I have a line on a kind of beat up 1894 in 44 mag; I don't need it, but would like to have a lever heavy enough for smallish NM elk. What are you all getting for accuacy and velocity with 300 grainers? What powders?
biku324
I have good luck with 24 grns of H110 WLP primers and 240 grn xtp. Haven't tried 300 grainers yet.
My Marlin seems to like the 240 xtp/hp over the 300 gr., but the Rossi M-92 shoots the 300 xtp and Serra bullets better' the loads I have are in the 300 sp AA#9 17.2 grs. with a OAL of 1.610" at 1450 fps and the 240 with 20.7 grns. of 2400 at 1700 fps. These load are good in my gun's only and as always start low and work your way up safely, these load are from Hornady and Serra manules.
The only luck I've had with 300-grainers in my Ballard-rifled '94SS is with cast boolits at VERY sedate velocities, when I drive them over 1100 fps the accuracy evaporates. I recently picked up some Sierra 300's, when I get time I'll see how they do with stout charges of Lil Gun and 2400, maybe H-110 and AA9 as well. Got some old W-680 too.......... :hmmmm2:
My Marlin doesn't like 300 gr bullets. I've tried Hornday XTP's and Nosler JHPs with very poor results. So when I began casting, I didn't even try 300gr cast bullets. I went with the Ranch Dog 265 gr mold and haven't looked back. With a healthy load of H110 I'm getting over 1600fps and 1 1/2" groups with Skinner peeps at 100 yards.
Key
Key
Haven't tried them in the .44 mag, but I have tried the Penn TCFP lead bullet in the .45 Colt levergun for sh#^s & grins & not for hunting.
I've only loaded a few so far (without chrony) with a starting load of 15 gns of 2400 & obtained a bench rest group of about 2" from a 3 shot group at 50 yds using peep sights.
I will load more in the future & up the charge a bit & will chrony them evenutally, but for now that's what I get.
I've only loaded a few so far (without chrony) with a starting load of 15 gns of 2400 & obtained a bench rest group of about 2" from a 3 shot group at 50 yds using peep sights.
I will load more in the future & up the charge a bit & will chrony them evenutally, but for now that's what I get.
Bill, I'll have some data for you by the end of the week..........I loaded fifty rounds with the Sierra 300 FP and varying charges of 2400 today. I'm thinking I'll have to drive them pretty hard to get them to stabilize.
Okay, I got a chance to shoot 50 rounds of the 44 Mag loads today, 10 each of 5 loads using 2400 and the 300 grain Sierra flat-point. Winchester LP primers in "Top Brass", the chrony was ten feet ahead of the muzzle, velocities listed are actual, not corrected. 20" Barrel, Ballard-rifled. Results were as follows:
14.0/2400 Low 1136 High 1256 Average 1183 Standard Deviation 35
14.3/2400 Low 1177 High 1265 Average 1222 Standard Deviation 26
14.6/2400 Low 1201 High 1281 Average 1253 Standard Deviation 24
14.9/2400 Low 1287 High 1320 Average 1304 Standard Deviation 9.9
15.2/2400 Low 1279 High 1334 Average 1318 Standard Deviation 22
These loads are too long to feed through the action of my 1894SS, so they were single-loaded. I've seen data (both Alliant and GMDR) that showed maximum loads as high as 19.0 grains of 2400, this rifle has always shot better with milder loads and I only had 50 of these bullets so I started low and didn't push the loads to maximum. The brass was coming out a bit smoky until I got to the 14.9 load, and recoil was there but not bothersome. Primers went from rounded to a little flat, but nothing alarming and ejection was effortless. Could these loads be boosted? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Maybe to flatten trajectory or force better expansion, but penetration at 1300 feet a second should be excellent, and these would make good black bear/elk loads if you were to modify the carrier to accept the longer rounds, these were about 1.720" or so. You could also seat the bullet deeper, but that skews the pressures rather badly, and I'd rather crimp into the cannelure in a gun with a tube mag or some recoil............or both.
I shot and chronographed at the same time, so the distance was limited to 25 yards. All loads grouped under 1.25 inches for ten shots, the 14.6 load shot under an inch, and the last two were both a shade over a half-inch.
Bill, I hope this helps a bit. I know you're thinking more about cast boolits, I'd recommend a gas-checked design if you're looking to push them, but my only luck with lead bullets so far was several years ago at some pretty sedate velocities. But 50-yard groups were an inch or less for five shots, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.
