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I have 500 LBT .410 250 WFNs I need to loads or my 6.5” Blackhawk. I plan to drive them at about 1200 fps.


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Now that I'm casting again I regret selling my BFR in 475 L and my rossi 92 in 480 ruger. They would have been great with around a 400 grain cast flat nose.

The other day I took my 77/44 with a scope on it to the range to try my lighter load 44 mag with 310g Lee wfn powder coated gas checked bullets in it. At 100 yards it was grouping about 2". I didn't chrony one from the rifle but that load from my 4" 329 clocks around 1050 fps.

I used to run 310g 44s at 1200 fps in the 4" gun. My old load was 20g of H110 and more recently 22g of PP300MP. My more recent reduced load is 10.5g of Longshot netting 1050 in the 4". It's about half the number of grains of powder for only a 150 fps loss. I just loaded a few more at 10g of Longshot to try. The 329pd can get a little sticky on ejecting cases especially when a bit dirty. I want the cases to fall out pretty easily to give me trouble free fast reloads. At 10.5 of Longshot they are just a bit sticky in that gun even though they eject easily in my other 44s.

We'll see how 10 g does and if the speed is still close to 1050. Plus my standard 45 lc load is 10g of Longshot under a 250g xtp or cast. It would make it easy to remember if they both work well at 10g.

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Originally Posted by chlinstructor
Originally Posted by TheKid
I don’t have tons of WFN experience, the .44 250WFN from LBT is the only one I’ve loaded. But a friend of mine who owned several LBT WFN and LFN molds always said the WFN didn’t shoot well unless pushed hard.


Yep. My favorite .44 caliber cast bullet. LBT WFN Hardcast 250 gr bullet over 10 grains of Unique. It kills deer and feral hogs extremely well in my experience.

I’ve shot some amazing 25 yard 5-shot groups with them at that velocity range.
I’ve pushed them MUCH faster out of a Winchester 94 - .44 Trapper for some amazing 5-shot groups at 100 yards.

But really didn’t see that much difference in the way they killed deer and hogs.


Glad to read all this too CHLI, i use 17gr 4227 under GT Bullets version of a 255gr Keith bullet [actual 262gr] in my FA 44 Special 5.5" round butt, clocks 1020 fps, what a sweet load, forget about my no shooting ass getting all that\s there with that setup, i'd leave 10 bills on the table for anyone to pick up keep if that thing wouldn't raghole at 50 yards from a Ransom rest, crazy, happy to hear you guys have punched some game should anything wander in close.


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I also run BT 250 WFNs out of my M69 over about 10 or 10.5 grains of Unique or a similar load of N350 which I think leaded less? It kills well. Night and day from a 357 bore at the same speeds.

I have not pushed them faster because it's a light gun. Regardless it's about 1050-1075 fps. Shoots nice tight groups at 50 yards and the bullets are still flying straight at 100 yards as well. I'd imagine at 1200 fps they'd be even better.

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Great info fellas. I have been using 10 grains of Unique with 240 grain MBW WFN bullets in my 44 and 10 grains of Unique with the 480 Ruger and 420 grain MBW WFN's with complete satisfaction. Maybe a skosh dirty but it runs through the gun fine and seems to wipe right up pretty nice. I plan to try the same 10 grains with the 440 MBW WFN's in the 500 JRH as well, just to get the hang of it. I have ton's of Longshot as well, so that may be a step up if I wanted it.


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W/O thinking too hard I can recall dozen deer and countless nuisance animals--racoons, groundhogs, dumped mean-ass dogs--I have dispatched with 44 and 45 caliber handguns using 230-325 grain cast or jacketed bullets running 850-1350 fps. With equal placement, I couldn't tell a nickel's worth of difference in any of them.

In short I would feel real comfortable packing a 45 pistol or revolver for the rest of my days. If I anticipated spending them anywhere big biters or stompers lived, a 480 Alaskan would be kept within reach and it would be loaded with heavy WFNs about 1000 fps.


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They displace more soft tissue the higher they are pushed. Generally, this means the lungs. The impact velocity is what really determines seeing any kind of measurable difference, even when using the same load.

