.44 Flattop at the range

[Mike in Virginia]

Mine is the 4 5/8 length Ruger.  Changed the grips to smooth rosewood from Ruger.  Tried 4 different handloads and 4 different factory loads.  The handloads varied in powder type and bullet weight.  Unique, 2400, and Trail Boss.  The factory loads were Winchester, Hornady, Speer, and DoubleTap. 
 
Off sandbags at 25 yards, I could not get a satisfactory group until I tried the DoubleTap 180 jhp at 1150 fps according to the box.  Group size was right at 1", center to center and required only 1 click up and 1 click right to be dead on.  The DoubleTap round is supposed to be standard pressure, safe in any gun.  I've used it exclusively in my Charter Arms 2.5, with no problem.  Actually, penetration and expansion out of the short barrel exceeds that of the Remington Golden Saber in .45acp, as determined by testing.
 
I'm anxious to try that round from my Ruger on deer this season.  180 grains at 1150 fps will surely get it done. 
 
If you have one of the new flattops, I suggest you at least try DoubleTap.  It's not cheap, and it's not reminiscent of the Elmer Keith days, but it sure does shoot.     
 
 
 
 

[Frank V]

Mike
I'm a little late, but thanks for the report on the Double Tap ammo. I've heard good things about it.
I'm sorry even your handloads don't shoot as you'd like. Unique has long been my go to powder in the .44Special.
I've gotten good results from Trail Boss too.
Hope you can come up with a good load for practice.  I'm sure the 180 will work for Deer.
Good shooting.
Frank

[jimster]

Thanks for the report on the double tap ammo.  I haven't had time to experiment with my flattop too much, it seems to like the heavier cast bullets, I have been using 250 cast swc's and just got done trying out some cast 240 gr rnfp bullets which were also accurate out of mine. 
Unique is also my go to for 44 special,  I messed with blue dot as well, not my favorite but I have a huge bunch to use up and it works a lot better in the small 44 spl case using medium type loads with more pressure.  Blue dot does not seem to like lower pressures and large cases, for me anyway.  Some day I'd like to try some jacketed bullets in the flattop, I have a double action 44 spl that likes jacketed bullets. 
Thanks for the report...and a 1" group is a darn good group at 25 yrds with a handgun.  Good shooting!

[HAMMERHEAD]

Thanks for the tip on the DT ammo, they have a good rep.


My NM Flat Top seems to like Speer swaged 240 LSWC over just about any powder I try (Universal, Clays, Unique, SR 7625) but doesn't seem to like the cast DEWC's from Penn or the Hornady LSWC-HP's.
Maybe it likes the Speer bullet because it's so soft.