.44 Mag Target Loads

[z-bob]

Try about 7.5 grains of Red Dot or Promo with 240 grain SWC or RNFP cast bullets. Use whatever primer you want. Promo is the most accurate powder for me in every handgun cartridge I've tried.

Same bullet with about 12 grains of Herco for a nice cheap to shoot "magnum" load.

[bumpo628]

Try about 7.5 grains of Red Dot or Promo with 240 grain SWC or RNFP cast bullets. Use whatever primer you want. Promo is the most accurate powder for me in every handgun cartridge I've tried.

Same bullet with about 12 grains of Herco for a nice cheap to shoot "magnum" load.

I'll have to try that. I've an 8 lb jug of Promo on the shelf...

[anothergunnut]

Bear Creek's phone number is (209) 874-4322. I have a price list that is a little out of date that shows 240 gr bullets for $43.50 per 500 plus tax. They include free shipping if you order more than $95. For people who live in the Modesto area and can drive to their shop in Waterford, they offer better prices for local pickup. They don't always answer the phone as they are a real small operation.

[GeoffLinder]

Anybody using W231?

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate it.

My fave load for target use in my Super Redhawk (8" bbl) uses WW231. It goes downrange at about 990fps from an 8" bbl and prints one hole at 50 yards if I do my job right on the sandbags.

COAL: 1.666"
Primer: WW LP
Brass: WW
Bullet: Bear Creek 240gr LSWC
Powder: WW231 8.0gr
Notes: Roll Crimp

[Bill Steele]

Another, thanks for the information. I get out to the valley occasionally. I pass right by Modesto on my way to visit a friend of mine who farms in Merced. I have a couple of boxes of Missouri 240 SWC Elmer K's to get started. But as I work that down, I will plan the switch to Bear Creek.

Geoff, thanks. One of the powders I have on the way from PV is 231. I will give the load a try. I bought some once fired brass from Brassman that so far is not looking like such a good decision. The first load in the tumbler is looking pretty uninspiring, should have bought new.

[z-bob]

If your brass won't clean up, try giving it a dip in a hot solution of citric acid, rinse, dry, and then polish it.

You can get citric acid at homebrew supply shops, or sometimes in the ethnic aisle at the supermarket -- it'll be with the Jewish stuff and called "sour salt".

[Bill Steele]

If your brass won't clean up, try giving it a dip in a hot solution of citric acid, rinse, dry, and then polish it.

You can get citric acid at homebrew supply shops, or sometimes in the ethnic aisle at the supermarket -- it'll be with the Jewish stuff and called "sour salt".

Thanks, I give it a try. I ran a load 8 hours in the tumbler yesterday and they came out pretty lousy. I think these probably started as low grade brass and then were left outside for quite a while before boxing it up and shipping it to me.

If I run 9mm brass from the same source for 8 hours, they come out so bright I have to put my sunglasses on when loading.

Do you rinse in something like a baking powder solution to nutralize the acid after the treatment?

[z-bob]

I've not actually tried it I'm passing along information I've read on other forums. Supposedly the citric acid not only removes the tarnish but it passivates the brass. (I'm not sure I believe the last part, but it's possible.) Just rinsing with tapwater should be good enough.

I have a jar of citric acid. I'll see if I have some grungy brass somewhere to try it out. (I'm sure I have some grungy brass *somewhere*)

[Bill Steele]

I have a home brew shop just down the street. I will pick some up and give it a test.

[Bill Steele]

So I am now starting to get some results from the various powders I have been trying with my Model 29.

My favorite load so far is very close to GeoffLinder's above. 7.4grs W231, seated to 1.6" OAL, WLP primer all under a 240gr MBC LSWC (Elmer K). This load is amazingly accurate out of my 6.5" barrel with very light recoil. It also seems to keep the leading down to a minimum with these harder BH 18 bullets.

I found a nice AA-#9 load that produces similar velocities to the load above and was a little cleaner than the load above, it just didn't seem to be quite as sharp in the accuracy area as the W231.

On the Trail Boss powder experiment, I am glad somebody likes it, because I sure don't. I have the better part of an 8oz bottle (same size as a normal 1lb bottle in other powders), that I will gladly give free to any fellow Calgunner/loader that lives here in the Bay Area and is willing to wait until it is convenient to meet. No shipping, please.

I will be getting some of those Bear Creek Moly Coated bullets here next week at Tabor's. Can't wait to try them compared to the MBC bullets I have been using.

Some fun.

[z-bob]

On the Trail Boss powder experiment, I am glad somebody likes it, because I sure don't. I have the better part of an 8oz bottle (same size as a normal 1lb bottle in other powders), that I will gladly give free to any fellow Calgunner/loader that lives here in the Bay Area and is willing to wait until it is convenient to meet. No shipping, please.

I've never used TB so I don't have an opinion of it, but I'd like to know what you hate about it.

[Bill Steele]

Hate a pretty strong word.

I've never used TB so I don't have an opinion of it, but I'd like to know what you hate about it.

I wouldn't say I hate it, I just don't enjoy shooting it. It is really fluffy stuff, kind of like freeze dried Unique. For me, even when I filled the case, it feels like a powder puff round, a really dirty powder puff round. Instead of a "bang" it kind of is like a loud "KAAPUFF"

Anyway, if nobody local wants it, I might try using it on my garden, I heard it has a lot of nitrogen.