What do you consider a heavy or hot load for the 44?

[KenSel]

I'm interested in what you guys consider a heavy or hot load for the 44 Mag.  I'm loading 240gr. bullets up with 2400 and W296 with a muzzle velocity between 1300 and 1350fps and they don't seem to have very much recoil out of my 5" 629 Classic.  I'm using max loads out of my manuals but I'm wondering if I can squeeze a little more out of them especially because I want to use them in my Handi-rifle as well.  So far my Smith and my Handi both like 2400 pushing a 240gr. Oregon Trail cast bullet at 1300fps from the Smith and about 1800 from the Handi. 

thanks,
Ken

[700xcr]

I'm interested in what you guys consider a heavy or hot load for the 44 Mag.  I'm loading 240gr. bullets up with 2400 and W296 with a muzzle velocity between 1300 and 1350fps and they don't seem to have very much recoil out of my 5" 629 Classic.  I'm using max loads out of my manuals but I'm wondering if I can squeeze a little more out of them especially because I want to use them in my Handi-rifle as well.  So far my Smith and my Handi both like 2400 pushing a 240gr. Oregon Trail cast bullet at 1300fps from the Smith and about 1800 from the Handi. 

thanks,
Ken

I have load 24.0grs. of WW296 with a Hornady 240gr. XTP to shoot out of a Ruger Super Redhawk and Blackhawk. Then had a buddy try them in his Smith 629 and I that the 629 was going to blow apart.  I would stick with the manuals.

[KenSel]

700 xcr,  I'm loading 25 grains of W296 behind the XTP bullet in my smith right now and it doesn't seem very stought.  I can certainly tell the difference between it and my target loads but it's nothing to write home about.  I was just curious to see if the max load is actually higher than what my manual says.  I'll have to do a search online and see what I can dig up.  I know some of the Buffalo Bore ammo has a velocity of around 1450fps.

[myronman3]

i consider it a "hot" load if it is near or at max listing in the reloading book.   call me a sissy, but i rarely even dink with full power loads and would NEVER exceed listed top loads.   if the max loads dont do it,  you nee a bigger caliber.

[Graybeard]

I think the questions that need to be asked are why you want MORE and what do you think a little more is going to do for you? I think you fail to understand the theory of operation for short fat heavy bullets to begin with.

Straight wall handgun cartridges as a group do not kill via tremendous velocity and even if pushed beyond max safe and sane pressure limits the velocity is at best SLOOOW as compared to even a supposedly under powered round like the old .30-30.

So what you need to be doing rather than looking for velocity is to look at how they kill and what do you need to do to increase that killing power IF in fact you feel more of it is needed.

Such rounds ie., straight walled handgun cartridges kill by punching a BIG hole REAL DEEP into the vitals of game. To do that all you really need is 1000 fps or a bit more and a great big fat heavy bullet. So if you really want to up the killing power or effectiveness of the .44 magnum what you need to do is to get you some 300-325 grain cast bullets with a wide meplat and load them to that 1000 fps or a little more.

Do that and you have maximized the effectiveness of the round. Velocity is NOT KING in straight walled handgun rounds and until you realize and accept that you just don't have a proper understanding of them.

[mcwoodduck]

Do you want recoil, horse power, or sizzle?
If you want recoil, then go with a biggest  bullet as fast as possible.  If you want horse power ( Bullet energy) try a 265 grain JFP with 17 grains of 2400 (Data out of the Alliant Powder book) for 1300 Fps,  if you want speed go with a 180 JHP or JSP and 23.3 grains of 2400 for 1760 FPS (Same source).
I would stay with what gives you the best of all three worlds.  Accuracy in both the Smith and the Handi and the HP to do what you want it to do.  A load can have the biggest recoil, loudest crack, and most horse power but if it groups 4" at 25 yards who wants it if it sails right past the target?  Most of us want accuracy within certain limits.  240 grains X to Y fast that will group under 1.5" at 100 yards for the rifle and 2" out of the revolver at 25 yards or what ever your looking for.
I'm not recoil sensitive but I also don't like to check my fillings after each shot.  If you want more recoil out of your Smith change the grips to a combat pair that are really thin in the back and made out of hard rubber like the Uncle Mikes or Pachmyers.
I reload Blue dot with the 180 only to 1000 FPS for bowling pins in my M29 with the smooth target grips and a 6" barrel.  Basically a hot special that is a sweet heart to shoot.   I have also loaded a few 180's with 19 grains and when you shoot it at dusk it's a fireworks show.  Wear your sunglasses!

[KenSel]

Graybeard,  it's not that I want more of anything out of my pistol.  I'm just curious to my tolerance of recoil in a handgun.  I just bought my 44 a few months ago and before that I mostly only shot auto pistols except for a few 22s' and 357s'.   I'm very happy with my 2 hunting loads in my 629 right now, a 240gr. bullet traveling 1300 to 1350 fps will do anything I need it to do at my max effective range of 25 yards.  I may get more proficient after a lot more practice and expand my range to 50 yards, but those same 2 loads will still handle anything I'll be shooting at.  I would like to get a little more out of my Handi but it's certainly not needed; I'm more of a centerfire rifle guy but I'm moving it IN in a few months and won't be able to use my various rifles, so I'm trying to get all I can out of my Handi.

Oh and I wanted to do some penetration and expansion testing using my handi and some 240gr. Oregon Trail cast bullets.  I set up a compressed stack of magazines 6" thick in front of a sandbag 4" thick at 50 yards.  The bullet passed throug all the test media easily and did some pretty devastating damage to the back of the magazines and the sand bag.  So I know all about the effectiveness of a heavy flat lead bullet.   Now I just have to find a live critter to put one of these into.

I appreciate everyones feedback, I was just curious as to see how stout of recoil the 44 produced and if I could handle it, not that I'll ever need it.

thanks,
Ken

[Graybeard]

An experienced handgunner who has worked their way up the recoil ladder should not be able to load a safe round that will give enough recoil to be overly concerned about. It really should not test your ability to handle recoil.

For the rifle if you are really wanting to maximize it I'd likely load one of the 265s intended for the .445 over a max charge of W296 or if you can find one a wee bit slower powder still and use that or a 270 Gold Dot. Or you could do same with a 300 grain. One of those would do all a .44 mag can do from a rifle safely. If you need more get a .445 or .444 Marlin.

[jhalcott]

  Ken, there are few loads that will shoot PERFECT scores from a rifle AND a handgun. Even 2 guns ,same make and model may not shoot the same load well.