.44-40 SRC

[44-40 Willy]

Sounds like a fine ol' Rossi there.

Just for the record, my Navy Arms 1892 serial starts with NA and has Navy Arms stamped on the upper tang.

[eljay]

finally doing a range report, been VERY hot here, temps of 40-48C so shooting was pretty quick to get out of the heat. few weeks ago, got all my gear together and loaded up some Westcasting 200grn RNFP .427 with 5grn AS30 (red dot) and 22 grn of AR2205 (IMR 4227) the projectiles come with a black hard lube coating. well, the results were somewhat less than fantastic, the 5 grn load would put 5 rounds into about 8" at 25m, while the 22grn would do about the same at 50m, while at the same time, dislocating my shoulder, causing my ears to ring (with ear protection!! ) and making my hands tremble with the shock. so, with a rousing cry of %$#@ ! i went home to try to dislodge 4 pounds of lead that seemed to have made my carbeen a smoothbore. OK, old trick, add Lee liquid alox lube to pills, reload the 5grn load, drop the 22 to 18 grns, try again. much better, 5grn still woefull, 18grn less than 6" at 50m with only mild concussion and severe contusions to trigger finger. with yet another cry of " Oh God, why me?" home again to clean a lead free barrel and sulk for a while. back to my standby powder, AP70 (unique) 8 grains, relubed pill, 5 shots clean barrel, discount first shot, 4 shot group, 1 1/4", YIPPEE!!! looking good, 50m off sandbags, 3 shots, as the barrel was starting to droop in the ambient temperature and the stock was charring and the asbestos gloves were not keeping me cool, 3/4" yes thats right 19mm for the metrophobes, 2 touching, 1 just off, pack up and go home to cool off, happy as. simple as a powder change. have a great day, eljay.

[mr surveyor]

quite a difference you noted between those powders. I would have never bet that Unique (as much as I love it) would have turned out the most accurate. I wonder how much the 104°-118°F temp could have played into it?

Dang good work you did, no matter what the conditions were. I can sympathize with you on the shoulder thing. Just my little 19-20 gr loads of AA#9 and 2400 tend to get my attention after 20 round or so in the .44 mag. I think I'll play with some 8 gr Unique loads myself next outing.

JD

[donhuff]

eljay,

Have you slugged that barrel yet? Everything I can find to read about the Rossi's says that they have a .429" bore same as a 44 mag. I would slug it to make sure, and if it truly is .429, then that will not work well with those .427 bullets. I shoot .431 bullets in my .429 bore 44 Rossi and they work great. And even if it is a "true" 44-40 bore @ .427, you should be using at least a .428 bullet. That would help with both accuracy and leading.

No surprise to me that Unique worked so well. It has always served me well. I have been shooting 9.0 grains behind a Keith 245g bullet for 35 years in my ruger blackhawk. It shoots just as well in my rossi too. My 44 liked 7.0 grains of Red Dot.

I looked at the westcasting site. That coating looks like powder coat with all the different colors, but they never say exactly what it is(?). I guess it's their secret formula.

[donhuff]

quite a difference you noted between those powders. I would have never bet that Unique (as much as I love it) would have turned out the most accurate. I wonder how much the 104°-118°F temp could have played into it?


mr surveyor,

putting you on that list of people who bad mouth Unique!

[mr surveyor]

quite a difference you noted between those powders. I would have never bet that Unique (as much as I love it) would have turned out the most accurate. I wonder how much the 104°-118°F temp could have played into it?


mr surveyor,

putting you on that list of people who bad mouth Unique!

noooo.... I far from "that list". I can use Unique in everything I load and always try to find the "best I can do" with each caliber. Even though it tends to work in most anything, it just doesn't seem to be the best in everything, although it would be the very last powder I would want to do without. Keeping a good supply of Unique, and learning how to make it work, was some of the best advice I got from my old time reloader/mentors .... both now gone, sadly.

list, indeed

JD

[donhuff]

Yeah, I know what you mean bout not being the best at anything except maybe it's the best "most versatile" propellant. I think you can load anything with it and make it work . Not at it's weakest nor at it's highest, but usually right down the middle.