Reload Question

[Tommy Gun]

I recently purchased a Desert Eagle which came with several hundred rounds of reloaded ammo; .50 AE & 44 Mag. Before I fired any of the reloads I examined them and made note of the reload numbers. One box of 44 Mag indicates it was loaded with 13.3 gr of Power Pistol Powder and 300 gr XTP Hard Jacketed Bullets. I find no Load data that indicates this is a proper, or safe, load. I plan to de-load all 100 rounds and reload with 8.4 gr All comments appreciated before I de-load and reload.

I'v been reloading for about a year and follow the reload data to the letter. This appears to be one of those situations where the time to de-load and reload is worth the effort. Somewhere between the "Start Load" and the "Never Exceed" would be acceptable, but with my data tables indicating 9.1 gr as the "Never Exceed," I have GREAT concerns.

[dave22250]

Tommygun,
Max load for 44 mag and 300 grn xtp is 9.1 grns in the power pistol load data,I would pull all of them and start over.

[versifier]

Welcome to the forum Tommy Gun.
Your concerns are valid. No sense taking chances. Pull them all. Before shooting it with your own reloads, have the barrel checked out by a competent gunsmith (i.e. one that knows DE's) for stress cracks in the chamber area. If the previous owner was shooting those seriously overpressure (beyond proof level, I believe) loads, the pistol may very easily have been damaged in not-so-obvious ways. I don't know a lot about DE's specifically, but I do know that gas operated actions are designed to function within certain pressure limits. Pushing them beyond that envelope puts great stress on parts that were not designed to take it, and the point where they fail is not always easily predictable. I have a BAD feeling about this one. Did he overload the .50AE's, too?

[klausg]

Tommy Gun-
Dittoes to the above posts, I would add that I wouldn't trust that the stuff is even Power Pistol, i.e. lose the powder also. I would pull everything and trash the powder, though this goes against my frugal nature. Welcome on board.

-Klaus

[Tommy Gun]

Thanks guys! You've confirmed my better judgement. De-Load and Re-load was, and is, my decision. And, I think, just to be safe, I'll toss (Dispose of - properly) the "Power Pistol" powder. Hadn't thought about it possibly being something other than "Power Pistol," so to be safe, I'll NOT reload with it. And, I think the suggestion to have the .44 barrell checked by a gunsmith is a good idea. If this guy over-loaded the batch I found, he certainly may have loaded, and fired other over-loaded charges.

Shoot 'em straight and shoot 'em safe!

[bigkev]

while your at it i'd replace the primers! who knows what's in there? better safe than sorry !!! big kev