Author Topic: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special  (Read 1889 times)

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Offline docmagnum357

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wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« on: December 15, 2008, 12:05:18 PM »
A freind of mine gave me a Lee Wadcutter mold for .44 mag/special today.  Any ideas about loads for best accuracy?  How fast can i push them for Self defense loads.

Offline Graybeard

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2008, 12:13:24 PM »
Think .44 Special. Keep it to that pressure/velocity level and it should do fine. I have pushed full wadcutters made hard from linotype to around 1000 fps and they do just fine at that level. I've not pushed them faster and really see no particular advantage to doing so. Due to their shape they are gonna begin to lose stability somewhere between 50 and 100 yards most likely anyway so just accept them for what they are and use them within those parameters.


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Offline docmagnum357

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2008, 02:29:33 PM »
I had hoped to hear that I could push them to 1000 fps.  I also assumed that 50 yards or so was as far as i could count on accuracy.  For me, that would make a good self defense load.  It sure would help at the "fun shoot" over at the gun club, too.  Unfortunately, the bullets this mold drops are a little small for my old, 4" 44 mag.  They are just about perfect, as dropped, for my 6.5" 629.  I even have a few 44 special cases that came with a holster I stole,er, uh traded for.  ( Kramer shoulder rig, retail over $250.00, and Kramer inside the waistband, retail over $100.00, for $80.00).  I still feel a little guilty about that one.

I am really starting to be an old fart, playing with stuff at less than strategic neuclear weapon levels, but i am more and more convinced that for deer hunting, groundhogs, hogs, and black bear, and self defense, a good hot 44 special, or mild magnum with a keith or LBT bullet is all i need.About 1200 feet per second.  I am even looking at getting a Gold dot put in all my front sights. I only have Unique, 2400, and Bullseye for powder.  Only wheel weights for alloy, and am using up the LAST of my gas checks. I will eventually find that 358429 mold for my .357. and will be ready to retire.  My Labs won't even chase balls anymore, so I guess I am about done in. I just sit on the couch and watch John Wayne.  Heck, I may get rid of all my rifles except a good .308.

I guess i will know i am about done for when i start carrying a single action 44 special or 45 long Colt, for defense, and a 35 remington or thutty thutty stoked with cast bullets for deer and varmints. The funny thing is, I kind of like being an "old fart." 

Offline beerbelly

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2008, 02:16:47 AM »
I guess i will know i am about done for when i start carrying a single action 44 special or 45 long Colt, for defense, and a 35 Remington or thutty thutty stoked with cast bullets for deer and varmints.

Those old guns have killed a lot of deer and people.
                            Beerbelly
                             

Offline Reed1911

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2008, 09:05:34 AM »
One powder for both special and mag cases when shooting cast low power loads is tight group.
Ron Reed
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Offline Hammer1

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2008, 03:43:07 PM »

Have a Lee mold which cast a 116-grain 44 caliber wadcutter.  That's right...  116 grain.

Can seat two -- maybe three -- of them in a single 44 brass case.  The bullets actually hit surprisingly close and tight when fired from my Ruger Super Blackhawk.

Got to watch the total bullet weight and not go to excessive pressures.

Having two or three bullets hit the target everytime for a total of ten to fifteen bullet holes from five-shots starting with a clean paper target certainly does impress the unsuspecting.  They really didn't appreciate how fast you were pulling the trigger and reloading that old single action revolver.

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Offline rbwillnj

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2008, 02:35:47 AM »
I really don't think you need 50 yard accuracy for self defence.   In fact if you were to shoot someone at 50 yards I think you might have a hard time claiming self defence.

Offline Hammer1

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2008, 03:10:27 AM »
Cooper had all his pistol courses shoot out to fifty yards.  Fifty yards is a lot further than twenty-five.

We even shot out to 100 yards.

It was a lot easier to hit steel with a full-house 10 than a normal 45.

Of course, handgun silhouette is done out to 200 meters.  Perfect scores have been fired.


As to self-defense, we never know what we're going to run into.  If we did, we'd stay home that day.  It's like flying, you can say lots of things about what you will or won't do, but once you're in the air you got to fly what God gave you that day.



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Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2008, 01:41:14 PM »
A freind of mine gave me a Lee Wadcutter mold for .44 mag/special today.  Any ideas about loads for best accuracy?  How fast can i push them for Self defense loads.

hmmm.  Self defense.

Taking the average 'police' engagements:
a) the average # of rounds fired is about 1.2 .
b) the average distance is 2 or 3 feet.

SO, what you NEED is to STOP the other individual (serious social purposes) and who NEEDS sights?

That's why when i need to carry, I carry a revolver - 5 shot - in 44 Special with blunt soft bullets.  I have two, the Tarus and the S&W.  Both are good.  Practice shooting from the hip - make that FIRST round count, know where the next 4 are going (with me the first hits and the next hit high in rapid fire).

Speed loader if you're really paranoid.



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N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline Hammer1

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2008, 05:02:35 AM »

Quote


.... who NEEDS sights?






We read about police shootings where the officers fire a hail of bullets and reload their Magic 9s twice and then only hit the bad guy once and that was in the foot.

Some of us would be better off using our sights.

Maybe not all of us, but some of us.


As to wadcutters in a 44,  if I had 'em I'd use 'em.

.

Offline melchior

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Re: wadcutter loads for 44 mag/special
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2008, 09:54:35 PM »
I have the LEE 200 gr. wadcutter mold, cast using water-dropped wheel weight. I push to 1150fps using TiteGroup with no sign of leading, and accurate at fifty yards. For lubes, I've used Lyman Moly or LEE Liquid Alox, both work fine at this loading level. This from a Ruger Super Blackhawk.