LEE's 310g for the 44 mag

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Dale53 posted this 18 April 2010

I and Frank Siefer designed this bullet. I do NOT have any pressure tested data. However, I worked up loads using a chronograph using .44 Magnum cases.

Loading the bullet LONG, using a gas check, crimping in the crimp groove giving greatest OAL, ahead of 21.5 grs of H110 makes for a great hunting load.

The heavy bullet weight coupled with a wide meplat gives EXCELLENT results on big game.

FWIW Dale53

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DLH posted this 18 April 2010

Thanks ,

What kind of speed did you get? How long was the barrel? Revolver, single shot?

Thanks again.:fire

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corerf posted this 18 April 2010

Win 680 buddy (correction from 296). I shoot it in the 445 SM and it romps on the NEI 310 design. It will drill a hole like God himself was pushing it.

TC single shot. My velocities are so far above, not worth mentioning. 34 gr in 445 case (Win 680 corrected)

Dunno about 44 mag starting points.

From Taffin Tests:

RCBS #44-300FN 21.5 gr. WW296 1402

SSK 310.429FN 21.5 gr. WW296 1312

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44mag.htm>http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44mag.htm a 44 mag win 296/h110 test report

Data copied from a well known Taffin Test website published. Not responsible for accuracy and safety but the data has been confirmed by me in my findings to be legit and cut from original Taffin Article. I believe a super blackhawk 8 inch was used for testing, but not for certain!

I would back off John Taffins load by no more than 1 gr to start based on the strength of your frame and gun. Maybe 1.5 gr. Otherwise if you have used W296 much, it's liking pressure and load density and won't respond well to an undercharge of more than 10% or so.

I posted the 445SM groups, pictures and load data within the last year here. The Lee 310 is impressive and with GC and 680, it will go until the primer is liquid and then the velocity flat lines, then goes backwards a taste. At that point you should have stopped the progression but the bullet never stopped giving a tremendous group until the last grain (velocity reversal).

H110 (added corrections) has performed equally well with lower velocities. The 44 mag case is better suited to H110 than 680, plus my barrel is 16.5 inch, not 8 so the super slow 680 gets used better than the 296. My results with 680 were not great on a 10 inch barrel and 44 mag. H110 was best. (Please forgive the brainfart with 296 vs 680)

I was supposed to hunt mule deer last year and the swine flu bout ended that for me (I wasn't sick). So kill something with it and let me know how hard it dropped. I am hoping you indicate that it was like the animal was s**ked to the earths surface violently without even a twitch on impact.

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jhrosier posted this 18 April 2010

I have shot the above mentioned W296 load with the 310 gr bullet from my 4-5/8” SBH. The load was quite accurate but the recoil was much too heavy for casual shooting. A longer barreled (heavier) gun or a lighter bullet would be more pleasant to target shoot with.

I looks like a good hunting load though.

Jack

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corerf posted this 18 April 2010

Gotta correct my post above. Win 680 not 296 was the 445 SM loading. DATA IS CORRECT FOR THE 44 MAG THOUGH, JUST I BRAINFARTED WITH 296 AND 680. 680 IS THE SCARRY PERFORMER. PLEASE FORGIVE THE LATE NIGHT BRAINFART.

Nonetheless, the bullet has been very accurate and flexible for me. u Sorry about the error. Thats why I don't load anything at 11 PM.

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gunarea posted this 18 April 2010

Hey DLH

Just lurking in the background. The powders you mention are out of my realm of knowledge so I am taking notes for any possible future usage. That said, the big 44 Lee slug is very similar to the Lyman bullet I cast and use.

Mine runs around 318 grs. from my slightly softer than #2 Lyman alloy. While I have used this bullet for hunting, with success, shooting steel with it has provided more trophies. Even though the Lyman design is a gas check style, I only used a gas check for a short period of time. The mould is now over twenty years old.

