Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns New to me 44spl and a brass question

Is there any reason I cannot trim my 44 magnum brass down to Special length? I don’t have a Magnum, but have lots of brass.

No reason you can't, but that's an assload of work.

Depends how tight your sixguns chambers are. The brass gets thicker the closer to the head of the case you get from the mouth, so when you seat a bullet the round may not chamber. Seen it happen before.

Starline brass is outstanding quality, reasonably priced and ships fast. You could have 500 rounds on your doorstep before you were half done trimming that many 44 mag. And as was mentioned the brass thickens the further south you go with trimming magnum brass. Order some 44 special brass and sell the magnum stuff. It’ll work out much better in the long run.

I have trimmed down many Magnums to Special length over the last 40 years. No problems yet.

ETA: Love the Bisley.

Bet you got some Popeye biceps if you own a hand crank trimmer. 😂😂

LOL, never did many at a time. And I've used an electric drill for power forever.

Only problem is someon might pick it up later, see the headstamp and load it with 44m loads. Easily go overpressure.
I've cut it down before and had no problem. Lasts for a long, long time with 44 spec loads.

Is there enough capacity for Magnum loads?

Oh yea, fill that bitch up with Titegroup and see what hapoens. 😂😂😂

This is the best info. And Starline is good stuff.

Beautiful Bisley and it's in a great caliber. The one I had (another big ass mistake Jerry) was very accurate.

I'd go the starline route if it were me, just too easy.

Jerry

Ordered Starline today. I hadone of the flattops a few years ago when they introduced them again in 44spl. Don't remember now what I traded for, but it wasn't long and I was looking for another one. This is also my first Bisley.

I have a Flattop Bisley, 5.5 inch. It is one of my favorite revolvers. Very accurate and a nice size for packing. If and when I down size my revolver accumulation, it will be on of the ones to stay.

I've gone to Starline brass for just about everything I have in revolvers.

Enjoy the Flattop. Great gun.

I too have a flat top Bisley, stainless steel, in 44 Special. 5.5” barrel. I use all StarLine brass as well and load the 250 gr. Keith SWC over 7.0 gr. of Unique. I’m not a big fan of single actions, but this revolver is one of the most accurate and easy shooting handguns that I own.

Nice!

That is a nice Bisley!!

I have a flattop 44 special (stainless--- 4 5/8"} and it likes about everything. 200 grain XTPs group amazingly @ 25 yards. I load 255 grain hardcasts @ 1050 fps for Black Bear protection . Agree about Starline: good brass.

MHWASH,

Your photo shows your Bisley on a page with the 44 Special low pressure reloading data.

You are probably aware of this, but... in this platform you can step your loads up quite a bit. There are some oft quoted skeeter loads, Ross Seyfried had an excellent article on reloading the 44 Special in Ruger's 44 Special Bisley (I think in a gunsamerica column?) and IIRC Brian Pearce had an article in Handloader magazine on the 44 Special.

Nothing wrong with the lower pressure loads, but there is room to safely go above that if you want to.

Jerry

+1 on this. "Skeeter" loads work great. 240 gr or so Keith style coated lead SWC over either 7.5 gr Unique or 7.7 gr Universal. Works for me.

You fellas sure have me looking forward to getting to know this BH.