and assembled properly, there shouldn't be a problem. Might be a little on the warm side, but that's what you get with a large caliber.

------------------
johnnyb
A slow hit beats a fast miss.

slymule · March 9, 2000, 06:01 PM

Johnnybravo, the SWC bullet, what are they usually used for? Is this a target bullet, or a type of hunting bullet? If for hunting, what kind of game would or could it be used for? Thanks for the input on what kind of load it would be.

Bill in NM · March 9, 2000, 08:54 PM

A SWC (Semi-WadCutter) is designed and primarily used to punch nice, clean, round holes in paper. That's not saying that some folks don't use them for hunting, but I can't tell you what they would hunt with it.
Bill

slymule · March 9, 2000, 10:08 PM

Thanks alot for the input guys. Guess I'll go buy me some 44 rounds.

BILLG · March 9, 2000, 11:27 PM

Slymule unless you know who loaded these rounds or they come from a known good reloading company with a good reputation I would hold off on buying them.Who knows if they knew what they were doing.A little money saved on reloaded ammunition of unknown manufacture is not worth the price if it blows up and harms you or someone else.I personally won't shoot any ammo other than factory loads that I haven't reloaded myself.Stay safe BILLG

johnnybravo · March 10, 2000, 08:23 AM

The swc lead bullet can be used for target and hunting deer and similar animals. Some folks use it for the increased penetration. But like Billg says, and I mentioned it in my first reply, you must be careful when obtaining reloads. Does the seller ever shoot his own loads?

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johnnyb
A slow hit beats a fast miss.

slymule · March 10, 2000, 08:03 PM

The seller has shot these loads thru both his S&W629 and his Desert Eagle with no problems at all...so he says. I'm just wanting some cheap target loads to do alot of plinking with. Will be shooting them out of a Ruger Redhawk - from what I've read they're pretty industructable guns. Yeah, I'm a little nervous about buying from somebody I don't know, but on the other hand I could of sat next to him and watched him reload them all himself - and I still wouldn't of known if he was doing things right or not. I have an offer from a guy here in town that said if I buy all the fixins, he would reload them for me, if I helped him. He's reloaded for years - does this necessarily mean he knows what he's doing though? I don't know. What do you guys think? All I know is I don't like paying $18.-$20. a box, and I don't have the time, knowhow, the "want to", or the equipment to do it myself. Since you guys are the ones "in the know", you all make the call and I'll go along with the consensus. I'll keep tally - bring on the "yahs" and "nahs".

johnnybravo · March 10, 2000, 08:31 PM

Slymule, I'll bet you'll be okay on this. The real clawhammers in reloading are few and far between. I know a guy locally who managed to blow up (literally) a Ruger and still bragged about it. He still had all his fingers, so I guess he did have bragging rights. He also still has a reloading business. Hmmm...
This is one of the reasons I load my own. I have total control on how the ammo is assembled. That gives me one less thing to worry about in practice or competition. I can also tailor my loads to suit my specific needs. Just something to think about if you ever get into a lot of competition...

------------------
johnnyb
A slow hit beats a fast miss.

BILLG · March 10, 2000, 09:43 PM

Slymule I would probably take your friend up on his offer who knows maybe after a few sessions you might take up reloading.If the other guy could offer some referances that you could talk to I would feel better about using his loads.Remember it takes only 1 bad load to ruin your day and maybe more, a blown up gun could be just a small part of it. Stay Safe BILLG

March 9, 2000, 04:18 PM	#1
slymule Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2000 Location: Grand Junction, CO. USA Posts: 113	Looking at purchasing a bunch of reloaded .44 mag bullets. Heres the specs - 240gr.SWC bullets, 20.7 grains of Accurate #9 powder, I'm not sure what the primers are. Cases have been reused several times is all. Price is $100. for 650 rounds. Is this a "safe" reload? Considered mild, hot, or what? Any ideas what velocity would be like? SWC bullets - mainly used for target practise, hunting, or what? I can get a really good deal on these but reloading isn't my game and would like to know more about what I'm buying. Thanks guys.

March 9, 2000, 04:47 PM	#2
johnnybravo Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2000 Posts: 100	Slymule According to my Accurate loading manual, the maximum charge for a 240 gr lead bullet is 21.7 grains of #9, with a starting charge of 19.5 grains. The max charge gives you 1550 fps out of a 7 1/2" barrel. Assuming these are loaded in magnum brass and assembled properly, there shouldn't be a problem. Might be a little on the warm side, but that's what you get with a large caliber. ------------------ johnnyb A slow hit beats a fast miss.