Florida deer are generally too small to justify this bullet on them, but our ferrel pigs warrant its use. For hunting I use 2400 or 4227 so as not to deafen myself. A favorite 2400 load is with 18.4 gr and a very tight crimp. This load will chrono right around 1100 fps from an old model SBH and just a bit slower from my 629. It stops charging pigs in their tracks. Target loads for IHMSA and NRA Hunter pistol employ Red dot and Promo. The heavier bullet carries better over longer ranges than lighter 44s do with the same starting velocity.

My favorite target load is 5.0 gr of Red dot. It runs around 860 fps and is not unpleasant to shoot. It does great on bowling pins. For Hunter pistol, 6.3 gr of Red dot will knock the feet off the rams. Sorry I don't have any chrono results for this particular load, I wasn't curious enough I guess.

Your bigger deer will probably still get knocked clean off their feet with this big ole bullet. Just another mention to crimp tightly as these will pull bullets in neighboring cylinders. Please let us know how this works out as a hunting bullet for your deer.

Roy

Shoot often, Shoot well

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Dale53 posted this 21 April 2010

I killed the first head of “Big Game” taken with the Lee C430-310-RF. It was a ten point white tail buck. However, the shot was only 25 yards and I broke it's neck. The bullet performed as expected but it didn't really prove anything as a broken neck would have resulted from anything heavier than a .38 Special due to shot placement.

The extremely wide meplat will definitely DO THE JOB if driven at a decent velocity and placed well.

Several of the hotshots from my home club claim it is the most accurate .44 Magnum bullet that they have ever shot. I, personally, concur with that...

Dale53

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DLH posted this 21 April 2010

I loaded up 5 with 19 gr. of “little gun" Now if it quits raining on Sat, or Sun. I will shoot them. I found some data on line that listed loads for a 325g GC bullet. The starting load was 19g, and the max was 21g. This will give me some place to start.

Once I find a accurate load then I will bring out the Chrony.

I shoot the same style bullet in my 454 Casull, ( it is .452 dia. and wieghs in at 300 gr. by LEE). I have not shot any game with it.

Thanks

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 21 April 2010

With the Lee 300 + gr, I like H110 .... work up careful like, the deer won't know if it is 1400 or 1800 !!! Work mostly on hitting it right, and the softer load makes accuracy easier... at least for me.

Ken Campbell, Iowa

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raytear posted this 21 April 2010

Don't have the book in front of me, but the Lyman #49 manual has data for a similar weight bullet in several cartridges. I have shot it with AA No. 9 and Alliant 2400 or Unique with excellent accuracy results in .44 magnum TC Contender and S&W M-29. Have not tried it on game, but the profile suggests great killing power with the right placement.

I use gas checks and size .430 lubed with 50/50 alox & beeswax. I tend to load this one light because of the recoil and mildly arthritic extremities.

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ghh3rd posted this 02 May 2010

I shot a string of the Lee 310 gr with 21.5 gr of W296 and they averaged 1348 fps.

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DLH posted this 02 May 2010

Was this with a 44 mag or a 445 Super Mag??

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tturner53 posted this 02 May 2010

Anybody using it in a .444 Marlin?

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ghh3rd posted this 02 May 2010

"I shot a string of the Lee 310 gr with 21.5 gr of W296 and they averaged 1348 fps."

Sorry, I should have elaborated. I used a Ruger Super Blackhawk with 7 1/2” bbl., Federal F150 primer, Felix Lube, moderate crimp.

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Tony65x55 posted this 03 May 2010

tturner53 wrote: Anybody using it in a .444 Marlin? I've been using it for over 20 years in the .444. It's a very good bullet.

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6pt-sika posted this 15 May 2010

tturner53 wrote: Anybody using it in a .444 Marlin?

But of course :cool:

Works very well for me with H322 ;)

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6pt-sika posted this 15 May 2010

I've never used the Lee 310 in a 44 MAG .

I have however used the Ranch Dog 432-300GC in a 44 MAG . It seemed to do the best for me with 21 grains of H-110 . But bear in mind this was in the three Marlin rifles I tried it in ! May not work so well in yours . I would suggest starting around 18 grains and coming up SLOWLY !