Favorite 44mag loads with Berry's bullets?

Okay, I'm in my 10-day-waiting-period for my Ruger Super Redhawk chambered in the .44mag. I really like loading Berry's plated bullets in my 40S&W and I noticed they also make 44's. I typically keep AA#5 powder on hand, and I have some soon-to-be-empty 44mag winchester whitebox brass.

Having said all that, do any of you use Berry's in your 44mag? Do you have a favorite pet load? The 240gr Berry's are most common. I'll get manufactured ammo to protect myself and livestock from predators, but I'd really like a fun target round. Full power isn't necessary, but it'd be nice to have that option. Berry's says "1200 fps max" and "no magnum loads." I've seen the results of >1200fps in their 9mm, which amounts to fragmentation.

Bullet: Berry's .44 240gr
Primer: ??
Powder: ??
Charge: ?? grains

RCBS dies, primer strips and shell plates are on order. I'm getting primer strips for "large pistol magnum primer" which I assume are dimensionally equivalent to large rifle primer (strips I already have and could hopefully use with the the primers for the super redhawk). All of this is for an RCBS pro2000 progressive press.

thanks!

--edfardos

I have several pet loads with Rainier copper plated bullets that are down from max a little. These make a pretty big boom but I have never had a bullet come apart. Magnum primers are not needed. 8) 8)

1) BlueDot ------- 13.0gr -- Rainier 240gr -- WLP primer -- 1.585"

2) Accurate #9 -- 18.0gr -- Rainier 240gr -- WLP primer -- 1.585"

For plinking:

1) W-231/HP-38 -- 8.4gr -- Rainier 240gr -- WLP primer -- 1.550"

...Jimbo

Awesome Jimbo, thank you. What gun/barrel-length are you using? Any estimates or measurements on muzzle velocity?

Your loads with (hornady) jacketed bullets would be 1200fps, which, possibly coincidentally is Berry's max suggested velocity. Since these aren't jacketed (just plated), I think we're supposed to assume they make a better seal with the barrel, and pressures and velocities should be higher. If we used (Hornady's) lead loading data, those would be over max loads.

Also, to anyone reading this using plated bullets, could you let us know exactly how you crimp them? The factory loads I purchased are actually crimped at the base of the bullet to prevent setback (there's a big groove in the middle of the brass), and the mouth is straight. I'm assuming this groove will vanish after the first firing, and my rcbs dies will put a slight roll crimp that will pinch the plated Berry's. Berry's/Rainer's don't have cannilures do they? Anyone have a picture of a handloaded berry/rainer in a 44mag?

In any event, i'll work up to your loads. There's almost no real loading data for berry's or any plated bullet for that matter. I'm glad you "bit the bullet" and worked up these loads without hurting yourself or your revolver .

thanks,
-edfardos

I am using data mostly from the powder manufactures online websites.

From the Accurate website: http://www.accuratepowder.com/

Accurate has tested the Rainier bullets and has some data for them. This is where I got the 18.0gr load for the Accurate #9 powder.

barrel 8.275 -- 1:20 twist -- primer WLP

240gr Rainier Accurate #9 (start) 16.7gr -- 1220fps -- (max) 18.6gr -- 1360fps -- 1.575"

A kind of crazy thing you will see on the Accurate websight is that:
a 240gr SWC Laser Cast bullet takes AA#9 at (Max) 20.2gr but
a 240gr jacketed Sierra bullet takes AA#9 (Max) 19.8gr??
That 18.0gr with a Rainier doesn't seem so hot now does it?


http://www.alliantpowder.com/

Blue Dot (max)13.7gr with a 240gr Speer GDHP for 1,285fps
My 13.0gr of BlueDot should be right there around 1200fps.

The rule of thumb with the Berry's or Rainier bullets is to use hard cast data but don't exceed 1200fps. or reduce jacketed data by 10%.

When loading the copper plated bullets be sure to not cut the plating when crimping. Be sure to chamfer and debur the cases and crimp right into the side of the bullet lightly. I use the Lee FCD without problems.

...Jimbo

I have for very long considered Accurate's data the most, well, accurate.

Here is a picture of loading a 240gr Rainier 44mag bullet.



L to R: Ready to seat, Seated bullet, Crimped cartridge, Pulled bullet.
It took about 5 or 6 heavy whacks with an impact puller to get the bullet out of the case and it had a faint crimp groove around it. Sorry the cases were a little dirty. 8) 8)

...jimbo

Great picture Jimbo - thanks!! that really helps a newb revolver reloader like me. So I only have a few questions;

1) do you get any setback on those after a few shots?
2) is the copper plating cracked at all?
3) you don't happen to have a mic measurement of that crimp do you?
4) are you using AA's stated max of ~18 grains of AA#9? That'd be well past Berry's (and Rainers) warning of 1200fps and "no magnum loads"
5) do you crimp and seat in two separate steps?

I purchased some oregon trails (hard cast lead) to try, but my local store only provides berry's, so I'll need to replicate your load eventually.

thanks again - you've been a *huge* help Jimbo!

--edfardos

*Setback? Do you mean 'bullet jump' from recoil? ...No, not at all.
*That medium crimp leaves the copper plating completely intact.
*The bullet is .429" in dia and the crimp groove is .423" with my calipers.
*I shoot 18.0gr of AA#9 all the time without problems. I think being a slower powder I can get a little more velocity for the same pressure. In fact I shoot these out of a rifle at probably over 1500fps.
BTW Accurate says 18.6gr is Max at a COL of 1.575 and I load 18.0gr at 1.585". (just a little different)
*I do crimp and seat in two steps but I don't see that it is essential. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

well done jimbo - thanks again! I'll snag a box of Berry's and load a few to your specs You mentioned a rifle, but I assumed you were shooting a pistol as well? ruger 44 perhaps? I'll be shoving these through a super redhawk fwiw.

cool,
edfardos

I know it is a Ruger [hot] load:
12.4 grains of UNIQUE.

Jimbo,

Thanks for posting those pics, they really do say a thousand words! I'm interested in the amount of crimp used. You consider that a medium crimp and that's what I'd like to put on mine (.45Colt) so I was wondering if there was a chance you could take a close up pic of the pulled bullet so I can get a better look at the crimp grove. I think I've been putting too much crimp on mine.

BigJ71 said:

Jimbo,

Thanks for posting those pics, they really do say a thousand words! I'm interested in the amount of crimp used. You consider that a medium crimp and that's what I'd like to put on mine (.45Colt) so I was wondering if there was a chance you could take a close up pic of the pulled bullet so I can get a better look at the crimp grove. I think I've been putting too much crimp on mine.

Click to expand...

I have this pic. and I will see if I can get a better one of just the bullet.



I really do the crimp by feel. Just a light squish and a thumbnail run over the edge of the case.



...Jimbo

Perfect!!

Thank you so much for posting, this helps a great deal! Having only been at this (reloading) a couple years, I still doubt what I'm doing sometimes...especially crimps on non cannelure bullets.

I have pushed Berry's bullets well past 1200fps without fragmentation. You will find that each bullet company rates their plated bullets differently even though most use the same process to make them. Xtreme goes up to 1500fps I believe.

24.5 gr Win 296
CCI LPP
Win cases
240 gr Berry's bullets

1250 and change out of an Alaskan and 1400 or so out of my Redhawk. 1900 FPS out of my Marlin lever gun. This load is HOT.

I have another load that is a little bit hotter but sharing it publicly is not something I am willing to do.