March 9, 2000, 04:49 PM	#3
johnnybravo Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2000 Posts: 100	Slymule According to my Accurate loading manual, the maximum charge for a 240 gr lead bullet is 21.7 grains of #9, with a starting charge of 19.5 grains. The max charge gives you 1550 fps out of a 7 1/2" barrel. Assuming these are loaded in magnum brass and assembled properly, there shouldn't be a problem. Might be a little on the warm side, but that's what you get with a large caliber. ------------------ johnnyb A slow hit beats a fast miss.

March 9, 2000, 06:01 PM	#4
slymule Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2000 Location: Grand Junction, CO. USA Posts: 113	Johnnybravo, the SWC bullet, what are they usually used for? Is this a target bullet, or a type of hunting bullet? If for hunting, what kind of game would or could it be used for? Thanks for the input on what kind of load it would be.

March 9, 2000, 08:54 PM	#5
Bill in NM Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 95	A SWC (Semi-WadCutter) is designed and primarily used to punch nice, clean, round holes in paper. That's not saying that some folks don't use them for hunting, but I can't tell you what they would hunt with it. Bill

March 9, 2000, 10:08 PM	#6
slymule Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2000 Location: Grand Junction, CO. USA Posts: 113	Thanks alot for the input guys. Guess I'll go buy me some 44 rounds.

March 9, 2000, 11:27 PM	#7
BILLG Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2000 Posts: 210	Slymule unless you know who loaded these rounds or they come from a known good reloading company with a good reputation I would hold off on buying them.Who knows if they knew what they were doing.A little money saved on reloaded ammunition of unknown manufacture is not worth the price if it blows up and harms you or someone else.I personally won't shoot any ammo other than factory loads that I haven't reloaded myself.Stay safe BILLG

March 10, 2000, 08:23 AM	#8
johnnybravo Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2000 Posts: 100	The swc lead bullet can be used for target and hunting deer and similar animals. Some folks use it for the increased penetration. But like Billg says, and I mentioned it in my first reply, you must be careful when obtaining reloads. Does the seller ever shoot his own loads? ------------------ johnnyb A slow hit beats a fast miss.

March 10, 2000, 08:03 PM	#9
slymule Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2000 Location: Grand Junction, CO. USA Posts: 113	The seller has shot these loads thru both his S&W629 and his Desert Eagle with no problems at all...so he says. I'm just wanting some cheap target loads to do alot of plinking with. Will be shooting them out of a Ruger Redhawk - from what I've read they're pretty industructable guns. Yeah, I'm a little nervous about buying from somebody I don't know, but on the other hand I could of sat next to him and watched him reload them all himself - and I still wouldn't of known if he was doing things right or not. I have an offer from a guy here in town that said if I buy all the fixins, he would reload them for me, if I helped him. He's reloaded for years - does this necessarily mean he knows what he's doing though? I don't know. What do you guys think? All I know is I don't like paying $18.-$20. a box, and I don't have the time, knowhow, the "want to", or the equipment to do it myself. Since you guys are the ones "in the know", you all make the call and I'll go along with the consensus. I'll keep tally - bring on the "yahs" and "nahs".

March 10, 2000, 08:31 PM	#10
johnnybravo Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2000 Posts: 100	Slymule, I'll bet you'll be okay on this. The real clawhammers in reloading are few and far between. I know a guy locally who managed to blow up (literally) a Ruger and still bragged about it. He still had all his fingers, so I guess he did have bragging rights. He also still has a reloading business. Hmmm... This is one of the reasons I load my own. I have total control on how the ammo is assembled. That gives me one less thing to worry about in practice or competition. I can also tailor my loads to suit my specific needs. Just something to think about if you ever get into a lot of competition... ------------------ johnnyb A slow hit beats a fast miss.

March 10, 2000, 09:43 PM	#11
BILLG Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2000 Posts: 210	Slymule I would probably take your friend up on his offer who knows maybe after a few sessions you might take up reloading.If the other guy could offer some referances that you could talk to I would feel better about using his loads.Remember it takes only 1 bad load to ruin your day and maybe more, a blown up gun could be just a small part of it. Stay Safe BILLG