Handgun reloading

[AtlLaw]

I never reloaded much for handguns and when I did if it went bang that was good enough.  Strange, because I'm at the other extreme with rifle cartridges... 

Anyway, I'm working with my new-to-me Ruger SBH Bisley hunter which I found out last weekend is just about as accurate at 50 yards as my M-94 30/30.   

I'm going to seriously start working on a hunting load as soon as I get some 260 gr. LBT WFNGC's from Montana Bullet Works.  I already have plenty of 2400.     So I just have to ask:  Do all y'all load for a specific velocity and take what accuracy that velocity gives you or visa versa?  What exactly are you looking for in a hunting handload and how do you go about finding it?   

I know this is basic stuff, but Bill gave me a load he used and I think it worked great!  So good it made me think that maybe my expectations from a handgun have been a little to low all these years.     

[SHOOTALL]

To be honest with my Redhawk I always maxed out the load if it was accurate . Then i got older and wiser i hope and have backed off some . Hand feels better after  shooting now days . The energy at the target is what i look at for hunting . So look at the max. range you will be comfortable shooting make sure your load delivers enough energy to harvest the animal you are hunting and add a little for safety . Load some and see if it meets your accy. needs . If so great if not adjust your load a bit up or down to find a good combination of power and accy.

[jimkim]

I tried to load the most accurate round, just inside the minimum *legal limit. I didn't and don't load hot. I don't believe it takes that much to kill anything I hunt. If I ever go after grizzly or cape buffalo, things may change, but for now it just makes more sense to me to have an accurate, easy to shoot, low wear and tear(on me and the gun) round.

*Handguns: Any producing energy levels exceeding 500 ft/lbs at 100 yds.

[buck460XVR]

  I pick a bullet then play with the load till I max out the accuracy. Iffin it isn't that accurate, I try another bullet and do the same. Most of the time I find the most accurate load isn't generally the fastest.....but that's okay, cause the guns I hunt with are big enough that a coupla hundred FPS one way or the other ain't gonna make much difference. Besides, IMHO, it's more about hittin' em good than hittin' em hard.

[LaOtto222]

I usually have two loads for my handguns. One a plinking load and the other a near max load for that gun. In my 44 Mag (Virgina Dragoon) I use 7.5 grains of unique with a 240 grain cast bullet for my plinking load and 23 -24 grains of W266/H110 for my heavy loads with 240 grain bullets. The heavy loads will put down any deer sized game with in 100 yards with no problems. I have found that both are accurate. I shoot far and away more cast bullet loads than I do heavy jacketed rounds. In my 357 Model 66 I use a medium load for my jacketed bullets or 38 specials for plinking. I just got 500 HBWC and plan on rolling my own plinking loads. I was buying lead 38 specials as cheap as I could reload for, but that has changed in the last 6 months or so. I do not use heavy loads in the model 66 due to its lighter frame. Heavy loads will more than likely wear it out over time due to it's light frame for a magnum. It is a fine weapon and I want it to last my life time. I can not tell you how you will use your gun, you need to find out your self what you like to do. If I was using it strictly for hunting, I would develop a heavy load (sounds like you have one already) and stick to it. If you are just going to be shooting cans in the back yard or targets at the range, I think you will find the lighter loads much more pleasant to shoot for longer sessions. But each their own. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Graybeard]

I usually have a target velocity in mind but shoot for adequate but not necessarily the absolute best accuracy in that general velocity range. In other words if I'm looking for 1000 fps I'll settle for a nicely accurate load in the 950-1100 fps range. I won't quibble over 50-100 fps if really good accuracy is found that far either side of my target velocity range. Nor will I increase the velocity nor drop it outside of the stated range of velocities either side of my target to gain an improvement of a half inch to an inch so long as what I am getting is "good enough" for the job at hand.

I'd take a 2" group at 25 yards at 1000 fps over a 1" group at 25 yards at 1250 fps.

But in honesty I have found a few standard loads for the various handgun rounds I shoot that are within my velocity window for them that seem to just work in practically every revolver I've owned as well as in the TC barrels also. They seem to be well balanced loads and if a gun is gonna shoot well then it generally shoots these standard loads of mine well.

[Sweetwater]

Greybeard +1

You are probably looking more at minute of target than you are minute of angle.

You will develop a feel for your personal recoil limits which may or may not be greater than the limits of your new weapon.
You are getting some 260gr LBT WFNGC from Montana BulletWorks, which should work fine at any velocity you "choose" to shoot it "within your own personal limits." Because it's Veral's mold, let's put it on his terms. His DV says it needs a minimum near 1150fps (at the muzzle) with a 44Mag WFN to work properly on live game. The maximum DV comes a little over 1450fps. You get to decide where in that range from 1150fps to 1450fps do you want to operate to take best advantage of Veral's technology. Accuracy, recoil, etc can play a part in your decision. I'll go out on a limb and say you might do just as well with Plain Bases in this velocity range, expecially closer to the lower end. That's the direction I'm taking with my 45Colt Bisley Blackhawk.

I was shooting Keith bullets before I ever heard of Veral Smith, but I do think he's got something going with his WFN's and what is needed to make them perform on game. I've digested his book.  Happy hunting!

Regards,
Sweetwater