Shooting my SB2 44 magnum

[rickt300]

I got it monday and shot it the same day on my 50 yard range.  Well the only ammo I had loaded were made for my 44 magnum model 29. 240 grain Rainier plated bullets at 1150fps.  They keyholed every shot.  Well this kinda worried me due to the problems others have had. I loaded up some 240 grain Hornady XTP bullets on top of 25.0 grains of Winchester 296 powder and used a Winchester magnum pistol primer (HOT LOAD!).  My dies are a set of Herter's 44 special dies and they have a pretty short body. The longest I could seat the bullet out is about halfway between the base of the bullet and the cannelure. I checked to see if this would chamber without hitting the rifling and they fit no problem!  Well the rifle immediatly began shooting tight groups. It took about ten rounds to get it sighted in 1 inch high at 50 yards. With the bullet seated out that far and not touching the rifling I could maybe add a grain of power or two But I just don't see any need to. Recoil is mild accuracy is excellent, what's not to like?  The primers are absolutely normal looking and extraction is effortless.
  I like the balance of the rifle as is so I don't think I will shorten it but I may put the scope on it soon.

[quickdtoo]

As you said, what's not to like!!

Tim

[Datil]

 Way to go! The more you shoot the 44Mag the better you'll like it.
 Good luck Marv.

[rickt300]

Well now I have to decide what my next barrel is going to be.  The 20 gauge barrel off my youth Pardner fits this frame perfectly and my 44 mag barrel fits the SB1 frame perfectly also. Not going to shoot  it that way though.  I have lots of bullets in several diameters Hmmmmm.

[rickt300]

I put a 4x Weaver with a post crosshair reticle on the rifle this morning and shot it with the same load. At 50 yards it would easily put 3 shots into an inch.  The trigger is heavy but crisp and it wasn't that hard to steer the rifle.

[dpe.ahoy]

That will make a great deer load.  DP

[rickt300]

I noticed the rifle didn't open easily and found the spacer between the forearm and frame was bearing pretty good against the frame. So I removed the spacer and sanded the flat on the rear of the forearm for a while and then sealed it with polyurethane.  So now I have to shoot it some more to see if it changed my sight in any. Darn. I've got plenty of bullets and powder anyway.

[dpe.ahoy]

I found it easier to sand the spacer, cheaper to replace when I mess it up, too.   DP

[c1skout]

  My 44 barrel likes the 240xtp's also. I've been trying to find a 180gn load that it likes but I'm not having much luck so far. The best with the light bullets has been 2.7" @50yds with a starting load of W231 powder.

[rickt300]

Well I could have sanded the spacer but it was pretty easy putting the forearm into a padded vice and sanding it evenly with a piece of sandpaper glued to a piece of wood. I don't think I'll try any new loads for a while. When I run out of Winchester 296 I am changing to IMR 4227 as this powder has a greater range of uses for me, light loads in 223,308,30-06, along with being a good magnum pistol powder.

[rickt300]

I shot some cast bullets a few minutes ago. The load was 20.5 grains of IMR 4227 under a 250 grain keith bullet cast from wheelweights and quenched in a 5 gallon bucket full of water.  I wanted to drop the velocity a bit to see if I had any keyhole issues and there were none. I put 9 shots into 2.5 inches. These were shot quickly so the group would have been smaller most likely. I also notice that the heavy trigger pull distracts me more when using a scope. The point of impact is 2 inches to the left of where the 240 XTP's hit and a bit higher.  I think I'll wait on lightening the trigger pull as I plan on sending it in for another barrel and a monte varlo style buttstock. I am thinking maybe a 223 or a 30-06. Or both, this handi poisening is serious stuff.

[brennemanj83]

this handi poisening is serious stuff.

Yeah but its a good kind of poison.......... 

[rickt300]

I am surprised also at the smoothness of this rifle's barrel, Stays really clean seeming to gather no lead or copper fouling.

[rickt300]

Tested some 300 grain Nosler hollow points today. I wanted to find out if I have a barrel that won't shoot well with the heavier bullets or .429 diameter bullets as I plan on getting a 300 grain bullet mold so I shot the noslers today on top of 22.0 grains of IMR 4227.  They shot great! My guess at velocity is that it is in the 1450 fps area and this is a much quieter shooting load also.  Also I earlier noted that I relieved the pressure the spacer was putting against the frame. This caused my sight in to go 3 inches to the left and 1 inch down. The cool part is that now all three loads shoot almost to the same point of aim with the 300 grain bullets half an inch higer than the 240's and the cast are right at Point of aim at 50 yards.

[dpe.ahoy]

That is great having the 3 loads hitting so close.  Congrats.  DP

[Badnews Bob]

Thats good stuff to hear, I gotta get my .44 to the range more often and really find out what she'll do.