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.44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 11 Apr 2012 12:26
by mikld
I was playing around in my reloading "house" (shed) and loading some .44 Magnums with data from Ranch Dog's site. But, I want to load some RD's 265 in Special brass. No info in my manuals for larger than 250 grain bullets in .44 Specials. I have Unique, Universal, 2400, WC820, and W231 on hand. Any experience with this bullet in Special brass? thanks...
BTW; I'll be shooting them in a Ruger SBH, S&W 629, Dan Wesson 44H, 10" Contender, and my .44 Puma.
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 12 Apr 2012 08:35
by Ranch Dog
mikld wrote:I was playing around in my reloading "house" (shed) and loading some .44 Magnums with data from Ranch Dog's site. But, I want to load some RD's 265 in Special brass. No info in my manuals for larger than 250 grain bullets in .44 Specials. I have Unique, Universal, 2400, WC820, and W231 on hand. Any experience with this bullet in Special brass? thanks...
BTW; I'll be shooting them in a Ruger SBH, S&W 629, Dan Wesson 44H, 10" Contender, and my .44 Puma.
I could generate some data for you but I need to know a couple of things besides the bullet and brass:
- What OAL are you going to use?
- Do you want the loads to the 44 Spl or 44 Mag max?
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 12 Apr 2012 11:42
by mikld
I'll be using mixed brass (CBC, Rem., WW, PMC, etc.). I have CCI LP and LPM, Wolf LP and LPM primers. I will be using Ranch Dog's 265 gr. RFN GC cast from wheel weight alloy, with either xlox, 45-45-10 or pan lubing with beeswax/xlox, or Speed Green. I will crimp in the crimp groove (OAL?). For my Puma (20"bbl.) I'll be sizing to .432" because of it's over size groove diameter (.431"-.432"), for my other magnums I'll go with .430". Since I'm not hunting with my Puma yet, I'll be shooting at paper and when I do hunt I'll be shooting wild pigs and Black Tailed Deer, so from higher .44 Special or low .44 Magnum velocities is what I'd expect, and hunting accurate to 100 yards. And thanks fer yer help!
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 12 Apr 2012 13:26
by pricedo
mikld wrote:I'll be using mixed brass (CBC, Rem., WW, PMC, etc.). I have CCI LP and LPM, Wolf LP and LPM primers. I will be using Ranch Dog's 265 gr. RFN GC cast from wheel weight alloy, with either xlox, 45-45-10 or pan lubing with beeswax/xlox, or Speed Green. I will crimp in the crimp groove (OAL?). For my Puma (20"bbl.) I'll be sizing to .432" because of it's over size groove diameter (.431"-.432"), for my other magnums I'll go with .430". Since I'm not hunting with my Puma yet, I'll be shooting at paper and when I do hunt I'll be shooting wild pigs and Black Tailed Deer, so from higher .44 Special or low .44 Magnum velocities is what I'd expect, and hunting accurate to 100 yards. And thanks fer yer help!
Reminds me of the way my old Granny (God rest her soul) used to make her famously delicious
"left over stew" that I'd willingly walk 5 miles through pouring rain for a plate of ......a pinch of that, a handful or 2 of this, a couple of shakes of something else.
In went leftovers from previous meals & other culinary projects that were sitting on fridge & cupboard shelves.
I don't think Grandma owned any recipe books, measuring spoons or cups.........her eyes were so bad she wouldn't have been able to read them anyway.
Having raised a large family in the 30's "waste not want not" was her motto.
The result was scrumptiously delicious in a uniquely different way each & every time.
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 12 Apr 2012 14:11
by pricedo
Don't take me wrong I wasn't mocking anyone in the last post.
I'll often mix & match primers & cases when I'm making light plinking or hunting loads.
I might have a few federal primers left in a tray & a few of the
equivalent CCI or Remington primers left in other trays & likewise with different brands of cases that I'll use to make a batch of light loads for short distance plinking or small game hunting & go out & have an afternoon of fun in the bush or at the range.
For informal shooting at 50 yards or less with iron sights it doesn't seem to matter a hoot about the mixing and matching.
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 14 Apr 2012 13:20
by mikld
Hey, no offence taken. As a matter of fact I eat so many leftovers I don't know when I had the original meal
but as far as reloading I don't mix primers in a batch of loads; brass only.
I've been searching around for a load for this bullet I came up with about 7.2-8.5 gr. Blue Dot. I loaded up some yesterday and whenever it stops raining for more than an hour, I'll try them...
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:34
by Ranch Dog
Here is the information you requested concerning the 44 Spl and my TLC432-265-RF using a case length of 1.153" and an OAL of 1.428".
Code: Select all
Powder Filling % Grains FPS PSI (K)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant 2400 66.3 10.5 1072 13.6
Alliant UNIQUE 49.6 5.4 963 13.6
Hodgdon Universal 44.9 4.8 913 13.6
Winchester 231 38.0 4.8 888 13.6
Use at your own risk.
I do consider the charges of Unique, Universal, and 231 as potentially hazardous because the low filling capacity would allow a double charge to possibly go unnoticed. WC820 info is not available in QuickLoad.
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:39
by Ranch Dog
mikld wrote:I've been searching around for a load for this bullet I came up with about 7.2-8.5 gr. Blue Dot.
Code: Select all
Powder Filling % Grains FPS PSI (K)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant BLUE DOT 65.4 8.9 1047 13.6
The velocity info is for the 20" barrel of the 92.
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 17 Apr 2012 16:15
by mikld
Woo-Hoo! Thanks Ranch Dog...
Re: .44 Special and Ranch Dog's .44, 265?
Posted: 24 Apr 2012 20:03
by mikld
Update...
Shot some Ranch Dog 265s through my Ruger SBH, Dan Wesson 44H, and Puma .44 Magnum Mod 92. Load was 7.2 gr. Blue Dot. I got fair accuracy, 2"-3" @ 35 yds from the Puma with meduim recoil. Groups were 6"-8" high and centered, but from a 7 1/2" Ruger BH groups were 12" high and about 6" to the left and, of course a hefty, but far from max. recoil. (I shot a couple 250 WFNFP loads before the RDs and groups were centered vertically). I'll try either a half grain more Blue Dot or some 2400. Shot a few at a jug at about 80 yds. and hit 5 or 6 out of 10. Not great, but I'm shooting a rifle with new sights and ain't been shooting for about a year (cancer surgery and radiation treatments kind slow a guy down...
