I found a carry load for my 44 Special Snubby
Vložit
- čas přidán 4. 09. 2024
- After testing some reloaded XTP bullets and some CCI Gold Dot Factory loads I think I have stumbled upon a perfect carry load. The 200 grain XTP's will work fine for a practice load for the 200 grain CCI Gold Dot ammo. I test it for velocity across a chronograph and accuracy at 12.5 yards
I have a Taurus 441 and use alliant unique powder with Lyman 429421 SWC bullets I cast myself. Velocity is 950 fps from a 3” barrel. Yeah you guessed it the (Skeeter Load)! I also use underwood extreme defender 44 special in that gun. Extreme defender chronographed 1263 fps average from that 3”. Paul Harrel tested extreme defender 44 special ammo and got similar speeds in his 3” revolver.
One thing is for sure. The older you get, you will prefer lighter loads. Not likely you will be attacked by a grizzly or a rhinoceros.
As I’m sitting in my living watching this video, I’m wearing a Taurus 445 Titanium loaded with Underwood’s 200 grain Gold Dots rated “Bulldog safe” at 950 FPS. As I recall, the aluminum case Blazer Gold Dots ran at 820 from this gun’s ported 2” barrel. I wouldn’t drop the velocity off too much looking for accuracy as XTP’s don’t open up much to begin with. You might want to try a couple of different powders to find the level of accuracy that you seek and provide safe pressure with productive velocity. I’ve had good luck with Alliant Power Pistol.
I am supprised that CCI was that slow. You can push a 240 gr bullet faster than that.
Those Bulldog.44’s are a handful !! I carry mine as a backup but , feel well protected when it goes to the primary position ! The short sight plain is the only handicap this powerhouse has. Thanks for the video.
My bull dog was leaving me with a numb hand after 10 rounds, so, I put some pachmayr's on it. Much improved! Hurts the conceal ability a little, but, I can live with that.
"Short sight plain is the only handicap". Short barrel guns are frequently more accurate than long barrels. A shorter barrel has smaller muzzle oscillation & barrel flexing.
My bulldog has been back to the factory twice, and has been THROWN to the back of the shelf in the safe.
My Taurus 431 on the other hand is my go to gun, on my woodswalk belt.
Always there, always fires hits where I aim!
Everything the bulldog can't do!
Joe doe sorry to hear of your issues, my Bulldog has been 100%. The 44 Special is a great cartridge, and I've grown to admire it. I just wish ammo was more available.
I too love my Taurus 431. I rely on Glaser Safety Slugs for self defense and Gold Dots in speedloader back ups. The fixed sights are right on the money. Great snake gun with shot loads too.
@@VirginianSpencer Any up dates on favorite loads, I bought like new 441 stainless for 200.00 in 93, as my budget dirty harry gun, and stored till now, retired & starting to shoot what I collected. Any safety limitations thanks.
Buffalo Bore "Anti-Personnel" 44 Special gets a 200gr bullet to 920 fps from a Charter Bulldog. The bullet is a full wadcutter with full 0.429" diameter meplat (Flat Point). At that velocity, the 0.429" full caliber flat point will rip a 1-inch+ diameter tunnel and punch thru 18+ inches of living tissue (Buffalo Bore says 24" of penetration). A 1+inch tunnel will pretty well anchor any human, regardless of how drugged, because blood pressure will effectively drop to zero on impact. Flat point bullets are extremely effective, as the large meplat always works the same in living tissue, regardless of clothing thickness passed thru. Hollow points are always "Iffy" in expansion, but flat points always have exactly the same impact effect.
Talk about over priced, Almost $45 for a box of 20, 20! Hell I can reload approx. 60 rounds of 200 grn GDHP in starline brass over 7.5 grn Unique and CCI 300 primers. Nah you can keep BB over priced ammo. I can change the bullet to just about anything and still come out way cheaper.
I've just been looking at both of those bullets (components, not loaded ammo) and am thinking about trying the 180 XTPs in my Tracker. I'll probably load them to approximately 1100 fps.
My carry load for the Bulldog I used to own was a 245 grain cast Keith bullet over enough AL8 to give it a bit over 800 fps. The recoil in the light Bulldog was energetic, to say the least.
My choice was the 200's or the 180's when I saw them on the shelf. Went with the 200's only because they are a more traditional weight for the 44's. The 180's would be a fun challenge, and could be pushed faster. May go there too some day. Energetic is a good descriptor for the recoil.
