Loading an oddball 240 gr 44 bullet - Page 2

bamaranger · October 28, 2020, 12:33 AM

Just looked at your pics. I have never seen a slug quite like that, they certainly are not the old Speer bullets. The Speer half jackets, 146 & 160 gr in .357, and 240 gr in .44 were my favorites and I much lamented when Speer discontinued them.

**Unclenick** · October 28, 2020, 11:37 AM

CeaPea,

From your photo, it looks like if you loaded them a little short, you could use a taper crimp that just folds over that slight taper at the top end of the bearing surface. Assuming it holds onto them well enough, it would give you better brass life than a roll crimp does. You will need a little less powder, but otherwise, no real difference.

The bullets could be factory-made, too, just not Speer. You could send a photo to Hornady (or a link to one) and say the bullets were in a Hornady box with damaged label, and you wanted to know if they ever made a bullet like that? I am not aware of it, but I'm not a Hornady historian. They could also have been made by some smaller outfit that has disappeared.

IMtheNRA · October 28, 2020, 12:39 PM

Please disregard. Wrong bullet.

Ceapea · October 28, 2020, 03:31 PM

Based on all the comments about having never seen these bullets...my title did say oddball...lol
Unclenick, I originally loaded them way back when, when I first started loading anything at all. I should have used one of the pulled bullets in that picture, the one showing oal, with the caliper. I loaded them to max length of 1.610”. However, I did just the other day, experiment with loading them long in the magnum case just to see how far out it was to engage the rifling on my Henry rifle. So yeah, they can be loaded longer, to a point if needed.

October 28, 2020, 12:33 AM	#26
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	pics Just looked at your pics. I have never seen a slug quite like that, they certainly are not the old Speer bullets. The Speer half jackets, 146 & 160 gr in .357, and 240 gr in .44 were my favorites and I much lamented when Speer discontinued them.

October 28, 2020, 11:37 AM	#27
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	CeaPea, From your photo, it looks like if you loaded them a little short, you could use a taper crimp that just folds over that slight taper at the top end of the bearing surface. Assuming it holds onto them well enough, it would give you better brass life than a roll crimp does. You will need a little less powder, but otherwise, no real difference. The bullets could be factory-made, too, just not Speer. You could send a photo to Hornady (or a link to one) and say the bullets were in a Hornady box with damaged label, and you wanted to know if they ever made a bullet like that? I am not aware of it, but I'm not a Hornady historian. They could also have been made by some smaller outfit that has disappeared. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

October 28, 2020, 12:39 PM	#28
IMtheNRA Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2001 Posts: 298	Please disregard. Wrong bullet.

October 28, 2020, 03:31 PM	#29
Ceapea Member Join Date: October 3, 2009 Posts: 21	Based on all the comments about having never seen these bullets...my title did say oddball...lol Unclenick, I originally loaded them way back when, when I first started loading anything at all. I should have used one of the pulled bullets in that picture, the one showing oal, with the caliper. I loaded them to max length of 1.610”. However, I did just the other day, experiment with loading them long in the magnum case just to see how far out it was to engage the rifling on my Henry rifle. So yeah, they can be loaded longer, to a point if needed.