.44mag, Bayou Bullets, and Unique

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  • barbarossa

    Well-Known Member
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    24   0   0
    Jun 18, 2010
    807
    18
    Baton Rouge
    I loaded up some .44 ammo using 240gr LSWC Bayou Bullets and Unique powder.

    My Speer manual lists 6.5gr as a starting load and 7.0 as max.

    Even at 7.0gr, these rounds feel more like .44spl than .44mag. Very mild. Accuracy was great, best I can tell, but I'd just like a bit more kick for the fun factor.

    Why does the Speer manual recommend such small amounts of powder? Looking around the net, I see recipes going as high as 10 or 11gr of Unique using lead bullets. One of the Lyman's books goes up to 13gr with 245gr lead bullets!

    Should I up the charge, or switch to a different powder?


    Btw, I did load a few "hot" bullets using JSP bullets and 22.5gr of W296. That felt like a magnum load alright... But I'd like to use Bayou Bullets as much as possible for more economical "plinking" ammo.

    What other powders would go well with Bayou Bullets in the .44?

    Oh, and lastly, are BBs "hard cast"?


    Thanks!
     
    Last edited:

    highstandard40

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    Apr 14, 2009
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    Prairieville
    The Speer manual data is based on using their swaged lead bullet which is of a much softer alloy than the Bayou Bullets offering. Because of the softer alloy used by Speer, the lighter load is required to prevent leading the barrel across a wide spectum of guns. The Lyman 49th manual shows a load of 13 gr of Unique with a 245 gr. cast bullet. I have loaded for the 44 Mag since the mid 1970s and have sent many thousands of 240 gr bullets downrange, both cast lead and jacketed. I think using the Bayou Bullet with Unique at a charge level of about 11 gr will give you a little more "Magnum" satisfaction. For full power loads, I would stay with your 296 load. Cast lead bullets can be used for full power loads using 296 or other similar powders but some factors need to be addressed for optimum performance. Bullet fit to your particular gun is crucial for a cast lead bullet at magnum velocities and most often a gaschecked bullet. Donnies coated bullets may very well work at magnum velocity even without a gascheck.
     

    barbarossa

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    24   0   0
    Jun 18, 2010
    807
    18
    Baton Rouge
    highstandard, thanks, that is very helpful.

    I shot about 200 rounds of this 7gr Unique/BB load this weekend and there was zero leading. I mean a couple of patches of Balistol and the bore was shiny clean. So I guess I'll step uyp the powder load and see what happens.


    Have you ever read the post in this thread from castboolits... Lots of opinions and loads.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...s-Unique-The-Universal-Cast-Boolit-Rifle-Load

    Thanks, reading it now...
     

    beauxdog

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    10   0   0
    Sep 18, 2007
    3,867
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    Baton Rouge
    Guys,

    Been a long time since I loaded any 44 mag stuff but we used H-110 for some loads and that powder we have in stock. Also check on Lil Gun for 44 loads, it might be useful as well. And by the way we got some 44 Mag and 10mm brass in yesterday.

    Thanks,

    Bryan Guillory
    Louisiana Gun
    225-389-6077
     

    Gus McCrae

    No sir, I ain't.
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    25   0   0
    Feb 25, 2009
    8,370
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    Colorado
    My understanding is that Unique is kind of do all things kind of powder. It does all things, but not all well. I load for .45 Colt and find that about 10 Grains of Unique gives me 1000fps with a 265gr bullet. I'm not an expert, but that's about as far as I'll go with that powder. At some point beyond that it'll start getting erratic because it's not meant to work at higher pressures. Unique is good for a Mid Level load in .45 Colt.

    For going hotter, I think H110 is probably what you want to try. It has a narrow band though. I started at the bottom with 23.5 grains using the 265 grain bullet and I'm at about 1150fps. Peak is supposed to be 24 grains with Ruger Only Loads. Narrow band, but those small changes makes a difference.

    If you want to try H110, jump and get some. It's been hard to find.
     

    highstandard40

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    4   0   0
    Apr 14, 2009
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    Prairieville
    In regards to H110, the OP said he has 296 which is the same exact powder, so there is no need to rush out and buy H110.
     

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