This is a discussion on .44spl reload help within the Reloading forums, part of the Defensive Ammunition & Ballistics category; I got some 215gr hard cast Keith style SWC I'd like to use in my .44spl. I got a few lbs of Unique powder I'd ...
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I got some 215gr hard cast Keith style SWC I'd like to use in my .44spl.
I got a few lbs of Unique powder I'd like to use.
Any suggestions?
I've checked out my reloading books and I'm getting conflicting data as to starting loads to max loads.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
For a lot of people, being a victim is a way of Life. That's a Life I choose NOT to live.
A Shepherd must tend to his Flock. And at times........fight off the wolves.
The .44 Special is a grand revolver cartridge and one of my favorites. I enjoy using Unique in the .44 Special too. I've not played with handloading a bullet as light as 215 grains in .44 Special.
The Lyman 46th manual shows a starting load of Unique as 6.0 grains with a maximum charge weight of 8.9 grains with a 215 grain cast bullet. It is an older manual but I've had great results over many years, working within its framework for propellant powders listed within it.
I love Unique for a lot of handgun applications but never have been too fond of it at minimum charge weights. The low pressures generated don't really seem to "light off" Unique and it burns more dirty and smokey. I've chronographed a lot of low pressure Unique loads in several different cartridges and find that it gives higher velocity variations with minimum charge weights than it does if one works up a bit.
One of my favorite loads in .44 Special uses 7.0 grains of Unique behind a 245 grain cast lead SWC so I'd be willing to start with 7.0 grains if I was experimenting with a 215 grain bullet. You would do well to work up to any charge weight that is much more ambitious that that. Standard velocity primers and a moderate crimp are called for.
“No possible rapidity of fire can atone for habitual carelessness of aim with the first shot.”
Theodore Roosevelt, The Wilderness Hunter, 1893
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I don't have that bullet or grain listed.... the 2 that are listed are both #2 alloy with gas check.
210gr #2 alloy
Min load 6.3gr 729FPS
Max load 7.7gr 884FPS
245gr #2 alloy
Min load 6gr 649FPS
Max load 6.9gr 767FPS
Referring to 48th edition Lyman manual
Any ideas on what velocity you want to push them to?
There is something about firing 4,200 thirty millimeter rounds/min that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
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Thanks for the help!!
Gonna try 7.0gr first and see what the results are.
For a lot of people, being a victim is a way of Life. That's a Life I choose NOT to live.
A Shepherd must tend to his Flock. And at times........fight off the wolves.
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Lyman 48 has a 210gr lead at 6.3 to 7.7 grains of unique.
Lyman 44 has 215gr at the same 6.0 to 8.9 that BMC stated from the Lyman 46
Speer 8 has a 215 LSWC and Unique at 6.0 to 8.0
From all that, looks like you should be ok with a 7.0 starting point. Probably give you something between 800 and 900 fps depending on barrel length. Let us know how they shoot.
Just remember that shot placement is much more important with what you carry than how big a bang you get with each trigger pull.
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