Old data vs new?

nastynatesfish

nastynatesfish

Active member
Looking through son stuff and started looking at loads in my 44 mag. I'm loading bothe 225gr hornady ftx and 240gr xtps. I picked up a manual out of town a few monts ago and hadn't really looked at it. I know the whole lawyerification of manuals nowadays. How would you feel about the loads in a current revolver? Mines a RedHawk, using 240gr and rl2400? Also the unique load?


The books in really good shape. I love these infer manuals

 
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I have that old Speer book. Matter of fact I have two of them because the one that I bought new in 1973 was falling apart pretty bad and I found another one a few years ago at a gun show for $10 so I snapped it up.

If you noticed, they used Real Guns for their load development. Back in those days just about everyone one did. Sure, the usual warnings were there to approach max loads with caution but they still were safe loads. In their guns anyway.

That load of 23 grains of 2400 was my go-to load for over a decade in my 3 screw Super Blackhawk. I liked the Sierra 240 grain JHC over the Speer but I used other makes of 240 grain bullets too. Remington made a good one back then. And yes, that load was hot. I had to pound my extractor to get the brass out. And, I as much as I hate to admit it now, was much too hot for me to shoot without flinching terribly. Smacked my hand like a Nolan Ryan fastball using no mitt. But goodness I loved shooting it. Cinder blocks, 1/4" mild steel, bricks, snakes, toads, elephants (pictures!) small trees, etc etc all fell to my mighty .44 Magnum.

But today loads are much more mundane than they were back then. SAAMI had a lot to do with that. Lawyers too. But if any of you have a hankering to try some of those older loads you most likely will be just fine doing so. But be warned, some of them are not very much fun to shoot and must might be the reason why 40 odd years later I still flinch when I shoot a handgun. Good a reason as any I suppose.
 
I've noticed that my grandpas load books are a little more generous than mine as well. My oldest Speer book has some 6 PPC loads in it that are well above the medium loads listed for today's 6 BR. In fact, some of their starting loads are the same as Hodgdon max.

Not to sound too ordinary, but the only way to really know is to work up to them.
 
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When I started reloading the starting load for my 300 Win Mag was 3 grains heavier than the Max load is in the new loading manuals.
 
I loaded some up at 22.5gr. I remember when I first started shooting I was running 24gr but I think that was with a 225gr or 200gr. I do love the feel and concussion from the revolver. Wish I had someone to take pics of the fireball for me!
 

I take all load data with a grain of salt, although I will admit that it gives me confidence when working a load up, and I go over one books max, yet under another books max, that given no signs of pressure, the load is safe in that firearm. Another thing "old" data is good for, is shotgun loads that seem to have disappeared off newly published data. I had some loads for a 1 oz. 20 ga. 2.75" target loads, just disappear from all common load manuals, except my old trusty Lymans Shotgun Reloading Manual, 4th edition. Keep the old books! They are handy reference.

Squeeze
 
I've got the Speer from 1970 and a hogdons from 1989. The latter doesn't show half the powder as the speer book. I come across them fairly often at little book shops or small gunshops
 
Weatherby used to publish data in its own guide. It was quite a bit hotter than today. You have to start some where though. Look for the signs of pressure and desired accuracy. In most of my rifles I have found that they tend to go through a sweet spot as the speed increases. Once my groups.start to open up I deem a load as max for that rifle. Most of the time I end up within a grain or so on either side of my book maxes.
 
That speer manual has some really hot loads in it, so be careful.

If you can find any, Win 296 and H110 is the mack daddy for the 44 mag with 180-240g Bullets for some super accuracy and velocity. We shot metallic targets to 250 yards, win brass with win mag primers produced the best accuracy. Don't let anyone blow smoke up your skirt about brass and primers not making a difference, that is a bunch of bs. Use a magnifying glass to look at the crimp, when you find the crimp style that works well, put that case in the die box in a plastic bag with a note in it. I buy an extra die to seat bullets with and another to crimp with so I don't have to change my set up.

I would back off 3.0g from their published max load for 2400 and work up, the amount of crimp will be critical with this slow burning powder.

Squeeze's comments are right on IMO, you have to judge for yourself what works for you with your gun and your loading components.

Many take a reloading manual like it is Gospel, when it is more like a "guide" only, which is what they state in the beginning.

I can not comment on Unique.
 
I too have that old book, and the number 9. Some of the rifle loads are really hot, as in loose primer pockets, sticky bolt, etc.
 
The 22.5gr is my new favorite load. I may load some at 23 and try them. I kept 4" group at 35 yards with open sights off hand shooting. And talk about a thwack when it got there?!? I love it. It's gonna be my carry load when I'm out in bear or lion country, not to say any can will be shot at also lol
 
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