Best 3" 44spl load for me is 215gr Remington SJHP on top of 7grains of Alliant "BULLSEYE" at 945-970fps. Consistent 'pancake expansion' . Hotter loads spin light frames. 9mm Luger case(paper clip handle) filled to top as a 'powder scoop'.
I am just glad I have an N frame model 624 in 3 inch. Works pretty good with about any of those similar loads. Still working on the blackhawk 44 special loads tho. Have not gone beyond 6.7 grains of unique with a 240 gr. lead and a bullseye load.
I found 6.5 grins of unique to be fairly accurate in my bulldog.
Any more than that was uncomfortable to shoot.
I ended up loading 200 grain cast bullets instead of 240s.
Have a Taurus 431 now. More stainless steel in it. Bulldogs are good though. Have 180 Hornady jhps in it now.
Very good. I will be getting some CCI Gold Dots for mine. I like my Bulldog.
They are a great shooter in my revolver, hope you can find some. Thanks for watching oneeyedpatriot
My bulldog is usually my preferred carry piece. The bulldog with the CCI gold dots does not equate to a "fun" day at the range. I ran 15 rounds through the bulldog a few months back, and the "soft" part of my hand, under the thumb base, was bruised for several days
Watched it twice and never caught the powder charge of the Unique load.
That CCI Gold Dot load is too slow to reliably expand that 200-gr Gold Dot.
I'm loading a 200-gr Gold Dot over 8.0-gr of Universal, and though I've not chronoed it, it's moving on out pretty decent. I saw LoadsOfBacon getting 860 fps and great expansion with this bullet and 7.8 or 7.9 of Unique/Universal on their channel.
Though Buffalo Bore treats the Bulldog like a weak sister, it is NOT. Brian Pearce of Handloader magazine has it figured into his Tier II loads (up to 22,000 psi), though recommends not feeding it an exclusive diet of 22,000 loads to prevent premature loosening.
I'm about to load up some RCBS 255-gr. Keith bullets for my Bulldog....at modest charges/velocities. I'm aiming for a half a grain(or so)under the Skeeter Load.
Mine: 200 gr, hard cast lead wadcutter from Underwood Ammo at 1000 fps. Makes a mess of whatever it hits...underwoodammo.com/product/handgun-ammo/44-special-200-grain-hard-cast-wadcutter/
I just don't like snub nose revolvers. They are too light and cause too much recoil and muzzle rise. I have a Redhawk 4 inch in 44 mag, and they fire specials with the recoil of 38 or a 22. People complain about weight for carry, but I find it perfectly fine to carry this gun around, (though I am a bigger guy). Weight is a big factor in controlling recoil and muzzle rise, and this gun in the video is about 21 oz vs the 47 oz of my Redhawk.
***** this snubby is not fun to shoot, but it carries great. You just have to choose your poison. thanks for adding to the discussion.
Jon with no h shootology channel
I agree, I think the best carry weapon comes down to personal preference. Whatever you as an individual are comfortable with and most able to shoot well, should be your choice.
Constitutionalist Where do you carry a 47 Oz Redhawk? Most of our carry gun are carried much and shot little.....I carry a S&W 296 with winchester silvertips.....live in the south don't worry about loads of clothes or denim.....have yet to use it,and hopefully it will always stay that way......
Adrian Otero It is a good woods caliber. I personallt carry a 357 mag for street carry.
+JCJR my friend in a upscale section of a medium size US city uses a .38spl Ruger lcr revolver with a red lasermax. home defense. Hes kept corbon dpx +P in it for 5+ years.
Thanks for using rest---most of the video Idiots don't and as a result they usually almost miss the gel blocks.
Hi, good video. a round like this would really be in the 4/5 yrd range in a critical incident. id consider the hornady ftx/critical defense .44spl or maybe the corbon glaser silver slug. The MAGSAFE line from central FL is no longer sold to the general public.
DL Lambert
"a round like this would really be in the 4/5 yrd range in a critical incident."
Hmmm... i'm discombobulated on this comment.
When asked if you'd die if shot center-mass with a Glaser Safety Slug, Martin Fackler replied "Yes. About a week later. From peritonitis." ;)
Fun times! Can't wait to start reloading for myself!
