225g FTX vs 240g XTP in .44 mag

Geezerbiker · September 23, 2011, 06:34 AM

I'm loading for a .44 mag single shot rifle and one I'd like to try some of the Hornady FTX lever evolution bullets. One thing that concerns me is the loading data has the bullets seated so deep that it cuts way into case capacity.

Since my single shot has sufficient throat to seat them long, I would seat the FTX bullets out and try the data for the 240g XTP. Hornady load data for the 225g FTX bullet is lower velocity than the heavier 240g XTP, I figured I could start with the XTP data and work up. Anybody else here have any experience doing this?

BTW, I already seat the bullets out for my .44 rifle loads so I can tell them apart from my .44 mag revolver rounds.

Tony

black mamba · September 23, 2011, 12:18 PM

I can seat bullets out to 1.725" (300 gr Nosler JHP) in my Bullberry .44 mag Encore barrel, which adds 4.5 gr. to the case capacity. Because of this my loads are "off the charts" but still safe. I added 1.5 gr. of Pistol 4100 to a listed max load, so the loading density actually went down.

Seating depth makes a HUGE difference in straight walled pistol cases. Also pay attention to bullet diameters, as jacketed .44 bullets come in .429, .4295 and .430, while cast can be anything from .429 - .433.

September 23, 2011, 06:34 AM	#1
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	225g FTX vs 240g XTP in .44 mag I'm loading for a .44 mag single shot rifle and one I'd like to try some of the Hornady FTX lever evolution bullets. One thing that concerns me is the loading data has the bullets seated so deep that it cuts way into case capacity. Since my single shot has sufficient throat to seat them long, I would seat the FTX bullets out and try the data for the 240g XTP. Hornady load data for the 225g FTX bullet is lower velocity than the heavier 240g XTP, I figured I could start with the XTP data and work up. Anybody else here have any experience doing this? BTW, I already seat the bullets out for my .44 rifle loads so I can tell them apart from my .44 mag revolver rounds. Tony

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September 23, 2011, 12:18 PM	#2
black mamba Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2011 Location: SW Florida Posts: 890	I can seat bullets out to 1.725" (300 gr Nosler JHP) in my Bullberry .44 mag Encore barrel, which adds 4.5 gr. to the case capacity. Because of this my loads are "off the charts" but still safe. I added 1.5 gr. of Pistol 4100 to a listed max load, so the loading density actually went down. Seating depth makes a HUGE difference in straight walled pistol cases. Also pay attention to bullet diameters, as jacketed .44 bullets come in .429, .4295 and .430, while cast can be anything from .429 - .433.