Author Topic: 44 mag sights, loads (Read 610 times)

bja105 · « **on:** April 21, 2005, 05:20:08 PM »

I just got our .243 back from warranty service, and I got a .44 Mag barrel. I don't shoot rear blade style sights well. Has anybody successfully put on a peep sight? Something in place of the rear sight would be ok, but I would prefer one further back, in the scope base holes. Are there any with matching screw spacing?

I've never loaded for handguns before. I found a used Lee 3 die carbide set. I'll start with jacketed bullets. I have blue dot, and I will pick up some H110. Any reccomende bullets? I want something accurate, cheap is good too. What about seating depth? I understand this is more critical in handgun cartridges. The manuals I have (speer, lee, and the free hodgdon) give min oal, but I would expect bullet lengths to vary by style and manufacturer. How do I do it? Do I just seat to the groove and crimp?

I JB'd the bore and polished the chamber, anything else I need to know about the 44 mag Handi?

BTW, I still don't know about the .243 barrel fit. there is still lots of play in the latch lever, much more than with the 44 mag barrel.

Thanks

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2005, 06:05:25 PM »

Williams WGRS and firesight up front...

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=60552

bja105 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2005, 06:35:31 PM »

Did you use this WGRS Sight?
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=698217

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2005, 07:09:13 PM »

That's the one....it's the same as comes on the BC and Target.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2005, 08:23:47 PM »

Here's a 44 mag thread that will prepare you..... :grin:

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=59491&highlight=44mag

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2005, 08:57:41 PM »

The Williams FP peep sight works very well also, I ordered mine from H&R 56 bucks I think, used it on my .357 max with a hornet front blade. I was able to get 3" groups or better at 100 yards. Took a real nice doe with it last winter.

ping925 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2005, 12:48:43 AM »

Put a One-ragged-hole sight on mine--works great, uses same front sight but I heard they changed the sights on the 44 mags. Mine was the one NEF bought from Ruger.

MtJerry · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2005, 05:36:58 AM »

bja105,

The post Quick put up was the story of my new 44 mag barrel. I have found that the Hornady 300gr. XTP's do well in this barrel HOWEVER, I strongly recommedn you slug the barrel before you start. You may find that they are over-bored (ie - larger than .429 in dia.) Mine slugged out at .432. That is one reason why I sent with the Hornady's They are sized at .430.

Most off the shelf cast bullets are .429 and mine keyholes with ANYTHING smaller. You can buy cast bullet online from some outlets that are sized up to .432, but I have not tried any as of yet.

My barrel came with the williams ramp sight installed. I was expecting the standard leaf sight and was disappointed with it because I was planning to install a One Ragged Hole sight on mine. I have one on my Ruger SUper Backhawk, and my Handi in 45-70.

I might be interested in trading sights if you are interested. I would highly recommend the One Ragged Hole sight. You can find them here - http://oneraggedhole.com/

Jerry

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2005, 06:10:31 AM »

I see some confusion brewing here on the sight issue. The sight that MtJerry has pictured in the 44mag thread appears to be a Williams WGOS blade sight and it fits the mid barrel position. The WGRS aperture(peep) sight mounts in the rear 2 scope mount holes. They are both ramp sights, but 2 entirely different sights, although the bases are similar, the contour of the barrel in their mount locations is different. The WGOS can be converted to a peep, with a Williams Ghost Ring insert that replaces the blade, but whether it would work well that far from the eye, I don't know.

Tim

Ghost ring receiver sight insert which replaces the blade or aperture holder...

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=496762

And my preference for an aperture is the Twilight insert....although I have just used the aperture holder by itself for close shots in heavy cover.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=510431

MtJerry · « **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2005, 07:35:37 AM »

Sorry for the confusion ... thanks for the sharp eye Quick!

I've had my eye on that ghost ring replacement ... may have to get it ordered and report back.

Jerry

JPH45 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2005, 12:47:46 PM »

I would stick a scope on it. That is what I have been running on my 44 mag for 2 years now, and having walked up on four deer that wnet into my freezer, I can't say that I found a scope to be any kind of a handicap. (any pun there unintended)

Comparing the 44 mag Handi to a pistol/revolve is a mistake. The 22" barrel behaves completely differently from a shorter handun barrel. I shoot loads of 7.3-11 grains of Blue Dot with a 200 or a 265 grain bullet and get velocities from 820-1275 fps respectively. I did not get good results with Unique, in fact, it was the most troublesome powder I used for mild loads. You will not find the Blu Dot load range I'm using in a manual, they are below starting loads, but because of the long barrel, more velocity may be gained than is wanted with book loads. Theses loads will be dirty, but accurate and cheap.

Don't reduce powders like 296/H110/AA1680. They make good full power or nearly so loads, but are not meant for use at less than 80% loading density.

Cast bullets of weights up to 265 grians do well, however the only 300 grian bullet that has shot in my barrel is the 300 (#704) of Magnus Bullet Co. The 1 in 38 twist of the NEF barrel is not suitable for such heavy bullets.

The Speer 270 Gold Dot is an exellent jacketed hunting bullet as is the Hornady 300 XTP (this bullet shoots well, it is short for it's weight) Both these do well at book maximums with H110, giving 1575 and 1525 FPS respectively from my barrel.

If you are going to shoot cast, be sure to slug your bore. Mine is .432 as are several others around here. Shooting .430 bullets is nearly a waste of time in such a barrel, my groups tightened noticably when I began using correctly sized bullets. So be sure to slug your barrel and shoot cast bullets properly sized. Keep us posted on your results.

bja105 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2005, 01:03:11 PM »

I might go with the scope. I've got a few laying around, and the price of a base and rings, it'll be cheaper than new sights.

jhp45. Any reason not to use full power blue dot loads? With the long barrel, can I get any use out of the faster rifle powders? I didn't recognize any in my manuals.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2005, 01:18:07 PM »

The Weaver #82 rail is about $7, you can cut more cross slots in it easily with hand tools or a dremel. I cut the flat spot off the back, then using another rail as a template, redrill the forward mount holes and counter sink them, end up with a much shorter rail that is mounted all the way to the rear of the barrel. Or, you can just buy the H&R rail for about $20...

http://hr1871.com/barrelAcc/index.htm

JPH45 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2005, 03:59:13 PM »

No reason not to use fullhouse Blue Dot loads. Blue Dot and AA#9 are quite alike. I have just found small doses of Blue Dot to be more consistant than small doses of Unique for plinking loads. I've found my best accuracy to come with full cases of H110 and AA1680 although one gives up some velocity with the 1680, but it shoots really good. The expansion ratio of the 44 Mag isn't good for fast rifle powdes like Reloder 7, IMR 3031 or 4198. They are dirty burning (I don't mind that but many do) and give up a lot of velocity. 22 grains of R-7 is good for about 1250 fps with a 200 grian bullet. A full case of H110 under a 200 grainer will give you in the neighborhood of 2000 fps.

AA1680 is about as slow a powder that one can get useful velocity from, 24.5 grains gives me about 1430 fps pushing a 265 grian plain base cast bullet. Yet, as rifle powders go, it is quite fast. Would be easy enough to get 26 grains in the case, but it won't give any useful advantage over the lower charge. For outright velocity combined with outstanding accuracy, H110/WW296 remain the powders of choice and it woud take something of a gunpowder miracle to change that.