Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

[redneckbmxer24]

I've never reloaded for a revolver before and I'm curious if there is anything I should know? Aside from the normal inspecting cases for pressure as well as primers.

The revolver I will be loading for is a Ruger Super Blackhawk SS 44mag 4.62" barrel. I have other revolvers but have always bought factory ammo. Seeing as how factory 44 ammo is $.80 a round it's not economical to shoot a lot at that price and I've figured I can load for $.25-$.35 a round.

If there is anything I need to know and any tips or tricks it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

If you are gonna use lead bullets study up on slugging the bore and forcing cone. To shoot lead bullets well MANY revolvers need some work.

Trim your brass well and precise so that you can obtain a heavy accurate crimp. This can avert many problems with a revolver.

The only 44mag Blackhawk I ever owned was a great pistol and hell accurate. Personally I would stick with jacketed bullets. Steer clear of the plated bullets unless you are loading powder puff 44spl loads.
Not everyone knows that great practice and fun can be obtained with a 44mag by using 44spl loads. Just like the 38spl/357Mag interchangability.
Get a Lyman pistol manual. There is no equal in my humble opinion for pistol loads.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

A BIG +1 on the above-mentioned crimp.

Especially with magnum loads...

Without enough crimp, the bullets will become unseated under recoil, and eventually end up proud of the cylinders front face. That will jam up the works - think stick in the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

Thanks guys. I plan on only using Nosler jacketed bullets for target and either Hornady XTP or Speer GD for hunting. No lead bullets, I shot them in factory 38 special loads and the gun wouldn't hit the broad side of a barn after 50 rounds of them. Not sure if it was fouling or what, but they sucked.

That reminds me, I need an appropriate shellholder for my trimmer.

Any crimp dies recommended over others? I was going to use the Lee simply because it's worked so well for me in other calibers.

 

[Unknown]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

Second post nailed it....HEAVY crimp.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

You don't need a special crimp die. The Lee is good but not needed. If you do what I have told you, then whatever dies you buy will have a roll crimp(most likely format) built into the seater. Set it up correct per instructions in any good loading manual and you are good to go.
It is true that the Lee is less sensitive to case length but in my opinion it is a shortcut to mediocrity. Trim them precise and you will have even bullet pull on all your cartridges.

Not unusual to have a badly leading revolver. It usually has nothing to do with alloy/hardness of the bullet. It is usually caused by odd dimensions between the chamber, forcing cone, and actual bore of a revolver. I have read that Elmer Keith routinely used 20:1 alloy in full house 44 mag loads, with no leading. I have no reason to doubt a legend so I will apply what I know. If your bullet is properly sized, and your revolver properly smithed for a smooth gradual swaging of the bullet into smaller dimensions til exit from muzzle....then it is possible. Shooting lead bullets with no leading can be an artform. It takes many hours of homework in most instances I have seen. There is one caveat. You can get lucky on the first try, in my experience pretty rare. Some are convinced that teh secret is running the hardest alloy you can get away with. Though that would seem logical, and it may work sometimes, it is not the magic bullet.
(yes...a shameless pun, corny I know)

 

[Topstrap]

Re: Reloading for a revolver, anything I should know?

Consistent case length and firm crimp is the one most important thing to accurate loads in a revolver. Do know that overcrimping can sometimes create a bulge below the crimp and over crimping and multiple reloadings will cause premature case failure with splitting. If your new load is crimped hard and you notice it won't slide in the chamber easily check that area first. My Freedom Arms is very tight so it is more critical to be right than my Ruger with looser chambers. Correct crimp for a magnum handgun is almost something you'll know when you see it, you'll see the case rolled into the bullet but it'll still be smooth and slide in easily to the chamber.

Over the years I've come to really like Federal 44 mag cases, they have given me the best life and I'm still using some of the same brass that I started with back in the late 70's and early 80's for IHMSA revolver class. The accuracy you can obtain will amaze you at distances that frequent what LR rifles are shooting at. Nearly every 44 mag revolver I shoot likes 24gr of any of these powders (IMR4227, WW296, H110) with the Hornady 240XTP.

Not that hard to load these but there are a couple extra steps setting up the dies with getting the seating/roll crimp correct on the final stage. Use magnum primers with the load I mentioned above, these powders don't like to be loaded down. There are other powders you can use if you don't like the recoil for practice rounds.

Good luck, as you can tell by my alias (Topstrap) shooting revolvers and especially stretching them way out beyond what some consider handgun revolver distances fascinates me and still amazes me.

Topstrap