I have a Cimarron P 44 special with a 4 3/4"bbl. I`m just trying to find some load data for it to take out some of the guess work. I`d like to use it for a packin` pistol when i`m in the woods. Nothing super heavy just a good comfortable load that`ll be more accurate than something with sub sonic speed.

Burch :D

I have a few .44 specials and I haven't been able to find anything better than the stuff in the reloading manuals. You don't mention the bullet you intend to use so that limits our suggestions. I'm partial to 250g. Keith bullet with 6.6 grains of Unique for about 850 fps. This concoction is found in most reloading manuals and is a moderate load. Speer lists 6.4 grains as starting load and 6.9 grains as max. with this bullet. Remington case, CCI standard large pistol primer. Test gun is Cimarron 5.5 barrel. Get a reloading manual if you don't have one. They are worth every nickle.

Yup. I load mine with 215 to 240 cast bullets and to muzzle velocities of 700 to 925 fps. No higher, because recoil gets fierce in my 20-ounce Charter Arms Bulldog!

Something in the neighborhood of 5.0 to 5.5 of Bullseye, W231, RedDot or 700X will work nicely, up to about 7.0 of Unique or Universal.

My favorite load out of my Taurus Tracker with a 3 inch barrel (4 inch with porting) is 44 Sp 245 gr swc, 7.0 gr Unique, 850 fps using the Lee Tumble lube 44 bullet. Medium recoil but hard hitting.

Birch I'd sure suggest you pick up a few reloading manuals. I like the Lee along with the Lyman manuals. They will give you a wide range of loading data and keep you in a safe load range for most any handgun or rifle you want to load for. Here's a couple of places you can also get online load data.

http://www.gun-shots.net/reloading-data.shtml

Bob is right, get a reloading manual from one of the major companies. It will keep you out of trouble. Hodgdon, IMR and WW loading info can be accessed on the internet without having to buy the book. www.hodgdon.com

Double-triple ditto on the manual. I'd start with a Lyman, they sell reloading tools NOT powder or bulets.

Now to your question. 5 grains of Bullseye and a hard cast 429421. (the Elmer bullet that was mentioned above) Are hard combination to beat in the 44 Special. Or as a light load in the 44 mag.

RJ

Nothing super heavy just a good comfortable load that`ll be more accurate than something with sub sonic speed.

If there's an argument for the .44Spcl, it's the ability to maintain good accuracy and lethality at subsonic speeds. In fact, supersonic speeds with a .44Spcl, in a gun designed for that cartridge and pressure, are not all that easy to come by, if not impossible, to get to safely.

I get the most consistant pressures from Unique and W231, with Herco showing a bit more speed for a given pressure level.

I have a Cimarron P 44 special with a 4 3/4"bbl. . .
Have an EMF Hartford in the same caliber and barrel length. I like the 240 gr. LSWC and 5.3 gr. W231 as an all-around general purpose load. Accurate with mild recoil.

If you have green dot or Universal on hand, I have used these with success in the 44 Sp. They were fired from my 5.5 inch SBH. If these powders are handy for you I may be able to dig up my loads. I stopped using the 44 special brass and loads but they were very pleasant and accurate. A hot 44 sp load is plenty for deer with the pistol. I think it is OK to use special loads in Mag brass but I have not done so. Oh! in the 44 mag pistol, of coarse

If you have green dot or Universal on hand, I have used these with success in the 44 Sp. They were fired from my 5.5 inch SBH. If these powders are handy for you I may be able to dig up my loads. I stopped using the 44 special brass and loads but they were very pleasant and accurate. A hot 44 sp load is plenty for deer with the pistol. I think it is OK to use special loads in Mag brass but I have not done so. Oh! in the 44 mag pistol, of coarse

I have H-Universal and Unique

Where are you guys buying the 240 SWC`s from. I don`t cast my own ( yet )

Burch

The Keith 250 gr was designed for the 44 spl. BTB has them. Unique is what I use with it. Check the articles by John Taffin for more 44 spl data. I think you have about the ideal trail gun.

Burch, I use Speer swaged 240 SWCs in mine. They are dead soft, but that's just about perfect for the 700-800 fps that my 44 Special loads churn up. They are also among the least expensive bullets you can buy - even today.

