BIRDS OF PREY - Jeffersonian

HANDLOADING
Continued from page 38
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Source Code: CE3
loaded to the same level as the .44 Russian;
they simply increased the black
powder charge from 23 to 26 grains.
With the Oregon Trail 240 SWC over
26 gr. of black powder, muzzle velocity
is from 750 fps to 810 fps, again
depending upon granulation used and
barrel length. This same bullet over 6.0
gr. of Unique is one of my standard
loads at around 800 fps, however my
most used .44 Special load is the 260
grain Keith bullet over 7.5 gr. of Unique
for around 950 fps.
.44 Magnum: By no stretch of the
imagination can the .44 Magnum be
considered a cowboy load in the same
way the others have, however today’s
cowboy, or at least someone who has
a pair of boots and a hat, is most likely
to choose a .44 Magnum sixgun over
any of the others. The .44 Magnum,
even though overshadowed by several
more powerful cartridges, still has more
power than most of us will ever need
in an everyday working sixgun. We are
fortunate to have a wide array of Perfect
Packin’ Pistols to choose from chambered
in .44 Magnum and you’re sure to
find one meeting your needs. All of these
are capable of shooting 240-260 grain
bullets at 1,300-1,400 fps, but honestly
how often do we need these loads? The
same 8.0 gr. of Unique I use in the .44-40
also works just fine in the short-barrel
.44 Magnums giving a muzzle velocity
right at 900 fps, and Hodgdon’s Universal
can be used in place of Unique or
go to 8.5 gr. of Alliant’s Power Pistol. If
a true Keith bullet is used, more powder
space is afforded so simply increase any
of the above charges about one-half grain
for the same results. These loads are very
pleasant shooting in any short-barrel .44
Magnum, and in a pinch, and at close
range, will certainly handle anything the
vast majority of us are ever going to run
into at least in the lower 48 states.
Power Factor? Right …
I understand the powers-that-be in
cowboy shooting have adopted a power
factor (bullet weight times muzzle
velocity divided by 1,000) of “60” as
mininum. To put this in perspective a
200 gr. .44-40 bullet would only have
to travel 300 fps to make “power.” The
cowboys of old (and even those living
today in the real world) would not be
caught shooting a big bore sixgun with a
powder-puff load like that —
it’s embarrassing.
*
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86 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010