Got tried of lugging around my 50 + oz. 1006, so I sold it and bought a 329 Smith. Got to shoot it yesterday. Not new to the .44 Magnum. I still have the 4 inch 29 I bought in 1967. So, I loaded up some .44 Special ammo for the 329. Then loaded some more that went almost half way between the .44 Special and the full power ammo for the .44 Mag. Even with 200 gr. bullets and Ramshot's True Blue powder, which doesn't reach the Mag's full potential, I found out that light a gun is not much fun to shoot even at half way between the Special and the 44 Mag.
Ah, yes. Old age ? E
No, you're not a wimp. The 329 requires some Zen-like management to keep from flinching with true 44mag loads.
My limit for a "plinking" load is 240gr lswc @900fps (6.5gr Clays, WLP, nothing special about Clays - I just have a lot of it. 6.5gr of Titegroup gives the same results.)
My 240gr 44mag loads run mid 1200fps. My 300gr 44mag load runs just under 1100fps. Those data points represent my max pain thresholds, and I typically never shoot more than 3 cylinders of 44mag per session. I shoot as much plinker as I want, and I never give a guest anything except plinkers until they ask for the normal 44mag stuff.
Same issue here! I'm shooting lots of 44's but I'm doing it out of a Ruger with a scope, and not even Special velocity! Getting old isn't easy and I think I have you beat on that one! I'm shooting lots of 38 Special, full power, out of a Smith 642. Pretty light gun but I find I have to use a shooting glove or my hand looks like hamburger after 50 rounds, without it!
Good to see you posting Bob. "E"
No, you're not a wimp. I got my first 44 magnum in the form of a '68 S&W 29-2 a few months ago and even with that big beast, 3 or 4 cylinders is about all I want to shoot of 44 magnum loads. I just started reloading as well and the first loads I did were with H110 with a 240gr XTP at 1gr below the recommended minimum on Hodgdon's site and in my Lee reloading manual and those suckers were extremely hot loads. I knocked them down two more grains and they still shot 4-5" high at 100yds compared to factory loads when fired from my Marlin 1894. I switched over to Titegroup at 8 grs and was hitting dead-on from my Marlin & the loads were much more manageable with my 29. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment, however, because I just bought a Dan Wesson model 744V which should be here tomorrow.
15 gr Blue Dot with a 240 gr Nosler soft point does nicely in a 629 Factory Comp. Daughter likes it and pretty sure it will keeeuull. Likewise 10 gr with a 158 jacketed HP in a 4" .357 Colt Mk III.