Hi Burch!

Good Luck with your Cimarron! I use a S & W model 624 with 6" barrel. I'm currently stuck with using commercial hard cast 240 grain SWC's backed up by 6.5 grains of Unique.
I initially tried the "Skeeter Skelton" classic loading with 7.5 grains Unique, but it was just dadgum uncomfortable, even with Pachmayrs on the gun!
Plus, leading was simply horrendous: I had worse leading in the 624 than I have in any of my .45 LC's using dead soft factory ammo, and that stuff was BAD!
I reduced the loads to 6.5 grains Unique, and I'm OK for the time being. Leading is still bad, but the accuracy and recoil are fine.
I wound up collecting on Lazer Cast's "guaranteed not to lead" warranty. Then I tried the Silver State Bullet Co's 240 gr SWC, and the leading was still bad.
The temporary solution is to fire as much of the stuff as I want, then to run two cylinders of the Berry Mfg. plated bullets through the bore, and let them do my scrubbing for me.
That just about cleans the bore.
The ultimate solution will be to cast a bullet with the proper alloy and lube.
I've had great success with an alloy of 1/2 scrap lead to 1/2 wheel weights and 2% Tin added for proper fillout. I use SPG.
An eight grain (Unique) loading in .45 LC leaves minimum leading (255 gr SWC), and a 4.3 grain loading in .455 Webley (265 gr RNHB) leaves ZERO leading.
The Lyman four cavity 429421 mould is sitting here but !&%!$#!@! Midway was out of the four cavity handles, so I'm reduced to piddling with other projects while I should be developing the proper .44 alloy...
Once I git'rdone, I can't wait to melt the 700+ commercial bullets and turn that crap into something useful.
Happy Shootin'! -Tom

I have a Cimarron P 44 special with a 4 3/4"bbl. I`m just trying to find some load data for it to take out some of the guess work. I`d like to use it for a packin` pistol when i`m in the woods. Nothing super heavy just a good comfortable load that`ll be more accurate than something with sub sonic speed.

Burch :D

Hi Folks,

A quick update... My Lyman four cavity handles finally came in. I loaded 105 of the 429421's with 6.5 grains Unique, both WLP and CCI Large Pistol primers, and with SPG lubricant, and I was bouncing chunks of wood around at 100 yards just about to point of aim!
Excellent shooting round, with the only trace of leading being a small amount near where the bullet first engages the rifleing.
This loading goes off the chart as far as fun is concerned!

Happy Shootin'! -Tom


Hi Burch!

Good Luck with your Cimarron! I use a S & W model 624 with 6" barrel. I'm currently stuck with using commercial hard cast 240 grain SWC's backed up by 6.5 grains of Unique.
I initially tried the "Skeeter Skelton" classic loading with 7.5 grains Unique, but it was just dadgum uncomfortable, even with Pachmayrs on the gun!
Plus, leading was simply horrendous: I had worse leading in the 624 than I have in any of my .45 LC's using dead soft factory ammo, and that stuff was BAD!
I reduced the loads to 6.5 grains Unique, and I'm OK for the time being. Leading is still bad, but the accuracy and recoil are fine.
I wound up collecting on Lazer Cast's "guaranteed not to lead" warranty. Then I tried the Silver State Bullet Co's 240 gr SWC, and the leading was still bad.
The temporary solution is to fire as much of the stuff as I want, then to run two cylinders of the Berry Mfg. plated bullets through the bore, and let them do my scrubbing for me.
That just about cleans the bore.
The ultimate solution will be to cast a bullet with the proper alloy and lube.
I've had great success with an alloy of 1/2 scrap lead to 1/2 wheel weights and 2% Tin added for proper fillout. I use SPG.
An eight grain (Unique) loading in .45 LC leaves minimum leading (255 gr SWC), and a 4.3 grain loading in .455 Webley (265 gr RNHB) leaves ZERO leading.
The Lyman four cavity 429421 mould is sitting here but !&%!$#!@! Midway was out of the four cavity handles, so I'm reduced to piddling with other projects while I should be developing the proper .44 alloy...
Once I git'rdone, I can't wait to melt the 700+ commercial bullets and turn that crap into something useful.
Happy Shootin'! -Tom