2400 Smokeless Powder
Modern Smokeless Powders
For the 44 W.C.F.
**I will add more powders and targets as I go**
"2400"
Hercules 2400 was introduced in 1932. Old H2400 rifle data showed a load of 27.5gr for 2,100fps @ 33,000 pounds of chamber pressures with a Winchester 200gr JSP bullet. 200gr lead bullet loads were up to 26.8gr and gave 1,910fps @20,000 pounds of chamber pressure. Again I must assume C.U.P.
Sharpe's 1937 lists 26.8gr of 2400 with a 200gr lead bullet with a seating depth of .308" at 1,910fps @ 20,000 cup, and notes is was recommended by Hercules.
Eventually 2400 was manufactured under the Aliant brand and is still in use. Unfortunately I never tried comparable bullet diameter loads with 2400. I do think if someone used a .427" lead bullet rather than larger diameter bullets, 20gr would be around 15,000cup, although the larger diameter bullets I did use resulted in 17,000psi to 21,000psi which should be close to 21,000cup (17,000psi) to 30,000 cup (maybe 21,000psi)..
Personally, I have no desire to try it as it would kick as good as or worse than normal 44 Mag loads.
16gr of 2400 works well in revolvers with a 200gr bullet. This older target was the result of using a 44 Special designed Speer GDHP bullet. However, Lyman's 49th used a Speer JHP with this 16gr load and claims 11,900cup. My result with the published load created 1,300fps from a 20" barrel @ 8,992psi.
To be clear, SAAMI max pressures are as follows:
11,000psi is equal to 13,000cup. Although we can use (CUP x .846) to equal (psi) for the 44-40 SAAMI test loads...this is only for close proximity pressures and great caution should be used when venturing further into the unknown. With my pressure testing, using Lyman's "Strong Action Loads", I was able to relate those loads with the formula and came close to Winchester's reported 22,000cup. I found that 18,000psi should put us in the 22,000cup range.