[fmj]

Originally Posted by jpattersonnh

That is a pretty light load for .44mag., I would not worry.

I've pushed 'em with 20 or 20.5 gr 2400 before...the patterns REALLY open up...with 18.5 gr. the wife can do 5 in 1" (better than me) so i figure feed it what it wants eat.

I really dont see a need for 300 gr bullets or anything like that. the 240 HPs will dump a deer or pretty much anything in this neck of the woods, for that matter, pretty handily.

[JonM]

Originally Posted by fmj

Thanks guys...i AM learning here!! or trying to at any rate aint never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed...but i'm still in the shed

On the subject of plated/jacketed...

i am looking at .44 mag bullets for use in the Ruger carbine. I use 18.5 gr 2400 under a 240 gr. JHP...the gun really seems to like to eat those best. MidwayUSA has a good price on 240 gr. plated HPs. This is why i bring up the question/topic.

check with the manufactuer of the plated bullets. they have operating ranges that if you go over the recomended fps can cause severe copper fouling.

[therewolf]

Powder charge uniformity matters, IMO, more than increase or

decrease of .1 grain overall. The more uniform you can make the

charge, the more uniform your bullets are going to shoot.

Cases just eventually wear out. Scrap 'em. the yard is paying what?

@ $1.60/lb for yellow brass right now?

[robocop10mm]

The straight walled cases can actually shrink with age. The sizing is effected on the up stroke of the press, while the case is going IN to the die. Friction can displace the brass down. With a bottleneck case there is also an expander button that goes into the case prior to sizing. That button gets pulled through the mouth when the case is removed from the die. This friction can and will stretch the mouth of the case. The main body does not stretch, the mouth does.

I have never had to trim straight walled cases. Bottleneck case (except .357Sig) get checked every time and trimmed when they get close to max.