629 Mountain Gun Hog Loads

[Captainkev]

I am looking for a good load/round for my 4 inch 44 mag Smith to use as a backup Hog Hunting gun .
My primary gun is my T/C Encore handgun in 376 Steyr.  So if I do my part, the backup should never come into play.
I have read many posts that stated over 250 gr. full house loads are  hard on the Mountain Gun.
Would a 255 grain CastCore be excesive if not loaded too hot?
I realize solids are not required to put down hogs, but this is for the inside of 15 yards, now that Boar is really pissed off gun.
Any thoughts or suggestons would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Mikey]

Captainkev:  I will agree with cknight here regarding those heavy loads in your mountain gun.  The newer S&Ws are a lot tougher than the older ones were when it comes to handling hotter loads and I think, as does cknight, that the only parts that will take a beating with those loads are your hands and wrists.  

Also, if you are shooting cast loads, you really do not need to load them up to absolute full power to get them to penetrate through a hog at 50 yds or so.  That's one of the interesting things about 44 calibers and heavy bullets - you don't need to push them faster than the speed of light to get them to perform.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Lloyd Smale]

load a good 250 hard cast semi wad cutter to 1100 fps or so and it will work fine and will be real easy on your gun

[S.S.]

I have been pushing the pressure limits with my
Model 29-2 since the mid 1980's and have never had a problem
with it. I can find no sign that anything is getting loose.
There is not even any sign of a "FLASH CUT" in the top-strap
above the cylinder gap. (Old Smiths were known for that)

[Mikey]

Hay S. Sumner:  long time no hear but I did enjoy your post.  Both, or rather I should say that neither of my 29-2 show the famous flash cuts along the top strap but I have a notion those are caused by the faster burning or hotter powders behind lighterweight boolets.  When we used to play with the Model 19s and the high speed bullets with fast burning powders you could shoot those revolvers out of time and alignment within a couple of hundred rounds of stuff like Super Vels and hot handloads.  But, what we also found out is that the heavier magnum loads with heavier bullets and a large charge of slower burning powder did not do that.  I think that is why I always opted for the heavier loads in my 29s powered by slower burning powders.  The only thing I have had to tighten up over the years is my groups and rear molar fillings (LOL).  Mikey.

[Tusker]

I would, and do use 14.5 gr IMR800X-- This load has never let me down-- would it be as good for you? I of course cannot say. But Good Luck!  :-)  For the 41. MAG I drop down to 13.5, same powder.

[Deaf Smith]

19 grains of 2400 under a 240 or 250 grain swc sometimes with a gascheck or sometimes not. the 250s I use are keith bullets with the gascheck and are very accurate but I hava also used the same load with excellent results with 240 grain bevel based round noded or SWC bullets for practice and trail gun use.
Jim L