I'm looking for an OAL for 44 mag w/ a Speer 240 gr FMJ silly-wet bullet, but can find no data for it. Would also like to know what they show for a max charge of 2400. Thanks for your help!

From Speer #12 (15 years old), OAL for 240gr TMJ-Sil is 1.675. Max load for 2400 is 17.7gr, 1271fps. Uses a CCI magnum primer.

#13 shows 21 gr 2400 @ 1434fps

Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it!

Guess I should have mentioned WLR primers. Was thinking around 21 gr of 2400 max, but wanted to make sure.

quote:

From Speer #12 (15 years old), OAL for 240gr TMJ-Sil is 1.675. Max load for 2400 is 17.7gr, 1271fps. Uses a CCI magnum primer.

quote:

#13 shows 21 gr 2400 @ 1434fps

A newer manual showing a higher powder charge? Blasphamy!
We all know they`re lawyered up and powder burn rates, bullet geometry, etc, today are the same as 20 yr ago.......

edited to add:
The Speer #12, the last year that specific bullet is listed in a Speer manual shows a max of 17.7gr with a OAL of 1.675". Newer manuals don`t list this bullet and the charge has went up for their 240gr bullets and the OAL has shrunk. Higher charges and shorter lenghts?
I tend to think the FMJ was the reason for the lighter charges in the older books. I`d be sure to work up...

Funny how things change . From the Speer # 9 shows a 240 grain jacketed soft point at 19.0 and at 19.5

350 CCI mag primer at 1272 1344 FPS respectively bullet shape is the only difference between those

loads. Now moving along to Speer # 11 ; A 240 grain whatever bullet Soft Point ,Mag HP, Magnum Soft point

or TMJ with a 350 CCI Mag primer with Max load of 22.2 grains of 2400 slipping along at 1452 FPS .

Powders an Burn rates have changed some what over the years as nothing is set in stone .

Work up and watch for pressures or I'll be forced to post a nasty looking revolver whose owner failed

to load correctly . Thankfully NO one was injured nor was it my revolver .

Ah what the heck it's Christmas so enjoy the photos .

A mis loaded or overloaded S&W model 629 . OUCH !!!. Not so NIB any more Oh My .

Thanks for the input guys.

I had a person find my specific bullet (#4459) with a max charge of 21.0 gr of 2400 in the Speer #13 manual.

I normally load 21.0 gr 2400 behind 240 gr. Hornady XTP's and Rem JHP's and WLR primers with no pressure signs, and it's less than max according to most of my manuals. By the way, these will be shot in a Contender. I load 19.0-20.5 for the revolver, depending on target or hunting loads.

OUCH! That had to be one heck of an overload! Wrong powder or a double charge from the looks of it. I've seen split and cracked cylinders, but have never seen one with the top half gone.

Hey Doc, was that 629 clocked wrong, or did the cylinder rotate after detonation?

I can't say other than what was sent in an E mail to me .

Story goes a young fellow who was new to reloading had set the scale incorrectly.

It was Clays powder and to much of it . He along with his Dad an friends checked the scale and it was


set correctly according to the Son , Yet in reality it wasn't he was confused as to the correct scale

weight . Thus an Over charge is what did in that S&W 629 . If the story was correct then NO one was

injured and that's something to be thankful for !!!. Mighty Lucky individual !.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc224/375:
It was Clays powder and to much of it.

Enough said. With Clays, case capacity will allow a 4x to 5x overcharge without spilling. Got to be extra careful with that low of case density. Glad to hear no one was hurt.