44 mag lever action and Barnes Bullets

[Scrumbag]

Hi folks,

Anyone got any experience of loading Barnes XPB 200 or 225 gr bullets in 44 mag lever actions?

My rifle is a 20" bbl Chiappa Alaskan with a 1:20" twist

Guessing H110 or Enforcer are my powders of choice?

All help much appreciated.

This is "the rig"



Scrummy

[mickbr]

Nice gun, sorry cant help with the load data. What scope and mounting setup is that?

[Scrumbag]

Nice gun, sorry cant help with the load data. What scope and mounting setup is that?

Thanks Mick!

It's a 2.5x28 Leupold Scout Scope with mounted on the Scout Rail that comes with the rifle and using Hawke Low QD rings.

Scrummy

[wvfarrier]

I use 28 grains of H110 (or win 296) in my Winchester 94 which nets me an average of 2100 fps and will make clover leafs at 75 yards all day long. Its absolutely awesome on whitetail deer, hits them like Thors hammer.

[wvfarrier]

Oh, thats half a grain under the max load according to Hodgens but i found my groups opened up more the higher i got above 28 grains

[mickbr]

Impressive as heck!

[Scrumbag]

Oh, thats half a grain under the max load according to Hodgens but i found my groups opened up more the higher i got above 28 grains

Looks good! Which bullet is that?

[wvfarrier]

200 grain Barnes XPB

[Scrumbag]

200 grain Barnes XPB

Great stuff!

Any idea what velocity it was doing?

[wvfarrier]

Im hunting til Sunday. Will check my notes when i get home.

[Scrumbag]

Im hunting til Sunday. Will check my notes when i get home.

Very kind and I wish you happy hunting!

[wvfarrier]

Average was 2,063 from a 16" barrel.

[Scrumbag]

Average was 2,063 from a 16" barrel.

That's great, thanks. Should be doing similar with my 20" bbl without too much trouble.

Scrummy

[wvfarrier]

Its a great loading, both the deer i used it one dropped within 20 feet and the one my son shot dropped in its tracks.....granted it was a head shot.

[Scrumbag]

Its a great loading, both the deer i used it one dropped within 20 feet and the one my son shot dropped in its tracks.....granted it was a head shot.

Good to know. We have a law here that for the larger species of deer you have to have a Muzzle Energy of 1,700 ftlbs so in a .44 lever action you tend to need to be at the lighter end of the bullet scale and it seems Barnes would be a good combo of light and tough.

Scrummy

[Scrumbag]

Well folks,

Barnes have basically been unobtainium here so managed to get some Peregrine bullets



Left if 180gr Hog
Centre is 240gr Nosler JSP (For comparison)
Right is 205gr VRG3

Think I've even managed to source some N105 and Lil'gun to try.

Scrummy

[piller]

For me, Li'L Gun likes a good crimp. I find it to make the barrel heat up faster than H110 does. Accuracy is good. With a mild crimp it burns dirty and SD for the velocity is all over the place. A good crimp really helps it.

VitaVuori powder is not something I have used much. No idea about the N105.

[Scrumbag]

For me, Li'L Gun likes a good crimp. I find it to make the barrel heat up faster than H110 does. Accuracy is good. With a mild crimp it burns dirty and SD for the velocity is all over the place. A good crimp really helps it.

VitaVuori powder is not something I have used much. No idea about the N105.

Thanks Piller, yes I think for the slow burners and heavier bullets a heavy crimp helps get everything nicely lit.

I have a soft spot for Viht Powder. Works well in lots of rifles, not temp sensitive in my experience (particularly the N1XX series) and here in Europe we can usually get it.

Scrummy