NEED HELP DECIDING WHICH MODEL 92 AS MY 1ST ONE!!!

[Turkey Huntsman]

With the outrageous price of ammo these days, I'll be shooting all handloads in my M92. I will be able to select a powder that provides full burn and max velocity out of the 16" "stubbie." Unique perhaps? Again, the PRACTICAL difference between it and the 20" will be of no interest to the animal being hunted.

Can't wait to get this thing!

-TH

[44-40 Willy]

It depends. If you reload, use slower burning powders to take advantage of that longer barrel. With a moderate load of H110, I averaged 1980fps from a 158gr Hornady XTP in my 24" barrel over a chronograph. 2050fps with a 145gr Winchester Silvertip using the same powder charge. I'm thinking most factory 357 ammo is designed for use in a handgun and uses faster burning powders because of the shorter barrel length.

But there is a limit to the "more of a slower burning powder" theory and that limit in handgun cartridges like the .357 Mag or.44 Mag is imposed by case capacity........that's why they invented the .444 Marlin which has the space to put more slower burning powder.
For that reason it is advantageous to have a 22 or 24 inch barrel on a .444 marlin but not a .44 Mag.
In the pistol calibers the "law of diminishing returns" usually manifests itself at the 16" barrel mark........sure more of a slower burning powder would make the bullet go faster but where do you put it (the extra powder) when you case has a powder holding capacity less than a common sewing thimble?
I'm into legacy guns and I think the 24 inch octagonal barreled rifles look fantastic but not enough so that I want to carry a 8.5 pound monstrosity through the bush all day for no real ballistic advantage.

The problem with that is that different powders burn differently. You don't use the same powder in a 444 as you would in a 357. You pick your powder to use with the application at hand. I've had good results with long barreled 357s with H110, 2400, IMR4227 and I'm hearing a lot of good things about Lil Gun but haven't had the opportunity to try it yet.

[44-40 Willy]

With the outrageous price of ammo these days, I'll be shooting all handloads in my M92. I will be able to select a powder that provides full burn and max velocity out of the 16" "stubbie." Unique perhaps? Again, the PRACTICAL difference between it and the 20" will be of no interest to the animal being hunted.

Can't wait to get this thing!

-TH

Unique is a good powder that I use a lot of for low velocity cast bullet loads. What kind of bullets and how fast do you want to run them?

[pricedo]

It depends. If you reload, use slower burning powders to take advantage of that longer barrel. With a moderate load of H110, I averaged 1980fps from a 158gr Hornady XTP in my 24" barrel over a chronograph. 2050fps with a 145gr Winchester Silvertip using the same powder charge. I'm thinking most factory 357 ammo is designed for use in a handgun and uses faster burning powders because of the shorter barrel length.

But there is a limit to the "more of a slower burning powder" theory and that limit in handgun cartridges like the .357 Mag or.44 Mag is imposed by case capacity........that's why they invented the .444 Marlin which has the space to put more slower burning powder.
For that reason it is advantageous to have a 22 or 24 inch barrel on a .444 marlin but not a .44 Mag.
In the pistol calibers the "law of diminishing returns" usually manifests itself at the 16" barrel mark........sure more of a slower burning powder would make the bullet go faster but where do you put it (the extra powder) when you case has a powder holding capacity less than a common sewing thimble?
I'm into legacy guns and I think the 24 inch octagonal barreled rifles look fantastic but not enough so that I want to carry a 8.5 pound monstrosity through the bush all day for no real ballistic advantage.

The problem with that is that different powders burn differently. You don't use the same powder in a 444 as you would in a 357. You pick your powder to use with the application at hand. I've had good results with long barreled 357s with H110, 2400, IMR4227 and I'm hearing a lot of good things about Lil Gun but haven't had the opportunity to try it yet.

We could jaw about this till doomsday..........what we need is range data and the scientific method approach.
Is there any empirical data recorded to compare say a .357 Mag with 12", 16" 20" & 24" barrels in regards to maximum velocities attainable with a given bullet and a range of powders.
I expect that there would not be a lot of velocity increase per inch of barrel past 16".
I could be wrong.........the data would speak for itself.
RDs table in the first page of this thread is kinda supporting my captioned conclusion.

[Turkey Huntsman]

With the outrageous price of ammo these days, I'll be shooting all handloads in my M92. I will be able to select a powder that provides full burn and max velocity out of the 16" "stubbie." Unique perhaps? Again, the PRACTICAL difference between it and the 20" will be of no interest to the animal being hunted.

Can't wait to get this thing!

-TH

Unique is a good powder that I use a lot of for low velocity cast bullet loads. What kind of bullets and how fast do you want to run them?

Well, since this is my first .44, I haven't gotten to working up my desired loads yet. I'm going to want two, no...make that three different types:

1) Low-power, economical target load ("cowboy action type") - especially for my recoil-sensitive wife to shoot. Cheap-o fun is the objective, probably Keith or SWC profile hard cast bullet and med-low velocity, but not so low the bullet might get stuck! Maybe Berry's has something plated in a .44?
2) Medium-to-high velocity target load that will shoot reasonably close to 100 yd. POI of my full-power hunting load. Want to keep bullet cost mmoderate for this one too...no Hornady FTX etc. for general target use.
3) Full-house, cost-no-object hunting load. Since I won't be shooting many of these, the bullet can be any top-quality offering from Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, etc. I'll be looking for flattest trajectory and hard-hitting at ~100 yds. Perhaps I'll just end up buying a box or two of factory-made if I can't load anything as good. Leverevolution? I will also need to come up with a lead-free hunting load (Barnes?) since I hog hunt in the Kommunist Republik of CA, where condors (and mountain lions) are far more sacred than people. Apparently, it's only in CA that condors seem to have an appetite for eating expanded lead bullets out of the gut piles.

I need to start reading up on what .44 bullets are available out there, and what others are loading for their M92s. If you guys want to discuss this in detail, perhaps we should start another thread just about fave M92 hand-loads?

Regards,
-TH

[44-40 Willy]

For the low velocity loads, Unique is a good choice.

For the stronger stuff in a 44 cal, I like 2400. But your mileage might vary.