Anyone making and shooting .44 special or 500 special

[heavyhaulin818]

I cut and loaded some .44/500 special rounds last night and was wondering if anyone else uses these?

[stevec223]

I’ve been debating loading up 44 special.. I usually just download load 44mag.. I’m thinking the shorter brass might eject slightly better out of my 629.. 44sp +p with 185gr xtp or 220gr (?) Nosler sporting hp are what I’m thinking and have instock.. Not for woods carry,, if ya know what I mean.. Unique or CFE pistol would be choice of powder..
Any thoughts???
Cheers..

[sghart]

I load some 44 Special occasionally for my Charter Arms Bulldog.

[NapalmCheese]

I load .44 SPC with black (black sub really) for cowboy action shooting in a Rossi 92.

[Fishwishin]

Who is running a good load for .44 specials with a 240 gr. LSWC? I have not loaded any up yet, but it is my next caliber to take a run at. It will be shot out of my SW 29 snub nose.

Thanks

[heavyhaulin818]

I went with 240 grain HORNADY xtp’s (hollow points) and 240 grain Lead Round Nose. I am using BULLSEYE, UNIQUE, and 4227 loads out of my LYMAN 51st edition. I load with HORNADY CUSTOM GRADE dies on a FORSTER CO-AX. I cut my cases down on an LE Wilson/SINCLAIR case trimmer using Q type case holders. I am shooting these out of lever action rifles. I have been loading the HORNADY 45-70 short cases with 405 grain lead round noses and enjoyed the pace so much that I decided to make specials for the .44 and the 500.

[NeilMo]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

I cut and loaded some .44/500 special rounds last night and was wondering if anyone else uses these?

I load/shoot a lot of 44 Spl but haven't had to trim down enough 500 mag brass yet to start working up loads. I should just bite the bullet and order some spl brass from Starline. I've cracked lots of 44 and 357 mag brass and made plenty of spl cases but the 500 mag brass seems likes its much tougher, or my Smith just has tighter cylinders, who knows.

Gavin from Ultimate Reloader made a few videos on loading 500 spl with both Trail Boss and CFE-Pistol. Don't recall the TB load, but he used 12 grains of CFE-P with a 350gn Hornady XTP which worked good.

Originally Posted by Fishwishin

Who is running a good load for .44 specials with a 240 gr. LSWC? I have not loaded any up yet, but it is my next caliber to take a run at. It will be shot out of my SW 29 snub nose.

Thanks

My favorite 44spl loads are 5 grains of either BE or Sport Pistol with a cast Lee 240gn checked SWC. Both fly around 700fps from my 4" Tracker.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

I cut and loaded some .44/500 special rounds last night and was wondering if anyone else uses these?

I have a gallon ziploc bag with some 44 range brass but I don't own a dedicated 44 special gun just yet to load them for.
It's on my list.

I do load 44 special level loads in 44 mag brass for my 44 mag guns.

[Dai]

Used Titegroup with 200 gr coated LRN with 44 special.


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[Che762x39]

Originally Posted by Fishwishin

Who is running a good load for .44 specials with a 240 gr. LSWC? I have not loaded any up yet, but it is my next caliber to take a run at. It will be shot out of my SW 29 snub nose.

Thanks

With a 240 LSWC I like 6.0 grains of Unique that is a 800 fps load in my S&W Model 29 four inch.

[Cowboy T]

Oh, I shoot lots of .44 Special. My load is more like a ".44 Special +P" load using a 200gr LRNFP and Titegroup, just a bit warmer than the book loads for .44 Spl. This is what I've found gets the best accuracy in my gun. Since my firearm, a Model 629, is .44 Magnum-rated, this is perfectly safe in my gun. Sure, the .44 Special round is a mighty fine round and well worth reloading and enjoying.

