.44 Colt & Other Cartridges

[Mean Bob Mean]

Black Dawge is unloading various cartridges that they had loaded with Pinnacle.  They are selling them on Gunbroker.  I picked up 250 cartridges in .44 Colt (230 grain) for 100 plus shipping. 

He also has some .45-90s on sale, 120.00 for 100 rounds.  The Catalogue price for those is 50.00 per twenty.  The price loaded then is about what you pay for Starline Brass. 

Josh, from Black Dawge, is the guy running these auctions.  He was super responsive and mailed my order ASAP. 

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?IncludeSellers=2481809

I do not post auctions which I have any personal stake in. 

[dusty texian]

Just ordered 250 of the .44 colt's  Black Dawg cartridges loaded with pinacle  250 for 130 bucks and shiping 145 total.,Is this stuff any good ,figured cant go wrong at that price the brass is worth it . .......Dusty

[dusty texian]

Forgot it's the 210 gr. rnfp .

[Mean Bob Mean]

Forgot it's the 210 gr. rnfp .

Mine are loaded with the 230 grain flat point.  I sent a note to Black Dawge requesting ballistics and they indicated the MV of the loads at around 735 in a revolver (barrel length not given), 900+ in a rifle. 

[dusty texian]

MEAN Bob. I have a 72 Ot ARMY GRIP comming from Buffalo Arms . So I ordered  250 of the 210 .44 Colt's Black Dawg and 100 of the 210 BP. CATRIDGES From Buffalo Arms . Ought to be enough to get started . Have 44 special dies now Dont know if I will have to surface grind them down some to work. Hope this wheelgun shoot's as good as expected . ....Dusty.

[Mean Bob Mean]

MEAN Bob. I have a 72 Ot ARMY GRIP comming from Buffalo Arms . So I ordered  250 of the 210 .44 Colt's Black Dawg and 100 of the 210 BP. CATRIDGES From Buffalo Arms . Ought to be enough to get started . Have 44 special dies now Dont know if I will have to surface grind them down some to work. Hope this wheelgun shoot's as good as expected . ....Dusty.

Lots of guys on this board ahve indicated that .44 Special dies work just fine with minor adjustment.  I have never reloaded, this is my first venture into it and it will take some time to acquire everything I need, but I am really looking forward to shooting this gun on a regular basis.  It got me excited about shootnig and hunting again.  

[Mike]

I use 44 mag cabide sizing die to size my case's and then a 44 Sp die to open up the neck a small amount and then I cut a RCBS seating die down to seat the head and a Lee 44 Sp factory crimp to finish off.

I use 21grn by volume of 11/2 Swiss and a 205grn LFP standed large pistol primer, I also over lube the end of the cylinder.
The Swiss burns cleaner than Goex. I tried some 777 today and they worked as well, same Volume as the Swiss.

I shoot a Uberti Richards and this load has bought the group down about 8 inches over the Goex load.

[Mean Bob Mean]

I use 21grn by volume of 11/2 Swiss and a 205grn LFP standed large pistol primer, I also over lube the end of the cylinder.
The Swiss burns cleaner than Goex. I tried some 777 today and they worked as well, same Volume as the Swiss.

Mike, is 21 grains about what can fit or can you stuff more in?  How much do you compress that load when using BP?

Thanks so very much for the data! 

Cheers,

Bob

[Crow Choker]

"Meany Bob'-I use a RCBS 'Cowboy' die set for 44 Spec. Will work for 44 Russian, 44 Colt, and of course 44 Spec. Use a Lee Factory Crimp die to crimp. As far as how much black can ya 'stuff' in a 44 Colt case, I've had "excellent" results with 25 and 25.5 grains of Goex FF and FFF, though I use FF only anymore topped off with a 200 grain Mav Dutch bullet. Check out the 'search' function, you will find alot of 44 Colt load info from the past. One is on page 3 of this section "Storm", subject topic "Black Powder Loads for 38 Colt and 44 Colt" started by Mike.. Check out some of Fox Creek Kids postings, alot of info there. Mike posted his 21 grain loading using 1 1/2 Swiss, mine is with FF Goex, not sure how the difference in brand and grain size between the two fill the 44 Colt case for volume and for compression. The 1 1/2 Swiss is a little courser than the FF Goex, burns at a different rate; I've never loaded using Swiss so someone else will have to 'chime' in about the exact difference in using the two different powders. 

[Mike]

21grns of 11/2 is were I find my gun groups at 25m the best. I have put more in.

I find the Swiss powder to be much cleaner, I have fired five shots wil 3F goex and the 11/2 Swiss and then patched the bore after each five rounds and the Swiss come's out a lot cleaner.

I used the 11/2 because I had it.

Just loaded some 218grn (weighed lubed) round nose with 19grns to see how they work, the powder would of been compresed a small amount.

[Crow Choker]

I've heard Swiss is a cleaner burnin powder, but---I have a ample supply of Goex, a near and cheap source of Goex(it's cheaper (($$$)) anyway), so I've stayed with it. At 25 yrds or less, Goex can get the job done, most shooters I've known or have posted use Swiss for long range rifle shooting and Goex for their hog-legs, but 'to each his own'. Good shootin to ya Mike!

[Mean Bob Mean]

Y'all are so kind to fill me in.  Thanks for the help.