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Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:28 pm
by SqHunter
Can you reccommend a milder factory load for the 44mag? My wife and I are signed up for the TN state cowboy silhouette matches, but will have to use her 44 deer rifle for the pistol cartridge match. Don't want to use full bore 240s if we can help it but have not seen anything else offered locally. Thanks!
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:31 pm
by Grizz61
Between 5 to 6 grains of Tight Group with either 180 or 200 grain bullets should work well. You could probably even use the 240s.
I use the 6 grains with a 200 in 44-40 for 1025 fps muzzle velocity.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:07 pm
by SqHunter
Grizz61 wrote:Between 5 to 6 grains of Tight Group with either 180 or 200 grain bullets should work well. You could probably even use the 240s.
I use the 6 grains with a 200 in 44-40 for 1025 fps muzzle velocity.
Thank you, I wish I could try that but I don't reload. Are there any factory loads that have similar performance?
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 4:56 am
by Tlee
SqHunter wrote:Grizz61 wrote:Between 5 to 6 grains of Tight Group with either 180 or 200 grain bullets should work well. You could probably even use the 240s.
I use the 6 grains with a 200 in 44-40 for 1025 fps muzzle velocity.
Thank you, I wish I could try that but I don't reload. Are there any factory loads that have similar performance?
HSM makes a 200gr 44mag ammo intended for Cowboy Action (SASS) shooting rated for 970fps in a pistol, that'll probably run 1100ish in a rifle. I've seen it available at Cabelas and SportmansGuide.com. Might also see if anyone in your area can recommend a local selling SASS loads... Often local guys will load similar round for their club members.
Might also be a good time to take up reloading... For the cost of 4-5 boxes of ammo you could "roll your own" pretty cost effectively.
- Tim
PS - UltraMaxx is another well known Cowboy Action ammo, but I've only seen 44mag available with a 230gr Boolit. There may be others with a 200gr, but HSM is the only one I know of with it.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 5:09 am
by 44 mag
I looked at the program and it looks to me that they are just shooting small bore cowboy at that match. Am I wrong? Just wondering.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:21 pm
by SqHunter
Tlee wrote:SqHunter wrote:Grizz61 wrote:Between 5 to 6 grains of Tight Group with either 180 or 200 grain bullets should work well. You could probably even use the 240s.
I use the 6 grains with a 200 in 44-40 for 1025 fps muzzle velocity.
Thank you, I wish I could try that but I don't reload. Are there any factory loads that have similar performance?
HSM makes a 200gr 44mag ammo intended for Cowboy Action (SASS) shooting rated for 970fps in a pistol, that'll probably run 1100ish in a rifle. I've seen it available at Cabelas and SportmansGuide.com. Might also see if anyone in your area can recommend a local selling SASS loads... Often local guys will load similar round for their club members.
Might also be a good time to take up reloading... For the cost of 4-5 boxes of ammo you could "roll your own" pretty cost effectively.
- Tim
PS - UltraMaxx is another well known Cowboy Action ammo, but I've only seen 44mag available with a 230gr Boolit. There may be others with a 200gr, but HSM is the only one I know of with it.
Thank you, I will look those up.
I would like to take up reloading, but this will be only our second time shooting the CPC match and I am not sure how much we will like it. The first time we shot it with our .22s and rang a bunch or rams, so we thought we would try a bit bigger bullet for the state match. I'd like to get a .357 instead of wearing out our old .44, but have not found one yet. Working three months of overtime doesn't leave a lot of time for shopping around though
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:28 pm
by SqHunter
44 mag wrote:I looked at the program and it looks to me that they are just shooting small bore cowboy at that match. Am I wrong? Just wondering.
The first match of the day is the .22 Cowboy lever action match, and the second one is the Pistol Cartridge match. It is new this year, I think when we shot it in April it was the first time it had been shot there. The State Match in August is the first time that will be offered too.
I think Dale has a listing to the state match somewhere on here, if not you can look him up on the CRC website. They should have a couple of regular matches this summer prior to the state match but we won't be able to make it because of work.
