.44 Magnum silhouette loads

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Just bought dies and two boxes of Geco and 100 Starlibe brass for giving a seldom used Dan Wesson a run on the plates.
At the local club there seems to be a bit of argument over 2205 being too slow and W296 being the best for 240g pills or vice versa.
Over to you guys, recoil is not something I’m worried about as I see a .454 Casull in my future

[SPEEDY]

Pistols my expertise really ends at 9mm and a little 45acp but in a rifle I love it.
I use AR2205 and AP70N, if I want a fun load then AP70N is the stuff But if I want power and to flatten things then AR2305 is king.
I can fire the 6lb little rifle one handed and it feels like 9mm shot shell's.
But what I've learnt about factory ammunition and I chewed a lot of it up is that to replicate any factory load I've shot I had to do it with AR2205 as AP70N and actually come to think of it AP100 just didn't come close.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

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Heading out this morning to chrony the Geco factory rounds vs 24.5g of W296 vs 24g of 2205 under 240g JHPs

Every book I’ve seen claims W296 and 2205/H110 both have a safe max of 24g for 1522fps. The 24.5g loads are those of a mate who swears the extra 0.5 is listed in the Sierra manual and has been safe in his gun for years.

The chrony should settle the argument.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Thought I’d update this thread in light of the discussion of the automag case

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No doubt Apple will place the above sideways for some and not others.

Since chronying the above I’ve also loaded up to 23.5g of 2205 under 265g Taipans. These are at H110 max which is a full grain above what ADI list. They tip the plates over nicely and don’t require the extractor rod to be hit with your ammo box the way the 24.5g W296 loads did. However the primers do look as if they’ve taken the finger print of machining marks they’ve expanded into.
I have a pile of loads to chrony but usually attend night shoots so performance on steel seems to be the first thing evaluated. Currently waiting on the charge master to warm up to load 24g of 296 under 240s - if this gives me the 1450 of the Geco I think I should stop tinkering and concentrate on my technique.

[stokesrj]

If you shoot lead the SAECO #432 265 grain Gas Check, 22 grains of H110/Win296 (same powder), Fed 155 primers has won more silhouette matches in 44 mag than any other and usually out of a 10" Dan Wesson. If you shoot jacketed the Hornady 240 or 300 XTP shoot best with H110 also but I don't have access to my load notes for those. Hornady also makes a 240 Silhouette bullet but reports are it doesn't shoot as well as the XTP.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

I was under the impression that H110 is Australian made 2205 rebadged for the international market just like our 2208/Varget?

W296 is a fiddly ball powder that I’m frightened is going to leak into the vitals of my charge master if I’m not extremely vigilant

The 2205/ 265g Taipan combo certainly tipped over the plates I’ve just got to chrony them and see if it’s worth adjusting the sights which are currently spot on for 240s at Geco velocity

[stokesrj]

Ball powders are not usually weighed, just measured. I actually get smaller SDs with my Jones powder measure than I do with my chargemaster. My current .308 load is getting SDs as low as 3 fps using the measure. So I only use the chargemaster for long stick powders and use the measure for ball and small grain stick powders like IMR8208XBR. Incidentally the really cheesy looking lee powder measure with it's rubber wiper will even accurately measure H4350, Varget and the like if you can get past the cracker jack prize quality.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Is H110 a ball powder or tiny sticks?

I’ve got an RCBS powder measure sitting on the shelf that has the small cylinder in it that only goes up to ~50g and was subsequently put back in its box once I started loading for the .300 Win etc. it also has a tendency to snap sticks of Varget.

Currently waiting on a Lee 4 hole classic turret press to arrive, once that’s in place I might have to try to mount the measure to it and speed up the whole process

[stokesrj]

H110 is ball powder

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Well the 24g 296 loads knocked over the rams, no I just need to find a day to chrony them.

[slugslinger]

Ball powders are not usually weighed, just measured. I actually get smaller SDs with my Jones powder measure than I do with my chargemaster.

Excuse the slight segue: I'm just curious, do you prefer the Neil Jones powder measure over the Harrell's (either Classic or Premium)? I've been thinking about investing in a really good powder measure . . .

Regards,

[stokesrj]

Ball powders are not usually weighed, just measured. I actually get smaller SDs with my Jones powder measure than I do with my chargemaster.

Excuse the slight segue: I'm just curious, do you prefer the Neil Jones powder measure over the Harrell's (either Classic or Premium)? I've been thinking about investing in a really good powder measure . . .

Regards,

Both are great measures and both provide accurate volumes of powder. I bought both but sold the Harrels Culver type measure and kept the Neil Jones. The only downside to the Jones is that the brass graduation marks can be difficult to read. I use a magnifying glass and light to set mine. But the precision fit of the brass is a work of art.

[slugslinger]

Thank you.
Also, the Jones cost about twice as much . . .

Regards,