Step 4. The next step is putting new primers into the cases. Pretty self explanatory...
Step 5. Time to charge the case with powder. In this case, 22.0gr of H-110.
Time for fun with my new toy!
Step 6. Time to seat the bullet in the case. Here, we want to seat it so the over all length (OAL) is right around 1.600”.
Step 7. The last step involves giving the case a crimp at the top. This is so the bullet doesn’t shift in the case. In my case, I’m shooting these out of a tube fed lever gun. There’s 10 in the magazine stacked head to base. You don’t want that bullet moving during recoil when shooting. What I do after I seat the bullet is feel the case edge. It should feel “sharp”. Then I crimp and feel it again. It should be smooth with the edge being crimped.
Sorry, this is probably hard to see that crimp.
And that is the final product. A .44 magnum cartridge ready to shoot. And do you remember that picture at the beginning? That fired case that didn’t fit into the case guage? Here’s the final product in the case guage that shows a perfect fit and length.
Btw, this is what I shoot these out of...
Marlin 1894 with the 20” barrel.
So this load gives really good performance. Using H-110 powder means you’re loading close to maximum. The characteristic of this powder is either all or nothing. Well, sort of.
I started with a charge weight of 23.5gr. The speeds I was getting were just over 1700fps. A stout load. A bear load. Hard on the shoulder load. Kind of hard on the gun too.
So I decided to lighten it up a bit. I now load 22.0gr with the 240gr XTP bullet. Velocity is now around 1660fps. Still a really good bear load. Still kind of hard on my shoulder when shooting around a hundred rounds a trip.
I am thinking of getting some lighter bullets and loading down with some .44 special rounds for plinking.