Chronograph testing with .44 Magnum Speer 200gr Gold Dot

[Squatch]

Yep the plated bullets in the same weight and charge seem to fly a bit slower than lead or coated for me as well.

I've been pretty happy with both the lead and coated bullets from Missouri Bullet Company. I've bought in bulk so that keeps the cost down. Nothing custom sized just the off the shelf 18 BHN. No leading issues either.

If you get the chance try some Trail Boss powder. Very clean and consistent though it is a little pricey.

Having a chrono sure is nice isn't it? Nice to know what's really coming out of your barrel.

[DAVIDF]

Yeah, the chrono has been fun. I talked to the owner of Missouri a year and a half ago or so. He was planning on having some dies built so he could size to .432. He suggested that I call him back in about a month. When I called him back he told me that had all fallen apart or changed and he wasn't going to be able to size any at .432. I may still give them a try. I have heard nothing but good stuff about Trail Boss, except the price as you mention.

[DAVIDF]

Yep the plated bullets in the same weight and charge seem to fly a bit slower than lead or coated for me as well.

I've been pretty happy with both the lead and coated bullets from Missouri Bullet Company. I've bought in bulk so that keeps the cost down. Nothing custom sized just the off the shelf 18 BHN. No leading issues either.

If you get the chance try some Trail Boss powder. Very clean and consistent though it is a little pricey.

Having a chrono sure is nice isn't it? Nice to know what's really coming out of your barrel.

Well, I just called Missouri Bullets Company and was very pleasantly surprised. I spoke to an extremely pleasant lady who informed me that they are now sizing some of their 44 bullets at .432 diameter. They are special order of course, but they had some leftovers of a few different 44 bullets from previous special order runs. They had 4 boxes of 500 of their 240gr RNFP 18 Brinnel Hi-Tek coated sized at .432 on the shelf. I ordered 3 of those boxes since that is the most that would fit in the flat rate box. http://missouribullet.com/details.php?p ... &keywords=

These will be great to try. They are shipping today and I'll post my results as soon as I test them.

[Squatch]

Great stuff. I need to slug the barrels of my 44's and 45/70. but so far the off the shelf MBC have worked fine. If the hardness is right for your load they should seal OK as long as they are close. i've had no leading problems with the MBC bullets coated or plain lead. All are 18 bhn and I've loaded them as low as 750 fps. As high as 1,400 fps.

They also have a nice cannalure. Makes for a nice crimp with my RCBS dies.
After reading about RCBS cowboy dies for lead bullets I called them. The only difference in the dies other than looks is the cowboy sets have a larger .430 vs .429 expanding die. They sent me the larger lead expanding plug for both my 44 mag set and my 45/70 for free. That's the only one I've used so far. The lead and coated bullets fit nice in the case with no scraping of the bullet.

I'll probably buy a 44 special die set this winter. I have a boatload of used 44 spl brass. That way I can leave that die set adjusted and don't have to always be adjusting my Mag die set.

[DAVIDF]

Nice, I don't plan on going as low as 750. Probably between 900 and 975 out of my short barreled Bisley and I am guessing 1100 to 1200 out of the Henry. I'll try some with a charge of around 7.1gr of Red Dot using a Lee powder scoop. I am using the powder scoop until I get a good scale since my current scale is so bad. Those should be around 950 or a bit higher out of the Bisley.

[Squatch]

I have a digital scale I use to double check stuff. It's handy but tends to wander after it's been on a while.

I actually really like my RCBS beams scale that came with my reloading kit. Very accurate. I find the trick is to set it near eye level so you aren't fighting angle to see the pointer. The RCBS powder trickler with base sets over the pan nicely. I drop most charges just a tad light and finish them off with the trickler and scale. One at a time is fine for me. I'm in no hurry. I find the slow concentration of reloading to be luxurious therapy. It has helped immensely getting back the focus that working a frantic high tech job tried to ruin. It's the exact opposite of multi tasking and should be!

[JEBar]

I used to obsess with powder charges but have come to realize that at the distances I shoot, a powder charge that is off by a piece of a grain of powder makes no difference .... don't get me wrong, being exact is good but in my world, it is no longer critical

[DAVIDF]

The problem is my scale is off by .3gr either direction. The used tuned scale I have on order will be sensitive to one kernel of powder. It will also be significantly easier to use than my current scale that is not magnetically dampened very well.

I like to do exactly what you do Squatch, drop a slightly light powder charge and use a powder trickler. Slow reloading is enjoyable, not a chore! I work from home a lot of days and I can take a break and do a little at a time.

[DAVIDF]

I chronographed an additional 200 gr. .44 Gold Dot load yesterday from my 3 3/4" barreled Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley and my 20" barreled Henry Big Boy Classic. This Gold Dot is meant for .44 Special and lite .44 Magnum loads. It performs really well at above 1000fps and velocity should be limited to 1100fps. Speer claims it expands at 800fps but some tests have found that it does not. Above 850 or so, it should expand reliably.

I used Starline brass, WLP primers, and 7.2gr of Red Dot. The scale I used is a Lee that is not reliable. It can be off by about .3gr. OAL was 1.61" with a light crimp. Measurements were take from 15' and temperature was in the low 60's.

Bisley

1 - 943
2 - 971
3 - 978
4 - 969
5 - 960

H - 978
L - 943
AV - 964
ES - 35
SD - 13

Henry

1 - 1035
2 - 1039
3 - 1048
4 - 1059
5 - 1039

H - 1059
L - 1035
AV - 1044
ES - 24
SD - 9

I have not tested this load for accuracy from longer distances. At 15 yards it seems to be accurate out of both the rifle and revolver. Velocity of this load is perfect out of the rifle. At those velocities, it performs as well as any of the duty caliber pistol loads and perhaps as well as any 10mm loads. From the revolver, it is still has enough velocity to expand well.

This could be an excellent defensive load for someone who wants both a quiet and lite recoiling load for use out of a revolver and a rifle. It is very quiet from the rifle since it is still subsonic.