A few weeks ago I picked-up a lightly used Burnt Bronze DE in .44 Mag w/.50 AE barrel.  Never shooting or owning a DE, I figured I would shoot this a few times just to "try & buy" and let it go.  Yesterday I shot it for the first time.  It was one of the funnest guns I've ever shot, and will probably keep it for awhile.  And I was surprised by the lack of recoil compared to what I was expecting.

I've been reloading for it with AA#9.  I tried 21 grs. for .44 mag with a 240 gr. jacketed bullet.  And 21 grs. for .50 DE with a 300 gr. bullet.  The .44 mag worked fine, but I don't think the 21 grs. where enough for the .50AE to cycle consistently.  I was going to bump it up to 21.8 grs. for both (which is a max load for a .44 mag in some manuals, although my older manual lists 22 grs. And the starting load for .50 AE).

I know I can just adjust my powder thrower for each caliber, but does anyone use the same powder load for both .44 & .50?  Maybe move to a heavier bullet in .50 and try 21 grs. again?

This is just a range toy, so I'm not trying to put together an SD, hunting, or accurate target load.



I put this case together.

Sweet, I have an older Israeli built DE in 50AE and titanium carbon finish. My 44mag and 50AE charges are very different,  I don't have my data available to me right now

Thanks for the info.  I do have some 200 gr. FMJ .44 bullets I could try out.

I posted this in another thread



A heavier bullet with the 50 and lighter in the 44 may help with what your trying to do.

I've only been using a Lee powder dipper and the 5-0-5 scale for my DE loads.

I did make some 44's with Accurate #9 but they were all at the lower end. Have done some top end 44's recently but those were with IMR4227. I just haven't made enough of the same load to bother with dumping the powder measure and set it up for volume loading yet, something is always different. That's what I enjoy with the desert eagle, it makes reloading feel less like work.

The very most accurate load I have for my 44 DE is a 303 grain (as weighed) blem JHP (certainly a Hornady) over 17 grains of AA#9.  It's a pussycat, accurate as hell, and when zeroed at 25 yards is also zeroed at 100 due to the arc of the trajectory.  It is probably ~2" high at 50 yards, so, you are dialed in for minute of torso from the muzzle to the 100 yard line.  This would make a fine hunting round.

This load had an extreme spread of SEVEN FPS (!) for ten rounds over an Oehler 35P.  I've loaded for all manner of calibers and NEVER had ANYTHING with this small a velocity spread.  CCI 350 primer.  Random lot pickup brass of RP headstamp.

I can shoot this load offhand in the DE all day long, and I don't have large hands.  

25 rounds of that load in my long barrelled S&W 629 would be enough fun for the week.