S&W 44 Special

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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
On the flip side of Skeeter loads come the target loads. Most any 429 bullet will work. Most recently I used a Lyman 429383. That's a 240 gr. RN. That old target bullet works very well with modest loads of Unique or Accurate #5. I don't see that bullet in the current Lyman catalog. That bullet is a favorite in my 624.
 
KeithB

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
I have a six cavity Lee 240ish gr RN in .44 caliber that works pretty well in the Special. The rounds just drop into a cylinder and they look so “traditional”. Also makes up a pretty close factory duplication load for older fixed sight guns.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have had two Bull dogs. Second one was nicer then first. I traded it the day I got to shoot a Smith 696. I still regret the fool thing the day I let that one slip from my hands..

I have been watchin for a GP-100 5" Probably should have jumped on a Jeff Quinn commemorative.

CW
 
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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
My ancient Model 29 Shoots as well as a 44 Special as any handgun I own. If I were looking for another 44 Special the 29's would not be off the list. It would be a 29 unless it had a lock and two piece barrel! Those guns are off the list in any caliber. I have and old Lee mold for a 44 caliber WC bullet. I may roll that to see how that works out.

Added: Went right to the Lee mold #429-208-WC. That mold appeared to be unused. No excuse not to run some of these bullets.
 
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Walks

Well-Known Member
For the Lee #429-208-WC, may I suggest in the .44Spl case;
5.0grs of either Titegroup or Bullseye*
6.5grs of Unique

I have both a 2cav & 6cav, a really great bullet, with COWW mine drops from the 2cav right at .430 - 213grs
The 6cav will drop at .431 - 214grs with same.

* most accurate in Colt SAA
 
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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
Thanks for the suggestions Your loads look very appropriate. BE would be high on the list if there were any to be had around here. I've been having to substitute BE using Accurate #2. That powder works very well for 38 Special and 45 ACP if there's no BE. Accurate #5 and SW Ultimate Pistol have been used to make up loads when there is no Unique. I use 44 Special brass for Specials and Magnums. In my Magnum guns the shorter cases works great. I rarely shoot the guns as Magnums. Guns are Ruger's and Smith&Wesson's.

I'll use the Star sizer. The custom die for 44's is .4305. Usually, if the Star is not suitable, there is a slew of .429+dies for the 4500's. My alloy will be from range scrap at about 15BH.

Another project that got stopped by the famine was using a hollow point custom modified mold. That HP mold is a modified Lyman 429244 255 grs. SWC. with gas check seat removed. Plans are to send those bullets downrange at 1000fps. I'll PC those since these bullets will be made from unalloyed lead.

Folks, thanks again for the help and suggestions.
 
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FrankCVA42

Active Member
When I was at a local gun show I found a S&W 624 with the 6.5" barrel. Well I bought it and was my downfall. Very accurate and recoil was like shooting a 38 special. Found a 24-3 with the 3" barrel and combat grips. next was a 24-3 with the 4" barrel. My Ruger Redhawk in 44 magnum sits in the safe waiting to be shot again. Having fun with the 44 specials. You'd think finding a holster for the 624 with that long barrel would be hard. Member on the S&W forum had one. An original S&W holster for the 624 with that long barrel. Bought that one. Now wanting to start casting bullets for the 44 special. Anyone have suggestions for one of the Accurate molds 44 cal bullets?. Thanks Frank
 
Matt

Matt

Active Member
My second and most likely my last .44 Special is a Hanilton Bowen conversion of a 5” 38/44 Heavy Duty to .44 Special. It is a marvelous revolver that I only load my old Ideal 429421 with the Kieth preferred square grease groove. Depending on the the velocity I’m looking for or my current whim I’ll use Bullseye, Unique, or 2400. It used to be only Hercules era powder until I ran out of Hercules 2400. I do keep everything under 1000 fps despite some hotter data in some older loading manuals.
 
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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
My 624: This is not the question you asked. Most of my shooting has been with the 429421. I also ,for old time sake, loaded and shot Lyman 429383. That an old time RN target bullet. That bullet mold appears to have discontinued. I have not fiddled with the gas check 44 bullets in the Special.

I also have a vintage Bianchi #10 holster that is for N frame revolvers. Works great.


Mainly, I'd like to suggest shooting some 44 Special loads in your SBH. You may be surprised at the accuracy. Also I'd like to suggest looking at Accurate #5. Special rounds work very well in my 44 Magnums.

I found that everything looks different after actively shooting a good 44 Special revolver. Mine was the best $185.00 dollar revolver I ever got. That was twenty years ago.
 
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CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
At some point, ill likely land another S&W Model 29 in 44 Magnum. My view of the M29 series is that they are to the 44 Magnum caliber what the K-frame 357s are in that smaller caliber--mostly a +P Special shooter. A 4" 29 would be right useful, but with the 2-year-old Model 625 on hand in 45 ACP/AR plus the 44 Redhawk and Bishawk......."need" has nothing to do with it. I just like the things, though full-snort 44s are kinda dumb in an N-frame with those hefty Rugers on deck. But my safe is just "Al's Home For Unwed Smith 44s", and 29s are like red-haired women and high fastballs during my youth--I couldn't resist one anywhere near my strike zone, and couldn't do %^$# with them once I stepped into the batter's box.
 
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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
I have an ancient 4" Model 29 no dash that's not a collectible. The only rounds that goes through that gun are Skeeter level 44 Special's. Rest assured that is an unbeatable combination. Those big N frames shot as a 44 Special are, to me, what handgun shooting is all about. I got my 624 cheap since it was originally bought mistakenly for a Model 629. It bounced around town until I bought it.
 
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Thumbcocker

Active Member
Don't know about accurate but any real Keith boolit (H&G 503 clone) is hard to beat in the .44 Special. I have settled on 8 grains of Power Pistol in that cartridge with the Keith boolit.

I tried a 190 grain bnwc and it did not shoot any better than the Keith. Red dot or promo are good for plinking loads but I don't load them much.
 
Winelover

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
What I'm currently casting with for lightweight 44 bullet, from Accurate Molds. My mold is a mixed cavity with PB (E) and GC (EG)

Bullet Design Details | Accurate Molds

accuratemolds.com accuratemolds.com

Bullet Design Details | Accurate Molds

accuratemolds.com accuratemolds.com

I chose the gas checked cavities of the RNFP style because I also have a Marlin 1894 carbine.

For a heavier nominal weight cast bullet I'm using a brass MP 44-250 RNFP (GC) with pins for HP, Cup and Solids.

My SWC mold is the RCBS 240 GC bullet. However, it drops smaller diameter bullets than I prefer. My three 44's (Bulldog, RH and Marlin)all like bullets that are sized to .433 diameter.
 
Missionary

Missionary

Well-Known Member
We have several 44 Specials. Also have several New Service revolvers which I rather like. But not one was a 44 Special. Mostly 45 Colt which I prefer anyway.
 
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