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November 20, 2020, 07:06 AM | #1 |
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.44 Spl at .44Mag OAL and a magnum charge in a magnum gun.
I've just spent a sizeable part of my last two evenings prepping cartridges for a competition this weekend.
I have recently confirmed a low to mid-power charge of 8.5gr N320 under a 200gr LSWC to emulate my .44Spl load with 7.3gr of the same powder under the same bullet. 40.70mm OAL for the mags, 36.80mm OAL for the Specials. My question is this. If I load my Special cases with the same 8.5gr mag powder charge, and seat the bullets to the same 40.70mm OAL, can I expect similar performance? The bullet, charge, primer and air would all be the same. The only variable that I can think of is about 20% less bullet surface in the throat of the case and thus less stiction to overcome on ignition. Enough to make any discernible difference? The idea is to have the magnum length of the mag cartridges, making for wasier reloads, while still making use of my Special cases.
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November 20, 2020, 07:21 AM | #2 |
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As long as you can keep enough tension on the bullet to keep it in place under recoil it shouldn’t be a big enough difference at pistol ranges to matter. If the competition is longer range you may notice some difference, but I’m guessing this isn’t the case since you stated it’s a low to moderate range load.
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November 20, 2020, 07:34 AM | #3 |
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You'd be correct!
2m-25m is about the limit. So if I up the crimp a bit more, perhaps. But generally, this is good news as it means less faffing about with bullet-seating settings and powder measure settings.
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November 20, 2020, 11:04 AM | #4 |
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As long as you can crimp adequately, or only load one at a time to prevent crimp jump, it should be fine.
In the past, we've had people argue that .44 Special cases are not drawn the same as .44 Mag. But no one (that I've seen) has been able to provide evidence of such in modern cases, yet. You'll carbon up the chamber, which might make extraction of .44 Mag cases a little stiff. But it'll work.
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November 20, 2020, 11:29 AM | #5 | |
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Quote:
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November 20, 2020, 11:39 AM | #6 |
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Elmer Keith developed the 44 Magnum's original loads in large frame 44 Specials. The longer case was designed by Remington to prevent accidentally feeding their heavier loads into lighter frame 44 Specials, like a Charter Bulldog, that would not handle the high pressures. This is why the 44 Magnum COL is no longer than a 44 Special (actually, the SAAMI max COL is -0.005" shorter for the magnum than for the Special). You may have noticed that some 44 bullets have two crimp grooves, with one 0.12" closer to the nose than the other. These double grooves are to get the 44 Mag and 44 Special COLs with the same bullet in both case lengths.
I don't know whether brass has been removed from 44 Special cases to save money since Keith's day or not. The way to check is to take fired cases of each size with the spent primers still in and fill then with water and weigh them before and after filling to get the water weight capacity difference. If it is 4.6 grains or less, you don't have more volume under the bullet in the Special case.
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November 20, 2020, 12:17 PM | #7 |
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It is not likely a dangerous combination in a Magnum gun.
You are going to crimp just wherever your OAL takes you? What bullet, does it have a crimp groove or grooves? I am always concerned about getting a good revolver crimp on an ungrooved bullet, although I get by with it for .38 Special. |
November 21, 2020, 02:38 AM | #8 | |
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I use the Lee FCD for my crimp step as it is less hassle for me than setting up the bullet seater to crimp as well.
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November 21, 2020, 04:03 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
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November 21, 2020, 09:56 AM | #10 | |
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Quote:
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November 22, 2020, 03:32 PM | #11 | |
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As for the crimp, I’m inclined to think it worked: not bullets seem to have jumped, although a used s half turn on the FCD so hopefully not to aggressive.
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November 22, 2020, 05:21 PM | #12 |
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Although , Im not loading anything like the op , I might in the future and I prefer the Lee collet crimp type crimp die for 357 & 44mag . Would the collet crimp die work better or not as well as the FCD when there is no crimp groove ?
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November 22, 2020, 05:51 PM | #13 |
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I did not know they made a collet crimp for straight cases like .357 and .44.
Considering that it is designed to MAKE its own crimp groove, you will just have to try it and see. I'm ok with the CFC or regular taper crimp if the bullet does not have a groove, but I am not loading for heavy recoil. |
November 22, 2020, 08:49 PM | #14 | |
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Yeah I like the collet type a lot . Also trim length is not as important.
https://leeprecision.com/lee-collet-style-crimp-die/ Quote:
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November 23, 2020, 07:41 AM | #15 |
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Yup, no crimp groove necessary. I have even used a pretty stout crimp on Cu coated bullets with no negative affect.
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November 23, 2020, 04:20 PM | #16 |
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The only problem is, the Lee Collet Style Crimp Die is made only for the 44 Magnum and not for the 44 Special, which would require a shorter collet. Unlike a lot of other loading dies that work with both, the collets are unique to one case length.
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November 23, 2020, 05:00 PM | #17 |
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Very good point UN so loading as the OP is with the special cases the collet crimp will not work . Although and not saying this as a suggestion per-say but..... you probably could grind the top of a shell holder down to make up the difference???
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