Reloading certainly has it's own rewards and challenges.
awesome, good accuracy.
Thanks FringeSniper
On short barrel pistols I've been running Unique. I'll give the Gold Dot a try.
I'm gonna try Winchester 231 with the XTP's and will report what I find. Thanks for adding to the discussion.
Unique is the pistol powder used by Alliant. Gold Dot's are bullets made by Speer.
Good choice!👍👍
very nice group!
Thanks mountainman
Today was a nice day for plinking in NE Pa.
Drizzly and cool is better than snowy and frigid. Thanks for watching +De Eagle
Yesterday was about 60 and overcast,but no rain. Today 54 and drizzling,but like you said at least not frigid and snow.lol
Great vid..nice shooting.
Thanks Gun Enthusiast
I like Gold Dot in my LCR 38 and Glock 9 nice group.
Most of my shooting is with reloads, but I rely on factory ammo for CCW. I'm gonna try to find some more of this Gold Dot ammo. Thanks for watching Don.
my only concern is expansion with carry ammo. the cci gold dogs shot at a very low velocity. I would want to see lots of gel testing before making this my carry load.
Expansion would be iffy at snubby velocities. You would still have a pretty good size slug, (.429 ") . I imagine it would be close to a short barrel 45acp in results. Good point though.
Juts use Buffalo Bore antipersonnel round they are low flash and a .430 lead wad cutter so no expansion but it breaks bone etc..you can pull them with a hammer style puller and cut the wad cutter in half then reload. Matts bullets makes soft lead .430 hollow points 250 gr great for the 44 special and yes they deform at low velocities. If you have 38/357 Matts sells .359 .75 gr wad cuters you can stack two at a time makes a nasty self defense round. Many successful Law Enforcement used wad cutters for self defense. also check out underwoodammo.com/product-category/pistol-ammunition/
bullboo1 - can you run those in smith and Wesson revolvers?
I carry the Hornady 44 Loads great Reviews on this ammo for SD
Congrats - CCI Gold Dots way to go...good expanders also...until you find something better.
It's too bad the Gold Dots are so costly, They shoot quite well out of this revolver. Thanks for adding to the discussion.
Full power in my old 3" BullDog is painful.
200gr Gold Dot with 7.5gr Universal 850 fps
240 gr lead SWC 7g Universal 780 fps
240 gr lead SWC 4gr Universal very, very pleasant and super accurate.
Thanks for watching
Nice shooting, Jon!
Thanks MrDaveinAB
Thanks.
I wonder how they would be in my 629 4 inch for practice?
The factory CCI's gained about 40fps in my 629 6 inch, and the reloads added about 120fps over the snubby. I may do more experimenting with the same loads in both revolvers. Thanks for adding to the discussion .
Happy shooting bro!
Thanks for stopping by Jarhead6
sounds like a stout load when fired good job
Just about all loads seem stout, with such a light and short revolver. Thanks for watching , Jon.
Had a Bulldog in the mid 80s so I can feel your pain...lol
Why not the standard 15 yards? The last group was excellent from the bench. I always use factory ammo so some DA or prosecutor doesn't accuse me creating a "Killer' bullet.
Idiots!
so you're from central pennsylvania. my parents grew up from clarion county. i grew up from western pa.
Neat , I am a transplant here , but we like it and plan to stay.
This isn't really the best place to debate calibers appropriate for carry but I think it's important for someone to point out that while .44 special is an excellent caliber for walking in the woods, it's not ideal for anyone to carry for urban self defense when compared to other options. John, maybe you can address this in one of your videos.
Great idea. i may attempt a project like that.
goo deal Jon, nice grouping
Thanks *****
Nice.
Thanks Harley Austin
i was thinking of dumping my 380 bodyguard and maybe getting a bulldog or boomer. will that fit in a front jeans pocket ?
NO.
how come everyone's shooting bench is a trashed piece of shit?
They are treated quite poorly by other shooters.
Jon, I own a Bulldog as well but I load only factory rounds for carry. If I'm involved in a shooting for self defense and live, I know I will be arrested and sued. A defense lawyer for the perp or his family will tear me (or you) apart on the stand if you use hand loads. Just my 2 cents.
Amen, brother...do not carry handloads for SD...you will regret it.
You guys must live in liberal shitholes?
Presentation of your video was terrible, Absolutely no information