TODAY'S GUN TIME

[sandman2234]

Misinterpreted you post. The line of reasoning escapes me though as I'd be looking for the ones "going away", because that's were the value will be at if you can get something at a "decent price".

They might be considering what will be left for us when the idiots ban all the assault weapons, semi autos, and other scary guns. Once they see what a shotgun will do to a person at close range, those will be gone too! A lever and a revolver might have a chance at surviving but if the left gets the power to get the rest of them banned, why would they let those two remain?
On Sunday mornings while I drink my first cup of coffee, pet the dog and surf thru the net, I can hear gunshots from the nearby (3 miles as crow flies)shooting range. Gives me a good feeling knowing we still have the right to do that!
David from jax

 

[paulsharvey]

Anyone on here use GRT Gordon's Reloafing Tool. I downloaded it, and played with it some, but have always used published data from other sources. Anyone trust it enough to use their data without some back up published info?

 

[IrishLoader]

My "witchcraft" does not extend to powder and such! I try very hard to rely on the knowledge gained by others from their mistakes! The issue is simple, I wanted and acquired a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in 357-44 Bain and Davis. This chamber was originally chambered in a S&W revolver, but made a comeback for a while in the Thompson Contenders. It is slowly fading away, being replaced by other newer loads. I have a Contender barrel in this and loved it, and thought I would like a Revolver (and a lever rifle) in this load. (A screaming .357 bullet is a thing of beauty to me it seems). I located an extra cylinder and adapted it to fit my revolver for exact fit, but then found a complete gun being sold in an estate sale. Took a good chunk of change to get it, but alas saved me a bunch of experimentation. I had a local (and very knowledgeable reloader) reload some 44mag cases using my dies, and he used brand x primers since the CCI 350 magnum were unavailable. They were loaded to 1950 fps with 158 XTP bullets and 2400 powder. I got some flattened primers which concerned me, especially since these were not max loads. I wanted to give an exact try to the load information available, and every load for this lists CCI 350 Magnum LP primers. There is little doubt that magnum primers can't be substituted, but I am chasing an issue and want to toe the line as close as possible. The one major thing I can't control is the fact that most of the listed loads are found in Contender load information, which is why I refuse to stretch the limits up to the max load. I currently use 3 different suppliers for the ammo for this caliber and have slight issues with each of them (although different issues). Splitting cases is another issue, as who made the brass and the number of times it is reused also matters! This caliber does not lend well to being able to reuse brass many times.
My experimentation is simply to nail down a safe load without issues, even if it turns out that the revolver needs one load and the Contender needs another. Time to dedicate to this issue is very limited, so I may be chasing this problem for years to come.
David from jax
David from jax

David,

My apologies for not getting in print what has been ruminating in my head most of the day. Had some chores and weather is getting ready to move in so I wanted everything in place ifin' the creek rises.

To start you got a real hot shot there and from what I understand was a real head turner for a bit around the time I was hatched. You didn't specify if it was the Revolver or the Contender that you were getting your results with but I can try to offer a couple of solutions. One off the top of my head is going to standard LPP's, Alliant's web site has 2400 loads in .44 using standard CCI 300's and I would start there. I know you are using a necked down case and smaller diameter/ lighter projectile so the use of a magnum primer is overkill IMHO. Another aspect not mentioned is barrel use or how much have you used it. Pressure issues can show up in newer barrels because of tool marks from manufacture. Through use these marks are worn away creating free bore and pressures will drop. The opposite can happen with hot loads and the bore becomes crazed where tiny cracks form in the bore and "grip" the bullet excessively.

Second, root around for a copy of Modern Reloading 2nd ed. by Richard Lee. It has .357-44 B&D loads listed, all using LPP and none use 2400. Two powders that I use regularly are listed and like very much, H110 and H4227. You may not achieve the screaming velocities you mentioned but over 1600 fps in a handgun is respectable in any ones opinion.

As for brass, if you haven't already looked into Starline I highly recommend them, I don't know if you will get more use from pristine unused brass but you do get to determine it's lifespan unlike range pickup that you have no idea who has done what to it. I can't belive I almost forgot this but check your Case lengths, after reworking that brass and necking it down some trim work is/maybe needed. Long cases will cause pressure issues too.

Forming the 357/44 Bain & Davis
Buy new 44 Mag brass. Lightly lube neck area to be with a sizing lubricant (I used Redding Imperial Sizing Wax). Start with 357/44 B&D sizing die set up high, screw the die down while checking to see if the tapered shoulder and neck are formed (and fit your chamber!). Lock down sizing die and run other cases through. Check case length, trim if case is too long for ch

357/44 Bain & Davis (B&D)

ps-2.kev009.com

Hope some of this rambling helps!

