Well, seeing as how I finally got my new chronograph and being that it was finally nice weather today..........it was time to take the .445 Super mag to the range.



Being as there is absolutely ZERO load data for this cartridge using anything higher than 310 grain bullets, I followed the recommendations I'd gathered and made the following test loads.

1 Round Each using a 325gr WFN-GC from Matt's Bullets seated to 2.050" COAL.

25.0gr H110
25.5gr H110
26.0gr H110
26.5gr H110
27.0gr H110

At the range, I set up my new chronograph at bore sighted the Leupold Scope by looking through the barrel. Then, set the target at 50 yards, just for something to shoot at as I was simply looking for a Max load and not groups.

Well, the first round I fired out of this was a handload my friend gave me when he gave me the gun. It was comprised of a 240gr JHP bullet and 31gr W296. Settled down on the rest and fired that beast off.

1,847 fps

Oh................WOW!

:giggle:

Then, I started working through my test loads. Inspecting each case after I shot it, I was looking for the ceiling that said..........."uh, you're done". Well, I reached 27.0gr H110 and still hadn't found it.

The cases were fine, the primers still round, and extraction easy as pie. The recoil..........however..........

http://vid26.photobucket.com/albums/c106/lovinmycaitlynn/Shooting/27.0gr%20H110_zpssyrpwkaj.mp4

It's abrupt.

The velocity of the 325gr WFN-GC and 27.0gr H110 was:

1,611 fps

And that ain't bad at all!!!!!

Here is the case from the 27.0gr load in the top left corner.



Looks alright to me. So, with trepidation.............I continued the process and have now loaded (1 each):

27.5gr H110
28.0gr H110
28.5gr H110
29.0gr H110

To test tomorrow.



I don't know if I'll make it all the way through them. There is still plenty of room between the powder and the bottom of the bullet as I have them seated pretty long.



But, there has to be a Max Load somewhere in there, I would suspect. No? If not, I don't think I am going to push the gun or my hand any further. If I reach max in these next 4 rounds, I will drop one grain and start looking for accuracy +/- in that realm.

This is a pretty sweet gun! Very light and compact, a very handy platform. I really like the 10" barrel configuration. Hopefully, I can get a load worked up by Monday evening and take a deer with it.



Any thoughts or suggestions?

Here is a screen shot of peak recoil for the 27.0gr load.



It wasn't a death grip, but I was holding on while not necessarily trying to hold it down.

NICE!

There is a lot of power there!!!

I really like the looks of your setup!

Great looking gun, Zee!

A good brake?

I'm too old for that s..t

Thanks guys.

I'll hit the range this afternoon and see how this next batch of loads beats me.

Went back to the range today with the next batch of loads. Set up shop and fired them off one after the other. I videoed each one...........in case I blew my hand off. You know, would make for great conversation. But, other than increasing recoil.........it was uneventful.



I did not witness any form of primer flattening until I reached the 29.0gr H110 mark. Even then, the primer wasn't flat but more of a "less round" than the others. Actually, it was the first time I would say the primer started to "flatten out a little". In addition, it was the first time I felt the case drag a hair in extraction. It wasn't tight, just the first time I felt a little resistance.

Velocity of the 29.0gr load? Well, I didn't reach my desired mark. But, I was close.

1,692 fps

Here is the 29.0gr primer on the left next to the 28.5gr primer.



Left to Right

29.0gr / 28.5gr / 28.0gr / 27.5gr





I think I will call it good at around 29.0gr

I will now make some test loads for accuracy. They will consist of 4 rounds each to try at the range tomorrow.

28.0gr
28.5gr
29.0gr

and for laughs......

29.3gr

tune in tomorrow.............

You are already getting near my mid level 45-70 loads. How much harder do you want to push it?

I'm not going to push it any more really. I've loaded up for the accuracy testing tomorrow.



The only addition was 29.3gr just to see if there's anything there.

Going to be playing with crimp or seat depth, one at a time?

Nope.

D-U-N!!!!!!

Went to the range with my test loads to see the accuracy potential of the gun and loads.

I set set up the target at 25 yards as I am only using a 2x Extended Eye Relief Shotgun Scope. It has a pretty thick reticle which is great for hunting, not so much for precision.

The reticle covered up my 1" paster at 25 yards, so I had to make a 2" aiming point in order to see what I was aiming at.



Started with 28.0gr H110 and worked my way up to my previously untested 29.3gr load.

Surprise, surprise, surprise!!!!! The wonder is..........



29.3gr H110 at .514" 25 yrd group.

And!!!!!!!

I was able to hit my previous personal target velocity of 1,700 fps!!!!!! The 29.3gr loads clocked 1,699 fps!!!!!

Woohoo!!!!! I'm a happy camper. Accurate for hunting and fast! That'll work.

I have to admit, though..........this is the only handgun I own that legitimately HURTS me to shoot. Some wear on you after several rounds. This one..........hurts with each shot.

I love it!!!!!!

i am pleased with the adventure getting here and appreciate all the help provided me in this endeavor. It was enjoyable and I learned a lot. Thanks much.

Very nice, Zee.

A 325 grain bullet at 1700? No wonder it hurts.

Enjoy the pain!
Glad you made your speed goals and good accuracy.

My hand STILL hurts from this morning! Ha!

Not terribly surprising that the H110 performs best in your top end loads.

335 @ 1700 is very impressive but ouch...no thanks. I don't think my hands would appreciate that level of recoil.

We are cooking now!

If that ain't sexy.............


After all this.........I honestly think this is my close second favorite pistol cartridge next to the .460 S&W. They are both just decidedly awesome. How this particular cartridge never made it is beyond me. It ridiculously wicked.

I love it.

Well, I prefer jacketed bullets, but those are still good looking cartridges regardless.

Blonds........brunettes..........same/same.

How many hours will that "feeling" linger after shooting it????

It's better today.

:-)

That long.......HA!

Took the Super Mag out hunting this evening.



I sat on the edge of an oat field with a feeder on the opposite side.



I also had my .358 Winchester for longer shots.



Saw 3 does tonight, but all had twin yearlings tagging along with them. Good healthy does, but the foreman would prefer that I shoot a dry doe if I can, so I let them all walk.

One of the does.



The closest the does came was 133 yards. Would not have been an issue for this cartridge except for one thing I noticed. The reticle of this 2x EER Shotgun Scope pretty much covers a deer's vitals at 133 yards and beyond. Had I wanted to shoot a doe, I might have been able to pull it off by bracketing the crosshair on the vital area of the deer, but I'm not exceeding comfortable with that. I prefer to know what point I'm aiming at and not just the "front half of the deer" as it were. I feel confident I would have hit the deer, but I would not have been able to call my shot other than, I hit it somewhere. Me no like that.

Of course, I had a spike and nice heavy 8 point come within 100 yards of me. 76 and 82 to be exact. But, I was told to shoot dry does. So, I just watched them all until dark.

Talking to my foreman friend afterwards, while helping him clean a doe he'd shot........I was telling him all the deer I'd seem and upon mentioning the spike, he regretted that he'd forgot to tell me to shoot spikes as well. Oh well, guess I get to go back and try again.

Lessons Learned:

I need at least a 4x scope with a finer reticle on the .445 Super Mag to capitalize on it's capability. I think this 2x scope will go perfectly on a 6" .357 Mag!!!!! Guess I need to get one of those.

Notice my self enable?

So, I see a scope swap and new handgun in my future.