Reeder Custom Guns - Puffy (Jason) and I had some talks at the HHCs

and on the phone from time to time, as some Misfits have also mentioned. As I sit here in SW FL remembering the topic of "diminishing returns" he often spoke of, the 44Mag/445SM comparison is a good example. Even the Hornady Manual reads of the 200fps "advantage". And the 445 sends the heavier slugs down range with an extra kick, at a cost in recoil, to knockdown the silhouette iron better. I enjoy the 445SM, always have, but with care, the 44Mag will do at least 90% or more out of an equal length barrel. Hence, the diminishing returns that Puff often talked about. Each of us who handloads, have learned when enough is enough of a powder charge for any given bullet weight. There does come a time when we are wasting valuable materials for little, if any, return in performance.

Just thinking about Puffy and had some thoughts...

In the original form, a nominal 240 gr. at 750-850 fps, it's in the same class as the .45 ACP, but with better sectional density and penetration. But ramped up to the "Keith" levels and 1200 fps it serves a very large range of purpose. Keith advocated the ".44 Magnum" at this level, not the produced 1500 fps. But I don't remember him complaining too much. Maybe that even helped foster the .41 Magnum. Then in the 80's some wise elbow thought 300 gr.+ was needed. I remember JD and Kelly sponsoring 275 gr. bullets with truncated cone noses. Things went wild shortly after that. I have .41 moulds in that weight and more!

but mainly for long range shooting. The only reason I used them in hunting was because they were so durn accurate. I did not need the power.

On my old range in Oracle I had a 16" truck rim hung on a tripod at 400+ yards. My 300 gr. load would whack that pretty easily if I did everything correctly ... which I actually did sometimes!

Then .. shooting with Taffin and the Freedom Arms crew we shot extremely long ranges ... as if 400 yards wasn't long range. Ha! I could see the sights pretty well in those days. sigh

with about as much AA1680 that easily fits under it. Magnum caps help reduce unburned fouling. Boy is it accurate and not too vicious. If you are going to go .45 why not a 300 gr. You don't have to push it all that hard. Just over into 4-digits is plenty for me. The carbine likes it too. Trail Boss is even more easy for those times you want a lighter thumper, or to just lift the POA for the sights.

was like a canoe paddle compared to what I ended up with in the same Marlin, but in 45-70 with the 18" bbl/Guide Gun. My efforts to handload the 45-70 in that compact hunting package was a great learning experience. After 1,000's of rounds downrange, I had what worked for me...a 300gr. Nosler Partition (PP) designed for leverguns at 2100-2200fps that went to Africa and fulfilled the purpose. Of course, Nosler discontinued that bullet. I still have a box of 50 and a few others laying around.

Back in 1971, at the age of 17, my 24" 444 Marlin 1895 was limited to the 240gr. factory loads of the time or the Hornady 265gr. JFP handloads by my inexperience. LBTs never occurred to me until the 45-70. My handgun of choice, the Ruger Super Blackhawk, was my learning curve handloading 44Mag. hunting loads. Learning to handload with a purpose, instead of just having fun burning powder took a few years. Like Jim Taylor said, making those long range shots is a great pastime, mine was an old compact propane tank with the valve removed hanging from a tree.
Last I saw it, before moving to FL last year, it was like a giant chunk of swiss cheese still dangling from that old rope.

Today, we have a lot of choices. Doesn't hurt to have the means to try new firearms, bullets, powders, etc. to meet a different need or want.

I think alot about new people I see getting into handloading, hunting, shooting and home protection. Can't spend an hour or two in the local gun parlor without hearing the same questions I had back in the late 60's and early 70's. Being careful what we say and who we say it to can be irritating, but still helpful as encouragement to the next generation of shooters. I hope I'm long gone before these freedoms we enjoy with our craft are gone, but not forgotten.

At 65, being neither young nor really aged, yet, I figure I have 15-20 good years left, the Good Lord willing, to be a voice of whatever experience I can share. Gary's work and his forum are invaluable in teaching what works and how to be safe. Still, there is a whole lot of BS to avoid...I don't envy folks who get caught up with the latest fad.
Nothing can replace experience, yours or someone else's.

1200 FPS FOR THE .44 MAGNUM/#429421KT. His loads were right around 140-1450 fps.

and wanted them to come out with it (some 30 yrs. later). Of course all it began when #80 was all you could get to put in balloon cases. Perhaps it was in the 1200 fps range then, which I referenced. I have not read it in a while, it all runs together for me these days. With 2400 readily available it improved things considerably. I do remember reading his understated surprise that factory loadings were hotter than he anticipated. That would have had to been in the mid 50's for sure.

His bullets were bore ride and were some of the most accurate for a heavy bullet that I have shot. My records show that I was getting around 1 inch groups at 25 yards with the 300 grain 44 in a S&W M29.
My first one was in the 41 mould and then I later added the 357 and 44.
His molds were bought out by Peter Pi and never made anymore IIRC.
Occasionally, you may find them on ebay

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Looks like they make some of JD Jones heavy bullets. But if you look closely at the 44 320 grain, it is different in the larger lube grove on the bottom.

https://www.pennbullets.com/44/images/44320ssk.jpg

https://www.pennbullets.com/index.html

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My first hand gun was a SBH 44 mag. I do not have the reloading experience y'all have but I have executed hundreds of white tails. My experience has been to keep the weight of the pill within about 15% of the standard weight of the cartridge. Either way. No animal knows the difference of 300 grain or 240 grain. Give me the fps and roughly standard cartridge weight. I've had faster .41 mag bullets penetrate deeper than heavy ones. You guy can have that heavy recoil and burn more powder.

240gr XTP for the 44Mag, 300gr. JSP for the 45-70, 250-265gr. JFP/LBT for the 45LC, 170-210 for 41GNR, 240gr LBT for 41GNR#2, etc.

That 170 grain for the 41GNR is impressive. So is a 215 grain WFNGC in a hard cast. Shot an 8 pt. that was facing me head down in the neck. At 110 yards it went completely through length wise and was under the hide at the bottom of the hind leg.

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