[stevec223]

Not much action in the reloading area for the past few months… I guess everyone’s busy experimenting with the lemon pledge lube.. 🙃🙃…. Happy New Year…
Cheers…

[heavyhaulin818]

NOPE! I am playing around with making 44 RUSSIAN rounds out of my .44 special, and .44 special out of my .44 magnums. Getting the crimp groove to line up with the RUSSIAN case mouth makes the rounds much shorter than recommended. I did run into a potential situation, I am shooting these out of a lever action, I loaded 240 grain xtp bullets into the .44 special cases but am wondering if I should have loaded lead instead due to the jump from the shorter cases? Also, I seated magnum primers in the special and only have magnums to load in the russians as well... As for lubes, I use HORNADY UNIQUE and DILLON CASE LUBE exclusively.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I have a gallon ziploc bag with some 44 range brass but I don't own a dedicated 44 special gun just yet to load them for.
It's on my list.

I rectified this issue yesterday.
I won a Charter Bulldog at auction.
Now my 44 special brass is not an orphan anymore.

[Cowboy T]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

NOPE! I am playing around with making 44 RUSSIAN rounds out of my .44 special, and .44 special out of my .44 magnums. Getting the crimp groove to line up with the RUSSIAN case mouth makes the rounds much shorter than recommended. I did run into a potential situation, I am shooting these out of a lever action, I loaded 240 grain xtp bullets into the .44 special cases but am wondering if I should have loaded lead instead due to the jump from the shorter cases? Also, I seated magnum primers in the special and only have magnums to load in the russians as well... As for lubes, I use HORNADY UNIQUE and DILLON CASE LUBE exclusively.

Depends on what you're doing. If you're doing target shooting, then I would stick with cast lead bullets for the lower cost vs. the Hornady XTP's. If you're hunting, then I would step up to a more powerful cartridge than the .44 Russian or even the .44 Special unless you're doing shorter-range hunting in heavy brush. By "shorter range" here, I'm talking about 50 yards.

You can use magnum primers in the .44 Special, sure. Just back your load off a bit, and you should be fine. Same goes for .44 Russian. This assumes, of course, that you're shooting them in firearms that are actually rated specifically for .44 Russian or .44 Special. If you're shooting them out of a .44 Magnum-rated firearm, then you can safely keep your loads as they are with either standard or magnum primers...again, IF you're shooting them out of a .44 Magnum-rated firearm.

I shoot my own cast bullets in the .44 Special all the time. Matter of fact, my next run, after the .38 Special run, will be .44 Special. Got the bullets all tumble-lubed and ready to go, the brass clean and shiny, etc.

[Cowboy T]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I rectified this issue yesterday.
I won a Charter Bulldog at auction.
Now my 44 special brass is not an orphan anymore.

Congratulations!

[newbie1234]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

I cut and loaded some .44/500 special rounds last night and was wondering if anyone else uses these?

I am new here, I need to clarify your question. Are you asking that did anybody ever cut down the .500 shell to make 44SPL shell ?
Why have to cut down the 500 shell while .44SPL and .44MAG plenty on the reload shop.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by newbie1234

I am new here, I need to clarify your question. Are you asking that did anybody ever cut down the .500 shell to make 44SPL shell ?

He is talking about making 44 special from 44 magnum or 500 special from 500 magnum.

He is not talking about making a 44 caliber cartridge case from a 50 caliber cartridge case.

[newbie1234]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

He is talking about making 44 special from 44 magnum or 500 special from 500 magnum.

He is not talking about making a 44 caliber cartridge case from a 50 caliber cartridge case.

As I said, I am NEW. Thank you for the clarification.
BTW, why he does that while .44SPL case everywhere or "been there done that" ?

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by newbie1234

BTW, why he does that while .44SPL case everywhere or "been there done that" ?

He probably didn't have any.

44 magnum and 500 magnum are far more common than their shorter counterparts.

[Cowboy T]

It's not like it's unavailable, though. I ended up with plenty a while back, and Starline makes good cases. They're currently backordered on .44 Special (and .44 Magnum, actually), but my observation is that they do tend to get their backorders out reasonably soon.