44 cal straight wall cartridge opinions needed

[Wolf76]

I have a stretched .357 Max on paper waiting for a brass mfger accept work. Good luck plus 10,000 cases min order. Standard Max with 190 gr Fury was solid at 2250. I was hoping to hit 2500 with extended Max but not a snowball chance I can get brass.

Starline makes 223 basic brass that is already 1.8" unless you're married to a rimmed case.....problem is solved.

 

[Stk]

Not much wrong with the 450 bm. It's just more recoil than my wife can handle.

Most everything that has been proposed requires handloading. No reason you couldn't cook up a mild load for a .450. Lots of options people are providing seem to be replicating the ballistics of the .450 BM anyways. If you don't want to hand load, your best bet might be a .460 S&W single shot. You've got a pretty wide range of power/recoil balance between that and the .454 Casull it can also shoot. You could probably find a load that she can shoot that also gives you the performance you want.

 

[Muddyboots]

Starline makes 223 basic brass that is already 1.8" unless you're married to a rimmed case.....problem is solved.

Just convenience since I have barrel easy to modify. I looked hard at the .223 option and still might be easy button instead of .357 brass.

 

[Wolf76]

Most everything that has been proposed requires handloading. No reason you couldn't cook up a mild load for a .450. Lots of options people are providing seem to be replicating the ballistics of the .450 BM anyways. If you don't want to hand load, your best bet might be a .460 S&W single shot. You've got a pretty wide range of power/recoil balance between that and the .454 Casull it can also shoot. You could probably find a load that she can shoot that also gives you the performance you want.

No issue with handloading. The 45 raptor was only available as a reloader only cartridge for years and my 338 edge is still that way.
The 240WB cut at 1.8" and a .429 expansion mandrel seems pretty easy. With a generous throat and a bear creek ballistics 44 cal bullet, could be rather special.

 

[coyote wacker]

No issue with handloading. The 45 raptor was only available as a reloader only cartridge for years and my 338 edge is still that way.
The 240WB cut at 1.8" and a .429 expansion mandrel seems pretty easy. With a generous throat and a bear creek ballistics 44 cal bullet, could be rather special.

I use 240 Weatherby Mag. brass to make my 40 x 1.8"....just cut and resize....no worries about brass to short...because it uses the magnum rim to head space on not the case mouth....
Using a 30-06 just creates a problem like with the 450 BM....case gets hammered forward at the shot eventually making the brass to short....unless you use a Winchester model 70 pre-64 type action....I have found out the claw helps hold the cartridge not allowing the firing pin to push the cartridge forward upon firing...
I have a Winchester model 70 50 B&M SS controlled round rifle it uses 325 WSM brass cut to 1.65" I have shot cartridges 30+ times and still waiting for them to be to short and running them just over 60'000 psi....I have fired 450 BM in AR-15's , Ruger Americans and Christensen Arms that the most shots before a case got too short was 6 shots most around 3....

 

[Orange Dust]

When I started shooting the 445 supermag the only way to make brass was cut down 30-40 Krag brass ream it and load it. That being said,the 30-40 brass is designed to work at higher pressure (40,000 CUP) In an Encore you could utilize that pressure. I was shooting a 335 grain cast bullet at 1500 FPS out of a 10" barreled revolver.

I wish I hadn't sold mine. It shot flatter than the 454 I replaced it with and would hammer deer. It was also very accurate. I used Win 30-40 brass and case life was good with max loads also. I wanted a lighter revolver than the Dan Wesson and regret selling it. It would be a good choice. Another good choice would be a .460 with a brake on it. I doubt it would be bad at all in a rifle set up right.

 

[Wolf76]

I use 240 Weatherby Mag. brass to make my 40 x 1.8"....just cut and resize....no worries about brass to short...because it uses the magnum rim to head space on not the case mouth....
Using a 30-06 just creates a problem like with the 450 BM....case gets hammered forward at the shot eventually making the brass to short....unless you use a Winchester model 70 pre-64 type action....I have found out the claw helps hold the cartridge not allowing the firing pin to push the cartridge forward upon firing...
I have a Winchester model 70 50 B&M SS controlled round rifle it uses 325 WSM brass cut to 1.65" I have shot cartridges 30+ times and still waiting for them to be to short and running them just over 60'000 psi....I have fired 450 BM in AR-15's , Ruger Americans and Christensen Arms that the most shots before a case got too short was 6 shots most around 3....

You're speaking my language. The only reason I don't want the 40 cal is bullet choice. 44 has a much better selection.

44 Magnum 225 Grain HV Ammunition +P - Bear Creek Ballistics

bearcreekballistics.com

Look at the velocity in a 44 mag w/no mag restrictions in a 22" barrel. Add nearly .5" of an inch case and higher pressure brass. Think 2400-2600 is on the table.

 

[del2les]

You're speaking my language. The only reason I don't want the 40 cal is bullet choice. 44 has a much better selection.

44 Magnum 225 Grain HV Ammunition +P - Bear Creek Ballistics

bearcreekballistics.com

Look at the velocity in a 44 mag w/no mag restrictions in a 22" barrel. Add nearly .5" of an inch case and higher pressure brass. Think 2400-2600 is on the table.

Thanks for posting that link. I may try some of their 44 bullets in my 10-14" Contenders and single loads in my rifles. That bullet should reach the 2400+ mark in a 445SM rifle.