They are a great group of folks, I highly recommend the trip if you can get down there. Very family oriented. Lots of kids, even wives and daughters who shoot. My wife gets tired of being the only girl in camp, so we really appreciate the family atmosphere at CRC. I'd retire to Chattanooga just to shoot with them if I could.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:30 pm
by SqHunter
SqHunter wrote:44 mag wrote:I looked at the program and it looks to me that they are just shooting small bore cowboy at that match. Am I wrong? Just wondering.
The first match of the day is the .22 Cowboy lever action match, and the second one is the Pistol Cartridge match. They will let you shoot the second match with a .22 as well but I don't recommend it, we rang a bunch of rams. The PC match is new for CRC this year, I think when we shot it in April it was the first time it had been shot there. The State Match in August is the first time that will be offered too.
Dale has a listing to the state match somewhere on this website, if not you can look him up on the CRC website. They should have a couple of regular matches this summer prior to the state match but we won't be able to make it because of work.
They are a great group of folks, I highly recommend the trip if you can get down there. Very family oriented. Lots of kids, even wives and daughters who shoot. My wife gets tired of being the only girl in camp so we really appreciate the family atmosphere at CRC. I'd retire to Chattanooga just to shoot with them if I could.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:31 pm
by SqHunter
SqHunter wrote:SqHunter wrote:44 mag wrote:I looked at the program and it looks to me that they are just shooting small bore cowboy at that match. Am I wrong? Just wondering.
The first match of the day is the .22 Cowboy lever action match, and the second one is the Pistol Cartridge match. They will let you shoot the second match with a .22 as well but I don't recommend it, we rang a bunch of rams. The PC match is new for CRC this year, I think when we shot it in April it was the first time it had been shot there. The State Match in August is the first time that will be offered too.
Dale has a listing to the state match somewhere on this website, if not you can look him up on the CRC website. They should have a couple of regular matches this summer prior to the state match but we won't be able to make it because of work.
They are a great group of folks, I highly recommend the trip if you can get down there. Very family oriented. Lots of kids, even wives and daughters who shoot. My wife gets tired of being the only girl in camp so we really appreciate the family atmosphere at CRC. I'd retire to Chattanooga just to shoot with them if I could.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 1:37 pm
by SteveD
I don't know where you are located but in most cities, at least that I am familiar with, there are local reloaders that set up at gun shows. You might be able to talk one of them into making you some mild loads with a light (160 to 200 gr) bullet. If you are pushing them rather slowly you can use lead bullets.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 4:09 pm
by frankmako
the tennessee state match in august is smallbore only. there is three pistol cartridge matches this year and they all have been shot. the remaining cla matches in chattanooga will be smallbore unless the match director add some more pistol cartridge match later this year. if you reload send me a pm for some cla pistol cartridge 44 mag loads.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:41 pm
by SqHunter
frankmako wrote:the tennessee state match in august is smallbore only. there is three pistol cartridge matches this year and they all have been shot. the remaining cla matches in chattanooga will be smallbore unless the match director add some more pistol cartridge match later this year. if you reload send me a pm for some cla pistol cartridge 44 mag loads.
Really? That is unfortunate, I was using the state match as an excuse to shop for a 357:)
I don't reload yet, but thanks for the offer.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:43 pm
by hugh
Or you could shoot some 44 Special loads in it.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 6:36 am
by frankmako
in the chattanooga area you can get several cla pistol cartridge matches during the year. around 12 cla pistol cartridge matches this year. (about the same with smallbore) brock's gap training center in hoover ala has them every other month. they have two more left for the year. they do smallbore the other months. they shoot it during the ala state match. chatuge rifle club in north georgia has four more pistol matches this year (five total). chattanooga had three this year. the match director is thinking about adding the pistol cartridge to next years tn state match and during all smallbore matches. so now is the time to start looking for a rifle to use and start making your loads.
Re: Mild factory 44mag loads?
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 1:47 pm
by SqHunter
You sir are an enabler!
I never knew how rare .357 Marlin's were, nor how expensive. Ouch!