New Indiana guy with a new handi

[mrcoolid]

Hi
I just purchased my first handi in 44 mag from a gun shop in Scott county called Cabin Fever. I am planning on reloading the 44 for deer hunting mostly. I live north east of Charlestown and I bow hunt, muzzle load, slug gun, and pistol hunt. I took one large doe with my bow, and one at Muscatatuck with the muzzleloader this fall. I love those steaks. I chunk up some for salami at Webb's in Paynesville Ky. That is good stuff too...

As far as the handi... I have cleaned it and ordererd a scope and rings. They should be here this week...
I can't wait to shoot it.

If anybody has a recipe for the 44 mag that works for them, I would appreciate it.

I load some 180 gr cast performance bullets for the .357 and some xtp's for gp100.. they shoot great!

This will be my first reloading chore for the 44 mag.

Anyway, great forum... lots to learn.

Thanks

Mike

[Lon371]

Mike welcome

  I know Cabin Fever, Squire is one of the good ole boys. Left a few dollars in that place. Where are you north of Charlestown, Otisco area? I run through that area on occasion. I live over towards salem on 160.

 As far as the .44 goes. I am still shooting factory stuff along with some weak reloads. Cant help you there. But if you search .44 up in  the Handi forum should be loads of info there.  Probably a few fellars here will have a couple loads for ya. I can pull some out of a book if you need. Just give me a yell.

Lonny

[mrcoolid]

I live near the boyscout camp on tunnel mill rd...

I sometimes hunt in clark state forest off 160...

I will do a seach and see what I can come up with...

thanks

Mike

[Dinny]

I live near the boyscout camp on tunnel mill rd...
I sometimes hunt in clark state forest off 160...
I will do a seach and see what I can come up with...
thanks
Mike

Mike,
  Welcome! We're lucky to have you here in our forum.    I handload for 44 Mag, but don't own a Handi in that caliber. I shoot 240gr XTPs out of a Ruger 44 Mag semi-auto rifle. Hodgdon has ample load data on their website.  I have found that Hodgdon Lil Gun is quickly pulling away from all other powders as being my favorite due to it's low pressures and versatility.  I load it in the .22 Hornet, 44 Mag, 357 Mag, and .45LC.
  I have previously had a residence North of Charlestown on Hwy 3, just South of the Concrete Lady about 1/8th mile.  I still have permission to hunt out there and will most definitely be back for turkeys in the Spring.  Maybe Lonny, you, and I can arrange a meeting the next time we're all in town. We'll go shoot something, even if it's just an adult beverage and a little horse pucky.

Thanks, Dinny

[Lon371]

I live near the boyscout camp on tunnel mill rd...

I sometimes hunt in clark state forest off 160...

I will do a seach and see what I can come up with...

thanks

Mike

Mike I know your area a little. I know where the camp is. I also took a wild ride down that big hill Tunnel Mill, clutch went out

The forestery has some good squirrel hunting along 160, do that on occasion.

Like Dinny said we will have to meet up.

Lonny

[ELMO]

  Hi MIke
   I have two of the Handi rifles in .44 mag and both are very accurate guns. I load my rounds with 24.0 grains of W296 and I use the Hornady 240gr XTP bullet also. The half dozen deer shot over the last two seasons with this bullet/load combination either dropped right there or ran less than 50 yards before expiring. The .44 mag really does a good job on whitetail deer and I'll use it now more than my slug guns. Good luck with your gun and there is a good selection of reloading bullets to try in this caliber.....

[mrcoolid]

Dinny

The area you must be talking about is near Harry Hughes road? I would like to find one of the old model 44 ruger semi's in good shape... and I have been wanting try some of that lil gun stuff. its on my to do list.

Lonny
That hill can be a treacherous when slick as well...

Elmo
That's what I am talking about... I have some 296... and thanks for sharing your experience with the load on the deer...

I think this is a great forum...

thanks

Mike

[Dinny]

Dinny
The area you must be talking about is near Harry Hughes road?

Yes, the farm is just South of Harry Hughes Rd.  I have two full boxes of those 240gr XTPs. If you want a few to try, let me know and I will send you some.

BTW, We always ask the new guys if they have seen any wild/feral hogs.  Seen or heard of anyone seeing any? Heard any farmers complaining about unusual crop damages?

Thanks, Dinny

[mrcoolid]

Dinny
I have not heard anybody talking about the ferals at all...  I work with a guy that lives south of H.H rd. His name is Johnny Johnson.  I hunt a place sometimes just past the racetrack, but I come in from Jack Teeple rd. I believe that is the opposite side of the road you are talking about. Eickholz also has a large farm near there.

Me and a buddy went to Bass Pro and Dick's and Kieslers today just for something to do...

Bass Pro has 10,000 winchester large pistol primers... and no 44 ammo or bullets.

Keisler/Orion has Handi's in 44 mag for $249, they have several nef/hr guns. They also have the 240 XTP bullets and the FTP (Like the leverevolution) in 44 mag. They do not have loaded ammo for the 44, that I saw anyway.

I appreciate the offer, but I am going to load some this week. Thanks!

By any chance do you know Scott Ham?

[Dinny]

Mike,
  The only folks I know out there are the Woods brothers.

Thanks for the info.

-Dinny

[matthewquigley]

 
i have a 44 handi  also several guys i hunt with have them too    i have shot many many diff loads for them and here is what i have found that works the bullets have to be .430 dia and up the .429 will shoot like crap!    i load for all of us i use WLP (win) primers and Win cases trimmed with a lee case trimmer and
we use 300 xtp with 18.0 grains of accurate arms #9   i cast a 310 grain lee gas check mold that i water drop wheelwights sweetened with 1-2 % tin shot as cast and i use my home cooked lube and we load those over 21.5 grains of H110 or 296    also have had fantastic accuracy with mt baldy 250 gr  keith  .431 or 240 XTP over 24.0 H110 or 296 and serious crimp    the 300-310s shoot into sub 2 in groups   240 -250 shoot into sub inch groups (my handi does 1 ragged hole groups with the mt baldy load but i have not hunted with it yet) my bullet lube is easy too (13oz jar of vaseline,1lb canning wax gulf brand 2 large dripping tablespoons of STP oil additive and six REAL crayola crayons and then microwave!! after its melted add a 3 oz jar of vaseline stir well    seem to do as well as LBT soft blue)  but i have only shot up to 2000 fps with it.
  as far as sizing goes i hand honed a lee sizer and these cast behemoths are @ .432 and does not size just wipes the bullet clean after we dip lube and let cool   these 310 cast   have a 39 cal metplat   and they knock the snot out of deer out to 125 yrds  hope it helps
as with any loads from the web start low and work up loads                 

[matthewquigley]

  oh and so far we have NOT recovered any of these bullets from deer    no matter what shot angle   and some of them were 200lbs deer    one of the guys uses the 310 cast load in a model 29 to dispatch hogs we butcher it flattens them too  and passes thru

[mrcoolid]

Thanks M.Q. for the post...

I shot the 240xtp yesterday...it was a -1 or 2 degree wind chill, but I wanted to dial the scope in and shoot this new rifle. I used 24gr of 296 and WLP. That is good shooting bullet. Next step for me is cast loads and more shootin.

Your home cooked lube concoction sounds interesting also... I can just see my wifes face when I make up something like that...   

I was wondering about polishing out the sizer die...

Oh and the rifle... very accurate in my short time at the range..