In my experience, as others have stated, hit right there isn't much difference that I can tell, although maybe on larger animals other than deer or run of the mill hogs. Animals generally keel over from holes in the right places, bigger holes leak more and heavy bullets retain more velocity down range, even when slower.

Wider noses and larger diameter holes seem to work better, with impact velocity down the list.

I've had one 300gr. 45 WFN function accurately down to 900 fps at a hundred yards and a 325 WFN needed kicked past 1200 to keep it from throwing fliers. Both killed deer in pretty much the same fashion, but the more sedate load was a heck of a lot more pleasurable to shoot both at the range and without the two week ear ringing when hunting was over.

So I would test the reduced load out to 100 yards at least, farther is better, just to be sure your getting stability and accuracy. If you have it, there's no reason for the noise, racket and recoil, unless of course you want it.

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Originally Posted by HawkI
They displace more soft tissue the higher they are pushed. Generally, this means the lungs. The impact velocity is what really determines seeing any kind of measurable difference, even when using the same load.

In my experience, as others have stated, hit right there isn't much difference that I can tell, although maybe on larger animals other than deer or run of the mill hogs. Animals generally keel over from holes in the right places, bigger holes leak more and heavy bullets retain more velocity down range, even when slower.

Wider noses and larger diameter holes seem to work better, with impact velocity down the list.

I've had one 300gr. 45 WFN function accurately down to 900 fps at a hundred yards and a 325 WFN needed kicked past 1200 to keep it from throwing fliers. Both killed deer in pretty much the same fashion, but the more sedate load was a heck of a lot more pleasurable to shoot both at the range and without the two week ear ringing when hunting was over.

So I would test the reduced load out to 100 yards at least, farther is better, just to be sure your getting stability and accuracy. If you have it, there's no reason for the noise, racket and recoil, unless of course you want it.


My experience as well.


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Originally Posted by gunner500
Originally Posted by chlinstructor
Originally Posted by TheKid
I don’t have tons of WFN experience, the .44 250WFN from LBT is the only one I’ve loaded. But a friend of mine who owned several LBT WFN and LFN molds always said the WFN didn’t shoot well unless pushed hard.


Yep. My favorite .44 caliber cast bullet. LBT WFN Hardcast 250 gr bullet over 10 grains of Unique. It kills deer and feral hogs extremely well in my experience.

I’ve shot some amazing 25 yard 5-shot groups with them at that velocity range.
I’ve pushed them MUCH faster out of a Winchester 94 - .44 Trapper for some amazing 5-shot groups at 100 yards.

But really didn’t see that much difference in the way they killed deer and hogs.


Glad to read all this too CHLI, i use 17gr 4227 under GT Bullets version of a 255gr Keith bullet [actual 262gr] in my FA 44 Special 5.5" round butt, clocks 1020 fps, what a sweet load, forget about my no shooting ass getting all that\s there with that setup, i'd leave 10 bills on the table for anyone to pick up keep if that thing wouldn't raghole at 50 yards from a Ransom rest, crazy, happy to hear you guys have punched some game should anything wander in close.


It’s amazing how accurate those Freedom Arms Revolvers are, Gunner. Finally sold my 454 version several years ago.
Got tired of all the noise. 🤠


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Originally Posted by chlinstructor
Originally Posted by gunner500
Originally Posted by chlinstructor
Originally Posted by TheKid
I don’t have tons of WFN experience, the .44 250WFN from LBT is the only one I’ve loaded. But a friend of mine who owned several LBT WFN and LFN molds always said the WFN didn’t shoot well unless pushed hard.


Yep. My favorite .44 caliber cast bullet. LBT WFN Hardcast 250 gr bullet over 10 grains of Unique. It kills deer and feral hogs extremely well in my experience.

I’ve shot some amazing 25 yard 5-shot groups with them at that velocity range.
I’ve pushed them MUCH faster out of a Winchester 94 - .44 Trapper for some amazing 5-shot groups at 100 yards.

But really didn’t see that much difference in the way they killed deer and hogs.


Glad to read all this too CHLI, i use 17gr 4227 under GT Bullets version of a 255gr Keith bullet [actual 262gr] in my FA 44 Special 5.5" round butt, clocks 1020 fps, what a sweet load, forget about my no shooting ass getting all that\s there with that setup, i'd leave 10 bills on the table for anyone to pick up keep if that thing wouldn't raghole at 50 yards from a Ransom rest, crazy, happy to hear you guys have punched some game should anything wander in close.


