Waiting...

[200Apples]

Waiting on the UPS/Fed Ex/and/or USPS persons to bring to the house a box of 255 grain authentic Keith LSWC in .432" from Montana Bullet Works...

...and an RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser Combo. While I'll still double-check every 10th throw and weight on the ol' balance beam, it sure will be nice not having to bend down and stare at the marks every. single. throw... 'cuz that's how I roll 'em.

Too, along with my go-to Skeeter loads of 7.5 grains Unique in .44 Special brass, a LPP and the bullet mentioned above, I'd like to work up some similar-performing loads using Green Dot.

Blah blah blah...

[pennstater]

You in for some fun time fella. Likin' the loads.

[tonyjr]

My scale is plugged in all the time , it really drifts if turned off . It drifts for an
hour or 2 after it is turned on again .
It is better during the day if sun is out [ I have solar ] but the fluorescent
lights don't help .
Been thinking about putting in LED's in garage but no one has posted if they
help or hurt .
I also pick a loaded round and then zero the sacle to it . Then I decide want + or -
I will take .
When changing calibers I always use scale weights to check scale before using .

[kcstott]

My scale is plugged in all the time , it really drifts if turned off . It drifts for an
hour or 2 after it is turned on again .
It is better during the day if sun is out [ I have solar ] but the fluorescent
lights don't help .
Been thinking about putting in LED's in garage but no one has posted if they
help or hurt .
I also pick a loaded round and then zero the sacle to it . Then I decide want + or -
I will take .
When changing calibers I always use scale weights to check scale before using .

Old fluorescent don't help. New rapid start electronic ballasts work just fine and do not hinder an electronic scale. Old fluorescents had huge ballasts that put out a lot of EMI. new electronic ballasts are far better.

[tonyjr]

Thanks , I bought the house in '84 and put in 6 4ft shop / cheapee ones .
I was given a 4 ft one from costco for my birthday about 5 years ago and
mounted it over press [ less shadows . ]
We have have a few power failures and the scales that a while to settle down .
I / we check them with beam scales and dead weights .

[kcstott]

Thanks , I bought the house in '84 and put in 6 4ft shop / cheapee ones .
I was given a 4 ft one from costco for my birthday about 5 years ago and
mounted it over press [ less shadows . ]
We have have a few power failures and the scales that a while to settle down .
I / we check them with beam scales and dead weights .

[tonyjr]

I have 3 . 2 take batteries and other one just plugs in [ really old and
just plugs into wall ]
When w begin to load a know weigth cartridge is used on all 3 .
My nephews / nieces seldom show up at same time unless comming from range . So 1st here checks scales , then generally starts setting up dies .
1st here does his / her caliber and others ither set up table for cleaning or start
decapping / sizing if bottle necks .

[at_liberty]

What 44 requires a bullet as big as .432?

[divingin]

Been thinking about putting in LED's in garage but no one has posted if they
help or hurt .

Put LEDs in the fluorescent fixtures on my patio. Got the type that bypass the ballast and get wired up directly to supply voltage. Problem now is when I come back inside, I have to wait for my eyes to adjust to the wimpy indoor lighting. I probably could have gotten by with a single tube in each fixture.

If you are working under the bare tubes, you may want to look for tubes with a frosted diffuser. The bare LEDs on mine are painful to look at.

[tonyjr]

I will check out Leds - are they 4 foot or do I have to figure out mounting .
I can direct wire if thats all that is involved .
I have 6 of the 4 footers in garage and a costco 4 foot led . It is over press
and is not good enough to replace others .

[200Apples]

This powder dispenser-and-scale combination is the next best thing to sliced bread. Man! Is it sweet. I did set up the mechanical scale to verify random every 5th or 10th "throw"/dispensed volume.

Gonna squeeze off about 50 of these 100, and if the bores look good, I'm gonna order a lot more of these .432" Montana Bullet Works' 255 grain Keith LSWC.

[200Apples]

at_liberty

What 44 requires a bullet as big as .432?

Is that you? My esteemed colleague from the Carolinas? How are you, my good man.

I just now noticed your post. Please forgive my very late reply...

In answer to your question, the Ruger New Model flat-top .44 Special Blackhawks pictured above both have cylinder throats measuring .432/.4315"... I purchased a set of gauge pins/pin gauges from a local tool supply house. Brian Pearce has one or two of these as well, and reports an identical measurement in a story published in a 2009 issue of Handloader magazine. My blued Blackhawk pictured and Mr. Pearce's are from the original Lipsey's run: his, because he reports so in the story and mine according to the serial number. My TALO stainless .44 Special flat top Blackhawk pictured above has throats measuring .4315" diameter.

As you may be interested in a progress report of my 696 not pictured, I am going to stick with 200 grains jacketed until I might have it's throats reamed. The cylinder throats on that wonderful Smith & Wesson are tiny. I will report back with a measurement later.

[at_liberty]

Is that you? My esteemed colleague from the Carolinas? How are you, my good man.

I just now noticed your post. Please forgive my very late reply...

In answer to your question, the Ruger New Model flat-top .44 Special Blackhawks pictured above both have cylinder throats measuring .432/.4315"... I purchased a set of gauge pins/pin gauges from a local tool supply house. Brian Pearce has one or two of these as well, and reports an identical measurement in a story published in a 2009 issue of Handloader magazine. My blued Blackhawk pictured and Mr. Pearce's are from the original Lipsey's run: his, because he reports so in the story and mine according to the serial number. My TALO stainless .44 Special flat top Blackhawk pictured above has throats measuring .4315" diameter.

As you may be interested in a progress report of my 696 not pictured, I am going to stick with 200 grains jacketed until I might have it's throats reamed. The cylinder throats on that wonderful Smith & Wesson are tiny. I will report back with a measurement later.

My remaining 44 Special is a Flat Top. Guess I'll have to check the throats. I rarely shoot it.

I do think the guns need to have diameters coordinated, throat to barrel. My worst case was a 45 Colt NMBH with .454ish throats and standard bore. Ruger wasn't helpful about getting a new cylinder. I used special bullets, same as you, and got unacceptable leading, whatever else I tried.

I did learn with my Redhawk 45 Colt that tight throats can dramatically increase pressure. That big gun wasn't tamed and comfortable with high level Tier II-III "Ruger only" loads, until I had the throats done. It was peculiar for a 45 Colt in having throats very tight.