44 special

[Brad]

Got a chance to try some of the NOE HG 503 clones today. Loaded them over 6.9 gr of Unique. Lube was a modified Felix and it smoked like hell. Very bad at an indoor range. Oh, the gun was the 6 1/2 inch 624 I bought from Rick. Rick said this was his "snubbie", spoken like a real silhouette shooter.


Two hand hold offhand, 50 feet. I forgot a screwdriver so I started with a 6 O'clock hold on the black. Those went high in the white so I held on the 7-8 ring low.,

No leading, reasonably clean after 50 rounds. Recoil isn't bad at all.

Need to cast more of these bullets and get them lubed. I can see a few trips to get the sights just right then it is just a matter of having fun.

 

[williamwaco]

I love the .44 Special.

 

[Ian]

Dadgummit, Brad, am I going to have to send you some SL-68 or are you going to make some yourself?

 

[Ben]

Brad,

I kinda like the 624 also.These revolvers have a way of following you home.
You don't see hundreds of these.....I really do like mine !

Ben

McGivern gold bead front sight.

 

[Brad]

Dadgummit, Brad, am I going to have to send you some SL-68 or are you going to make some yourself?

That is on the list for this week.

 

[Brad]

This isn't the best photo but it looks just like yours Ben.

Sights on mine are a little different. My rear sight has no white outlne and my front is a simple serrated ramp.

Do tell Ben, what loads are you using? I want to try a little Red Dot with my NOE version of the HG 503. That, and change to a less smokey lube.

 

[Ian]

That is on the list for this week.

You're going to like it. I suggest version 68.0, recipe I think is in JonB's thread here or I can pass it along.

Those Cocobolo (sp?) stocks just look right on those revolvers, and by far give me a better hold. I must admit to some permanent middle finger joint cartilage damage from a full-power load in a Model 29 which was wearing them, and understand why many people install the Hogues even though they raise the gun about 5/8" in the hand. Perhaps that's why I prefer plow-handled single-actions.

 

[Brad]

I do like the feel of the grip in my hand. With the loads I plan to shoot recoil will never become an issue, I have a nice SRH for the heavy stuff.

I plan to make some 68.0. Found the recipe in Jon's thread. I may not have the same MW of microwax but otherwise I have it down.

 

[Brad]

I cast up 15 pounds or so of these tonight. They drop at .433 and size nicely to .4315. These are air cooled range scrap, nice and soft like I want. After a few weeks they will be 12-14 BHn. With my alloy these dropped at 270 gr, a bit heavier than I expected.

 

[Ben]

Brad,

Yes Brad , your revolver is a mate to mine. Your idea of the Red Dot will greatly reduce sighting error. What loads do I shoot ?---------------I shoot an NEI 200 gr. .44 cal. cast bullet ( helps keep recoil down ) sized .4315" with 4.4 grs. of B'eye. Shoots real well out of my Smith. Mimics the old " 45 ACP target load " of yesteryear. The bullet has a nice thick rear base band.







Ben

 

[waco]

Very nice looking Smith Brad! I own two S&W revolvers. A 29-5 and a 14-3

I love them both and wish I could afford more.

 

[Dale53]

My father got me Elmer Keith's little blue book, "Sixgun Cartridges and Loads" when I was fourteen years old. I fell in love with the .44 Special but it was several years before I found one. It was a Model 24 with 6.5" barrel. It came from an estate and had finger marks in rust but mechanically perfect. It was priced very favorably. I sent it back to Smith to be refinished. I still have it.



When Skeeter Skelton talked Smith into re-introducing the .44 Special in the 624, I bought a 4" and a 6.5". They are amongst my most cherished revolvers.





Here's one of the many reasons why I like these revolver/cartridge combinations:



There's a "back story" regarding this target. It was shot, standing, at 25 yards. I was doing a shooting demonstration at my local club for some Junior shooters and their parents. I hadn't shot this revolver in a couple of years. I couldn't remember if I had it sighted in for a six o'clock hold or for a center hold. As a result, I held for a ten regardless of which sight setting it had for the first shot. After the first shot, I held center and fired the rest. It would have been a REALLY memorable target, IF...

My standard field load in the .44 Special came from Elmer but was popularized by Skeeter Skelton (7.5 grs. of Unique behind a 250 gr. Keith). My bullet is a Mihec correct copy of the H&G #503. In my long barreled revolver, I get about 950 fps.

Another load I find useful is a Group Buy 200 gr. wadcutter. 5.0 grs. of Red Dot gives 875 fps (LOTS of short range "Smack") and 4.0 grs. makes a nice, light, target load.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Dale53]

As a matter of interest, here are some Mihec #503 Hollow Points in loaded rounds:



Here are the Group Buy 200 gr dbl ended wadcutters:

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Ricochet]

That Group Buy wadcutter is a good bullet. Something I've been meaning to try for a long time and intend to soon is to try seating them long and crimping over the rear band, right behind the super wide groove. As long as the front band is sized appropriately to easily push into the chamber throats, it will increase the case volume closer to what published data for 200 grain bullets in .44 Special is based on (I think it wise to keep pressures modest in a Bulldog) and the short jump to the forcing cone would seem to be a good thing. But it shoots mighty well seated to the top crimping groove and used with mild loads.

 

[Pistolero]

Is this the same Richochet from the other site......who had pretty much dropped out for a few years?

Bill

 

[Ricochet]

That would be me, Bill. I'm sighted once in a while.

 

[fiver]

yeah,,, he pops up every now and then.
I enjoyed the avatar changes a couple of years back.

it must be 44 special week or sumthin.
I talked to 6 shot yesterday and he was shooting his 3" S&W at the range.
and I was just day-dreaming of hollow-pointing and bump swaging some more of the .428 diameter 200gr rnfps I have for the 44-40 to .430, and maybe actually getting out the ruger bisley I have had in the box for 3-4 years now [wait, it's been 6 years... jeez] and giving it a run through at the range.

 

[Pistolero]

Well, sir. I always enjoyed your posts in the past, welcome, and please
continue to grace us with your presence.

Bill (MtGun44 on the old site)

 

[Ricochet]

Well, sir. I always enjoyed your posts in the past, welcome, and please
continue to grace us with your presence.

Bill (MtGun44 on the old site)

Thank you, Bill.

 

[KHornet]

I wondered how long it would be before I saw you on this forum Ricochet! Welcome aboard!