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14.0/2400 Low 1136 High 1256 Average 1183 Standard Deviation 35
14.3/2400 Low 1177 High 1265 Average 1222 Standard Deviation 26
14.6/2400 Low 1201 High 1281 Average 1253 Standard Deviation 24
14.9/2400 Low 1287 High 1320 Average 1304 Standard Deviation 9.9
15.2/2400 Low 1279 High 1334 Average 1318 Standard Deviation 22
These loads are too long to feed through the action of my 1894SS, so they were single-loaded. I've seen data (both Alliant and GMDR) that showed maximum loads as high as 19.0 grains of 2400, this rifle has always shot better with milder loads and I only had 50 of these bullets so I started low and didn't push the loads to maximum. The brass was coming out a bit smoky until I got to the 14.9 load, and recoil was there but not bothersome. Primers went from rounded to a little flat, but nothing alarming and ejection was effortless. Could these loads be boosted? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Maybe to flatten trajectory or force better expansion, but penetration at 1300 feet a second should be excellent, and these would make good black bear/elk loads if you were to modify the carrier to accept the longer rounds, these were about 1.720" or so. You could also seat the bullet deeper, but that skews the pressures rather badly, and I'd rather crimp into the cannelure in a gun with a tube mag or some recoil............or both.
I shot and chronographed at the same time, so the distance was limited to 25 yards. All loads grouped under 1.25 inches for ten shots, the 14.6 load shot under an inch, and the last two were both a shade over a half-inch.
Bill, I hope this helps a bit. I know you're thinking more about cast boolits, I'd recommend a gas-checked design if you're looking to push them, but my only luck with lead bullets so far was several years ago at some pretty sedate velocities. But 50-yard groups were an inch or less for five shots, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.
I shy away from super-heavy bullets in 44 Mag, because they start to invade the powder space in the case, which means balancing seating depth, powder space, and the pressure/velocity curve for optimal and safe performance can get tedious.
My heaviest-bullet load is a 290gr RNFP-GC (group-buy [large dia. for Marlins] version of the old solid-nose Lyman 429640).
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My heaviest-bullet load is a 290gr RNFP-GC (group-buy [large dia. for Marlins] version of the old solid-nose Lyman 429640).
Forgot to mention: These are loaded with 18.0grs of AA#9. I can't find the chrono data, but I seem to recall they averaged about 1500-1550fps and were very accurate. I can't imagine needing more bullet or load in a 44 Magnum. I've played with 335gr bullets in the 444 Marlin, but anything longer than this bullet drastically loses velocity due to powder space and pressure issues in the 44 Magnum case.
I tried some 300 gr WFN-GC in my 1894 a while back. Can't remember the load details or velocities I was getting right off the bat, but the thing I can remember is that I couldn't get any of my loads to group worth a hoot in my 1894... I tried one more time with some 300 gr Speer JFP in that rifle, and they didn't do so hot either. After that I gave up on trying to find a load for the 300 grainers in that rifle.
The heaviest bullet I shoot through it now is an NEI #252 sized to 0.432" dia. Those are a SWC-GC bullet, with a slightly rounded ogive and feed fantastic in my rifle. Even though it is supposed to be a 240 grain bullet, the average weight with lube and gas-check is coming in around 257 grains or so (would have to double check my notes). Those bullets are landing in a 2" group at 100 from my rifle (with a skinner receiver mounted peep and a 0.096" aperture), so long as I do my part. That 1894 of mine shoots those well enough that this is the only bullet it sees anymore, now that I have my reloaded inventory straightened out. FWIW, I am loading those bullets over 23.0 gr of H-110/W-296, with a WLP primer, and I am getting 1,740 fps (measured at 10 feet from the muzzle).
The heaviest bullet I shoot through it now is an NEI #252 sized to 0.432" dia. Those are a SWC-GC bullet, with a slightly rounded ogive and feed fantastic in my rifle. Even though it is supposed to be a 240 grain bullet, the average weight with lube and gas-check is coming in around 257 grains or so (would have to double check my notes). Those bullets are landing in a 2" group at 100 from my rifle (with a skinner receiver mounted peep and a 0.096" aperture), so long as I do my part. That 1894 of mine shoots those well enough that this is the only bullet it sees anymore, now that I have my reloaded inventory straightened out. FWIW, I am loading those bullets over 23.0 gr of H-110/W-296, with a WLP primer, and I am getting 1,740 fps (measured at 10 feet from the muzzle).
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