It’s amazing how accurate those Freedom Arms Revolvers are, Gunner. Finally sold my 454 version several years ago.
Got tired of all the noise. 🤠


Yes sir they are, bought my FA 454 more than 25 years ago for a real good price, it came to me at 7.5" with factory mag-na-port, not long ago i sent it in to FA, 10 days later plus 250 bucks and some shipping i got back a very handy 5.5" barreled 454, best money i've spent in a long while, very handy and point-able, my old easy load with 300gr Cast Performance bullet at 1350 is still right there, didn't loose crap with barrel cut except some ugly porting, haven't shot my hellbender load with 325gr A-Frames over a max dose of 296, i suspect they'll be as obnoxious as ever, that's all good if a man needs it though.


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Originally Posted by HawkI

I've had one 300gr. 45 WFN function accurately down to 900 fps at a hundred yards and a 325 WFN needed kicked past 1200 to keep it from throwing fliers. Both killed deer in pretty much the same fashion, but the more sedate load was a heck of a lot more pleasurable to shoot both at the range and without the two week ear ringing when hunting was over.


This is a point not to be overlooked! My previously mentioned .44 special load using a 255gr WFN at 1050 is much more pleasant on the ears than any of my traditional .44 mag/.45 colt loads using a 300gr at 1150, or a .357 with full velocity loads. Anymore, if I can't get the ear plugs in before I shoot a deer with a revolver, the deer walks or gets shot with the rifle. If I've got the special though, it's just draw and shoot.

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Shot this bull Gemsbok in South Africa last week with a WFN from my FA 41 magnum at 54 yds using the high shoulder shot. The bull never took a single step, just dropped straight down at the shot. Bullet went completely through as they always do. Velocity was a bit higher than I normally run them because of the 10" barrel plus these Gemsbok were wild & they had me zero for 150 yds. Took me 5 days to get this old warrior. These 250 gr WFN bullets penetrate fantastic, whether at 1000 fps or 1300 fps, I've taken a lot of game with them. My buddy with me on the hunt took 4 animals with his FA 41 magnum using heavy cast bullet, Zebra, Nyala, Wildebeest & Impala. I took 4 other animals with my bisley 45 & cast.[img]https://i.imgur.com/PXYFir9h.jpg?1[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/bOyliwNh.jpg?1[/img]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
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Last edited by Idaho1945; 09/16/21.
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Awesome hunt! Congrats on the animals!


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I killed a lot of hogs over the years with a Comtemder .44 mag - with a suppressor on the end of it's 14" barrel. My favorite loads were shooting 300 - 330 gr hard cast at under 1000FS. Most shots were 50 yards or less, a few out to 75 or so. VERY effective, excellent penetration! (And easier for the ears!)

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Man that's some good stuff Idaho1945, you guys had a blast, also hope you ate all you could hold of the Gemsbok and Zebra loin, Thanks for the load info as well, easy for me to keep that stored, 41 to 45 cal, 250 to 300+ grains of hard cast, 1000 to 1300 fps, a lot can be brought to bear so loaded and placed correctly.


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Dick is that a 97 or 83?

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What is a great all around cast bullet for the 44? Something that will work well on big game and is accurate at long pistol range. Something between about 240-310g. One bullet to rule them all that I can just load a bunch of.

I still wonder about modeling one off of the Lee 310g but leaving the shank off where the gad check goes. Maybe end up in the 280g range. Just cast it, powder coat it and load it over a medium speed powder like Longshot, be-86, or power pistol or something similar. Get it going between 1050-1200 or so and call it good.


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BB, I use the Montana Bullet Works WFN 240’s pretty much all the time in my 44. Most of the time with 10 grains of Unique. It’s been accurate for me. No animal killing with it but I’d suspect it’d be fine for most animals.

I’d be interested in hearing which others the experienced handgun hunters use.


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280gn LBT WFN GC or LFN.


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It's a model 83. I've killed a lot of game with a 240-250 gr bullet using 10 grs of Unique. I've killed a lot more using the same bullet with 21.0 grs of 2400, including several elk, antelope & bears.

Dick

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