Reeder Custom Guns - .44 Mag. over .454 Casull

Gary, and all Misfits, I have both a .44 magnum, and a .454 Casull. I'll probably never hunt, or be threatened by anything big and bad enough to require .454 power/ballistics, at least I think I won't. The .454 is fun to shoot, for a few rounds anyway and I like the gun, a Ruger Toklat. My .44 is a 4 5/8" SBH, is that all a guy really needs for the lower 48, including the big bears? I'm not quite to the point of selling the Toklat but I sometimes wonder why I have it.

I don't have the need for Factory or Factory Equivalent Loads in the 454 Casull. I usually use the max recommended charge of Longshot Powder behind the 250 grn XTP. This load equals typical 44 Magnum power and uses less powder than a hunting load in the 357 Magnum.

The 44 Magnum requires no explanation. With it's ability to handle 44 Special loads, it's as close to a do all revolver cartridge in existence.

Shoot 44 special cartridges or use 44 special loads in 44 Mag cases in your 44 magnums?

I've always been somewhat obsessed with the 45 Colt and 44 Special. The 44 Magnum, not so much.

No doubt it's a fine cartridge though and I have a number of them. But, the 44 Special is just so historic.

I think it's straight up B.S. about not shooting 44 Special in 44 Magnum, 45 Colt in 454 Casull, etc.

This was started when (allegedly) 454s blew up due to carbon buildup in the cylinder from shooting 45 Colts in them. I can't say whether it's true or not. If so, I wonder who would let a gun get that dirty?

A lot of this information has surrounded Freedom Arms' very tight chambers. But, the chambers in my BFR 454 accept a .001" smaller pin gauge than my FA83 did.

I love my FA guns, but shoot them just like any others.

With loading 44 special loads in a 44 mag case. I have a lot of 44 mag brass and no 44 spl. Gonna load some light loads for my two S&Ws.

Use light 44 MAGNUM loads from the manual... the case capacity and air space specifically can make a difference in the way the powder acts and pressure builds.

The simple answer is just don’t do it.

I will get some 44 spl brass for light plinking loads

Use Unique, 231 or HP38, Universal and I'm sure other powders and mimic any 44 Special load. Highly recommend against reducing the magnum powders...

Agree with Huey, it has been common practice to down load all types of rounds for plinking etc even blackpowder loads now and years ago. Titegroup is at present my favorite powder for this because it is not direction sensitive and gives low extreme spreads. Have used it in just about everything I shoot for plinking loads with great accuracy. Over the years have used most fast pistol powders in different rounds

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You said 44 spl loads in a Magnum case. I never said you couldn’t download a 44 mag...

Buy a load manual. Do not listen to any of us.

Keep both you have a DA and SA shoot 45 in 454 and shoot 44 special in the 44/mag both are a hoot...Varaity is fun ...

That being said. Most of us have used that money to fund a new interest. Personal education , in my opinion, is a wealth beyond most formal education. How would you know without doing it. Doing it will give you a outlook you won’t get by asking everybody opinion or just reading about it.
I say sell it and start a new interest, explore a new caliber! I have come a long ways from my first 45LC Flattop. And have enjoyed every minute of it
I regret selling some guns but the ones I have now because of it make up for it and then some. For me and way

best of both worlds. 454 case and 44 bullet. 454 power and 44 recoil.

conversion of your SBH to 429 GNR. The 429 is rapidly becoming my favorite caliber.

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