OAL for 310 grain GC in 44mag

[Rugerman]

Just cast from my new lee mold and need advise.
COWW boolit GC
18 grains H-110
book says OAL of 1.7 but I've read a lot on this site of shorter lengths from 1.6 to 1.7.

[shoot-n-lead]

Most of the time, following manual recommendations is a safe bet.

[paralaska]

Does it have a crimp groove . . . If so . . . Then seat it to the crimp groove and put a medium to heavy roll crimp . . .

[wmitty]

The 310 Lee has two crimp grooves. I ran into this a couple of days ago and wondered the same thing. I was using 4227 and started with 16.5 grains (starting load) and went up in .5 grain increments to 18.5 grains while crimping in the upper groove, which results in the boolit being seated deeper in the case. I haven't had a chance to shoot these, but I'll let you know if the Redhawk disassembles itself.

[Bodean98]

My redhawk likes them seated out to the second groove. Doesn't shoot them worth a flip when seated deeper.

[DougGuy]

I crimp in the bottom groove also.

[44man]

Bottom groove for mine. As long as they don't stick out the front of the cylinder you are good.

[stubert]

My Redhawk gets them at 1.7" over 20.5gr. of 296 1" groups off a bench @ 50. (scoped)

[Shuz]

I have this boolit modified by having the gas check shank milled off. The resultant weight is 267 to 270g depending on alloy composition, and is of course now, a plain base. I seat this boolit to 1.625 in order to fit in my Smith 629's. I seat to 1.688 for my Winchester Trapper, and with 8.3g of Alliant Green Dot, I get 1145fps and decent groups. IMHO, at these velocities, no gas check is needed.

[DougGuy]

If you are going to use H110 (which is the SAME powder as W296, made in the SAME plant, etc) remember to NOT download this powder. H110 needs a high load density to burn right and burn safely. Hodgdon data does not include this boolit weight for H110 but a LOT of people use it as it is a top performer. Where did you get your load data if I may ask? I think you are good with 18.0gr as I have seen 17.0gr listed as a starting load for a 300gr XTP. Many will push this boolit seated out long with up to 21.5gr H110, this is about as far as you would want to go and you might as well be warned, pressure with this much H110 under the Lee C430-300-RF is likely to be over 40,000psi. I won't say this is a dangerous load, but definitely pushing the envelope in the Ruger single action revolver.

I use 17.0gr Hercules 2400 in my loads with this boolit, out of a 7 1/2" SBH it cooks along right at 1190-1200f/s which for a hunting load with a wide flat nose like this one is about perfect. I am pretty sure it is well within sane pressure levels and is a bit milder in recoil than most of the H110 loads, it is very accurate in this loading. I like a softer alloy with the gas check design, my favorite is 50/50+2% COWW/pure lead/tin, with Felix lube. I can dig a thumbnail into the boolit, it's BHN 10 or thereabouts. This alloy and the twist rate in this SBH are a perfect match as I get no leading, there is lube left in the bore from shot to shot, some call this a "black bore" as it remains "seasoned" between shots, I never even have to clean this gun.

I did have to ream the cylinder throats to .4325" as it had two throats larger than the rest, so I matched them all to the largest throat and size the boolit half a thousandth under throat diameter. I recut the forcing cone to 11° as the factory job was short and abrupt and full of tool marks. After this "correcting" of dimensions, and developing the load listed above, I have never had a Ruger shoot as well as this ol' girl shoots. It has that magic combination where everything is just working good, alloy, powder, primer, twist rate, cylinder throats, etc..

[Rugerman]

Thanks for all th great info. Load data came from the lyman 49th edition. Starting load of 17.7. I seated them at the second groove which was 1.66 but can go longer if the concensus is 1.7?

[DougGuy]

I think 1.66 is the bottom crimp groove is it not? Most who use this boolit crimp in that groove.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Thanks for all th great info. Load data came from the lyman 49th edition. Starting load of 17.7. I seated them at the second groove which was 1.66 but can go longer if the concensus is 1.7?

I tend to seat boolits to what the gun tells me it wants...Not what the consensus of internet jockeys tell me

I hope you read "real carefully" what DougGuy posted. I hope your gun is up for that type of load...whatever gun? it is?? Rifle ??

[Rugerman]

Superblackhawk hunter 7 1/2 in