David Simerly
Active member
I think it's so interesting. For years I was all about everything .355/.357". This year because I turned 44 I figured heck with it let's dive in. I knew ahead of time the new 396 was coming and prepared myself with a 69. Then the 396 came, and now I've grabbed a flat top 4 5/8 Blackhawk. All three of these guns shoot spectacularly, and the hunt is now on for perhaps a 24 I can either have shortened to 3.5 or if I can grab a Lew Horton 3" for a not rapey price... So I can afford to shoot more I picked up loading again.
I've essentially worked up two loads:
The first is a plinker and cheap. 19cpr not counting the brass, which I'm recycling from ammo I've purchased. It's a Rim Rock 200gr FP over 5.8gr of Win 231 with a CCI 300 primer. Does a little under 750 fps in the short guns, a little over in the BH.
The second is my kill anything in NA load, with the increased bullet and powder cost it's a whopping 22cpr to assemble. It's a Magnus 215gr SWC over 7.2gr of Win 231 and a CCI 300 primer. It runs 1020 out of the BH, 980 out of the short guns. It's a handful in the 396 but very shootable.
Both are awesomely precise in all three of my 44s. I also use The High Desert 200gr XTP load for regular carry. It runs average 908 FPS out of the short guns and 930 out of the BH. XTPs are awesome bullets and in the speed range will act like a hard penetrating 50-60cal wadcutter in soft tissue.
Here's a few photos of my 44s thus far and some shooting I've done with them.
Who else finds the 44 Special is indeed special?
I've essentially worked up two loads:
The first is a plinker and cheap. 19cpr not counting the brass, which I'm recycling from ammo I've purchased. It's a Rim Rock 200gr FP over 5.8gr of Win 231 with a CCI 300 primer. Does a little under 750 fps in the short guns, a little over in the BH.
The second is my kill anything in NA load, with the increased bullet and powder cost it's a whopping 22cpr to assemble. It's a Magnus 215gr SWC over 7.2gr of Win 231 and a CCI 300 primer. It runs 1020 out of the BH, 980 out of the short guns. It's a handful in the 396 but very shootable.
Both are awesomely precise in all three of my 44s. I also use The High Desert 200gr XTP load for regular carry. It runs average 908 FPS out of the short guns and 930 out of the BH. XTPs are awesome bullets and in the speed range will act like a hard penetrating 50-60cal wadcutter in soft tissue.
Here's a few photos of my 44s thus far and some shooting I've done with them.
Who else finds the 44 Special is indeed special?
