Any pet loads for factory 77/44s?

[Diomed]

Anyone have any loads they like for subsonic .44mag in a slow twist 77/44? Especially jacketed bullets (i.e. Hornady 240gr. XTPs).

Mainly looking for a starting point.

[Bowen1911]

I would think .44 special loads that fill a 44 special case should be a good starting point. I reload 240 grain cast bullets with 8.1 grains trailboss (i think 8.1, my load book is not with me at the moment) and it is subsonic out of everything, and gives a really good case fill on the 44 mag

[wildfowler]

I'm getting my best groups (so far) with 12.1 - 12.5 grains of blue dot under the 240 grain xtp. My biggest problem with the blue dot is that it doesn't meter well through my progressive machine. My best multi-shot groups that I've gotten with my new rifle are about 1 and 1/2 inch at 50-60 yards. I've actually shot a couple of 3/4 inch 3-shot groups, but can't put multiple rounds in the same hole if I don't let the barrel cool back down, which I have not yet done.

Curiously, I tested some loads using Solo1000 8.3 - 8.6 grains in a friends SRT built Thompson Encore (prior to my getting my SRT 77/44) that shot pretty good in the Encore. (about 2 inches at 50 yards) These loads sound more quiet than the blue dot loads in my rifle, but they shoot terrible in mine. I'm getting a 6 inch shotgun-like pattern at 50 yards. I would like to find something to use that is both faster (burn) than, and meters better than Blue dot to use if possible. I think I've got every thing loaded the same, but my gun with the Douglas barrel doesn't seem to like the faster powders. At least so far I haven't figured the combination.

My blue dot loads that were a tad over 1100 fps (which is subsonic right now in the heat) sound a good bit louder than loads driven at the same velocity with the faster powders I've tried. When I drop the velocity down, they do sound about the same.

I'm also not sure how much crimp I should be using with these loads either. I'm trying to crimp them to the same specs that factory ammo is loaded to. I suppose I will vary the crimp, right now my crimp is pretty strong.

[wildfowler]

Here's a pic of my best (shot late this afternoon) 5-shot group. I loosened my crimp a pretty good bit from where I had it set previously. Actually, two of the loaded rounds out of the ten that I loaded had a different amount of crimp from the rest of them. I hope the low flier was one of them? In case anyone is wondering, I had the target stapled upside down. This group did shoot a little high at 50 yards.

Somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch minus the flier.




Hornady 240 grain XTP (.430)
12.1 grains Bluedot
WLP
Much lighter crimp
Loaded on a Dillon 550. Hand seated primer, new Starline brass. Trimmed to 1.275" (I trim everything below 1.277, and let everything else fall where it does)

Don't know the velocity yet. Interestingly, my first shot from this group went supersonic. It may have been the first load of the reloading session too. I never dumped the powder charge back into the hopper from the first pull like I normally do. I was in a hurry and got a little lax in my process and wasn't really expecting this from otherwise changing the crimp....

[imyomama]

I use lil gun on my encore 44 sub with evo ... don't recall the charge , i'll have to get it from my electronic scale if you're interested.. (actually going to load some tonight to go to the ranch tomorrow..!!!friday off!!! whohooo)

my gun really likes the remington 240's .. and the xtp didn't seem to shoot as well the last batch I made .. but i have 400 xtp's and only a hand full or remi's left .. so i'll give them a try... I plan on doing lot's of shooting this weekend and video some of it ..

44 ,308 , 22-250, 338 Spectre ,and 22 .... I loaded some rounds for all those this week.. (except the 22 of course ...)

all suppressed except for the 308... cyclone in NFA lala land (BAFT)...

I'll post some results ..

since you all seem to like 50 yards .. that's where I'll set my test target..

i'll post an update!

[coyote223]

I use lil gun on my encore 44 sub with evo ... don't recall the charge , i'll have to get it from my electronic scale if you're interested.. (actually going to load some tonight to go to the ranch tomorrow..!!!friday off!!! whohooo)

my gun really likes the remington 240's .. and the xtp didn't seem to shoot as well the last batch I made .. but i have 400 xtp's and only a hand full or remi's left .. so i'll give them a try... I plan on doing lot's of shooting this weekend and video some of it ..

44 ,308 , 22-250, 338 Spectre ,and 22 .... I loaded some rounds for all those this week.. (except the 22 of course ...)

all suppressed except for the 308... cyclone in NFA lala land (BAFT)...

I'll post some results ..

since you all seem to like 50 yards .. that's where I'll set my test target..

i'll post an update!

Yeah I'd like to hear how many grains of lil'gun your using. Please,,,,

[imyomama]

well.. i was confused.. the little gun was for my 338 Spectre subs 300's ... for the 44/240's I just loaded 6 grains of titegroup...

[imyomama]

here is a video of this weekend.. a quick test of the new steel target...

like I said , the xtp's are not doing great .. it like the remi's better.. this is 92 yards with the evo on a encore..
enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufAUZCks ... re=channel