 

[sandman2234]

David,

My apologies for not getting in print what has been ruminating in my head most of the day. Had some chores and weather is getting ready to move in so I wanted everything in place ifin' the creek rises.

To start you got a real hot shot there and from what I understand was a real head turner for a bit around the time I was hatched. You didn't specify if it was the Revolver or the Contender that you were getting your results with but I can try to offer a couple of solutions. One off the top of my head is going to standard LPP's, Alliant's web site has 2400 loads in .44 using standard CCI 300's and I would start there. I know you are using a necked down case and smaller diameter/ lighter projectile so the use of a magnum primer is overkill IMHO. Another aspect not mentioned is barrel use or how much have you used it. Pressure issues can show up in newer barrels because of tool marks from manufacture. Through use these marks are worn away creating free bore and pressures will drop. The opposite can happen with hot loads and the bore becomes crazed where tiny cracks form in the bore and "grip" the bullet excessively.

Second, root around for a copy of Modern Reloading 2nd ed. by Richard Lee. It has .357-44 B&D loads listed, all using LPP and none use 2400. Two powders that I use regularly are listed and like very much, H110 and H4227. You may not achieve the screaming velocities you mentioned but over 1600 fps in a handgun is respectable in any ones opinion.

As for brass, if you haven't already looked into Starline I highly recommend them, I don't know if you will get more use from pristine unused brass but you do get to determine it's lifespan unlike range pickup that you have no idea who has done what to it. I can't belive I almost forgot this but check your Case lengths, after reworking that brass and necking it down some trim work is/maybe needed. Long cases will cause pressure issues too.

357/44 Bain & Davis (B&D)

ps-2.kev009.com

Hope some of this rambling helps!

Irishloader,
Yes some of this rambling helped!
The Contender barrel shoots whatever you put in it, as things don't move like in the revolver. The Contender was my "first" and I liked it so much, I bought the revolver after being disappointed numerous times with people unwilling to ream out a Blackhawk cylinder to B&D. I was even told completely wrong info by one "recommended" and well known gunsmith, or at least one of the employee's that answered the phone. (was told it was originally a Contender round that people tried to get to work with a revolver, and never would work) Dates for the 357-44 B&D pre-dates the first Contender by 6 or 7 years.
I had previously seen (and printed) the page you posted as a link, but this time rather than glancing over all the links at the bottom, I actually went in and opened them. I originally thought that they were links to give people credit that supplied information, but that was a mistake. Several of the links I had seen before thru other searches, but a couple were new to me, simply because I had failed to read what I had already had at my disposal. The Bobcat information is pretty much discounted by me simply because I already have the "2nd" version, which is about as good as it gets.
A lot of the loads do include primers listed as CCI 350 magnum, hence the reason for my original post concerning why I was willing to pay good hard earned money for these particular primers. Several different loads had been tried using "equal" or "substitute" primers, and for reasons such as hardness of primers, etc, I wanted to match everything as close as I could.
Thank you,
David from jax

 

[Buggs67]

If I was afraid they'd ban Irish Whiskey, I would NOT be stocking up on Guinness.

 

[dragoneggs]

Big victory for supporters of stricter gun laws: WA Legislature approves new ammunition limits

This marks perhaps the biggest win at the Legislature in recent years for gun-regulation advocates. Last decade, voters passed sweeping firearms restrictions.

www.seattletimes.com

A guy I know is really happy he stocked up on a few AR mags awhile back.

 

[Sigarms]

If I was afraid they'd ban Irish Whiskey, I would NOT be stocking up on Guinness.

Thank you that analogy

 

[Buggs67]

Big victory for supporters of stricter gun laws: WA Legislature approves new ammunition limits

This marks perhaps the biggest win at the Legislature in recent years for gun-regulation advocates. Last decade, voters passed sweeping firearms restrictions.

www.seattletimes.com

A guy I know is really happy he stocked up on a few AR mags awhile back.

The legislation does not prohibit possession of such magazines. Now how stupid is that. A person can possess one, use one ,just not "sale, importation, distribution and manufacture" magazine with capacity greater than 10.

 

[CalG]

At my age, reloading the magazines will be a welcome break WSHTF. ;-)

Can you imagine "protecting your stuff" With a rifle in one hand and a full ammo can in the other? I couldn't move 100 yards... ;-)

 

[5030]

Just had the delivery (UPS) of 2 8 pound jugs of H335. I wasn't out but I never plan on being out. Wasn't cheap but today, nothing is cheap except forum talk....