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Posted: 7/13/2025 8:22:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: compuvette][Edited]
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Figured I’d cross post this from the reloading forum as you guys might find it interesting. I have a couple 44 Special loads I’ve kinda standardized on. Previously I’ve chronoed them out of a couple revolvers but today I decided to try them in one of my 44 magnum lever actions. I drug the chrono and a Henry 44 20 inch Classic to the range. The Henry is an early one, but Henry swapped the barrel to a new 1/20 twist barrel last year as it was keyholing with heavies. I grabbed the Classic as it doesn’t get shot as much as the All Weather. Anyway, here’s my results: 200gr Acme RNFP 4.6gr 700X, 1.46” COAL, LPP 20” Henry Classic: 960fps 4” 624: 770fps 3” 24-3: 725fps 210gr BNWC 5gr HP-38, 1.274” COAL, LPP 4” 624: 820fps 3” 24-3: 780fps 240gr Acme SWC “+P” 7.5gr Herco, 1.47” COAL, Win LP 20” Henry Classic: 1115fps 8.8” Contender: 972fps 4” 624: 899fps 3” 629-6: 850fps The velocity gains track between 44 Special and Magnum pretty well. The slower powder gained a little more than the faster ones, as expected. The 700x load is pretty light. It had soot around the cartridge mouth with the revolvers and rifle. The Herco/240 SWC load is a slightly lighter “Skeeter” load. With Herco I’d need to be around 8 grains to match it. Out of the rifle the 240 had the smallest of “shoves”. The 200gr/700x load felt like a BB gun,  I wiped it down and ran a bore snake through it when I got home. It was mid 80’s today with pretty high humidity. The barrel was very clean, but I wanted to get some oil on it. With specials and light magnums it’s a really slick, fun rifle to shoot. With 300’s, I’d rather shoot the All Weather. The recoil pad makes it a little more comfortable. |
"He had the right hand of the devil strapped tightly to his side."-The Last Cowboy
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Originally Posted By Urimaginaryfrnd: What kind of accuracy are you seeing with the all weather 44 m ? With my “midrange” 240 grain magnum SWC’s I get about three inches at 100 yards. This is with the factory buckhorn sights that I’m not a huge fan of. The 300 grain TC load was under 3 inches. I haven’t grouped anything jacketed yet. Lucky Gunner grouped a Model X 44 at about 1.5 inches with jacketed bullets at 100 yards. The All Weather has a round 1/20 twist barrel and my Classic has an octagonal 1/20. The 200 grain RNFP’s were pretty much all touching at 25 yards today. |
"He had the right hand of the devil strapped tightly to his side."-The Last Cowboy
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Originally Posted By compuvette: With my “midrange” 240 grains SWC’s I get about three inches at 100 yards. This is with the factory buckhorn sights that I’m not a huge fan of. The 300 grains TC load was under 3 inches. I haven’t grouped anything jacketed yet. Lucky Gunner grouped a Model X 44 at about 1.5 inches with jacketed bullets at 100 yards. The All Weather has a round 1/20 twist barrel and my Classic has an octagonal 1/20. The 200 grain RNFP’s were pretty much all touching at 25 yards today. Originally Posted By compuvette: Originally Posted By Urimaginaryfrnd: What kind of accuracy are you seeing with the all weather 44 m ? With my “midrange” 240 grains SWC’s I get about three inches at 100 yards. This is with the factory buckhorn sights that I’m not a huge fan of. The 300 grains TC load was under 3 inches. I haven’t grouped anything jacketed yet. Lucky Gunner grouped a Model X 44 at about 1.5 inches with jacketed bullets at 100 yards. The All Weather has a round 1/20 twist barrel and my Classic has an octagonal 1/20. The 200 grain RNFP’s were pretty much all touching at 25 yards today. iirc the heavier bullets shot (much) better but there was also a 600-700 fps difference between 180s and 300s. All I've shot out of my .44 X so far is those 180gn Remington SPs; accuracy is good enough for a travel HD rifle in AWB areas (just over 2000fps according to LG!) but I don't think I want to use it for much more than that. If it's any consolation, while I like the FO aspect the X rear sight is far worse than a regular buckhorn. This is eventually getting a rear Skinner/stock front FO sight (it really pops with a weapon light) or a 2.5x20 Leupold. |
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Originally Posted By brachiosaur: iirc the heavier bullets shot (much) better but there was also a 600-700 fps difference between 180s and 300s. All I've shot out of my .44 X so far is those 180gn Remington SPs; accuracy is good enough for a travel HD rifle in AWB areas (just over 2000fps according to LG!) but I don't think I want to use it for much more than that. If it's any consolation, while I like the FO aspect the X rear sight is far worse than a regular buckhorn. This is eventually getting a rear Skinner/stock front FO sight (it really pops with a weapon light) or a 2.5x20 Leupold. I’ve got an X in 357 I use with a can. I’m probably going to stick a small red dot on it. I’m thinking about a Skinner for the All Weather. |
"He had the right hand of the devil strapped tightly to his side."-The Last Cowboy
This guy showed a ton of .44 numbers, both velocity and weight retention, primarily in a 16" Winchester but also shoots revolvers to an SBR (Canadian) to full length rifles. The first half is testing, the second a bear hunt. Bear Hunt! 44 mag - Rifle - Ballistics |
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Nice. I am doing similar soft loads with Acme bullets in my new 92 .44-40. My twist is 1:36 though. I first took 0.430 Acme 200 RNFP and sized them to 0.429” and had ok accuracy and one nice group around 1200 fps. I tried their factory sized 0.428 bullets and am getting 2.3-3.5” groups at fifty yards. Nothing to excite me. My next step is back with fatter bullets after I get a .44 mag expander to replace the one in my .44-40 expander die. I could carefully squeeze a 0.429 diameter bullet in the prepped case but 0.430 would not have made it without crumpling the case. Hopefully tomorrow that expander stem shows up in the mail. I really didn’t want the magnum or to magnamize the .44-40. I just want accuracy. Also not a fan of buckhorns. I am thinking about calling winchester to buy the ladder sight offered on the big loops. Old man eyes and that tiny notch in the buckhorn……suck together! The .44-40 is set up well to shoot softly, thin case necks for a good chamber seal at lower pressures that you may not get with .44 special/mag. Oh and besides the .44-40 dates back to the intro of the ‘92. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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