44 mag loads

[flexjr]

those of you who watch the single actions forum, know about my dumb luck find of my year, seville. i think i know what kind of loads i am wanting to use but am open to suggestions. i don't want this to be a heavy 44 special, i want some real 44 magnum loads for this gun.
thanks

[Graybeard]

Look in a reloading manual and use max book loads. We're NOT going to allow folks to post higher than book loads on this site. Clearly what you are looking to do is exceed safe and sane pressures and you're not getting those suggestions at this site.

[flexjr]

sorry greybeard. i am not wanting to exceed max. i just want to know what other people use in their guns, ie loads that work. i have a lipseys 44 special, don't really want to shoot hot 44 special loads in a revolver considerabley heavier than my flattop. basically i just want to know what shoots good in other people's guns to save some time and powder. this revolver is older than i am and i have no desire to blow it up anytime soon.

[Graybeard]

There is no better book max load than 24.0 grains of W296/H110 under a 240 grain bullet of your choice. I've yet to see a .44 magnum that doesn't shoot it accurately with any of the various 240 grain bullets I use. Works with jacketed or cast bullets.

[Catfish]

What GB said. I keep only 2 powders for handguns. I use Bullseye for plinking loads and Win-296 ( H-110) for hot loads. I load 296 in everything from .357 to 500 S&W. It give you the most velocity for chamber presure of any powder I know of and seem to be one of, if not the most, accurate powders for heavy loads. The best deer stopper I`ve found is a max. load of 296 under a 240 gr. Sierra hp. I`ve killed alot of deer with the .44 mag. and over the years have loaded them for several friends for deer, and that load seem to do the best in every gun it was shot in.

[buck460XVR]

There is no better book max load than 24.0 grains of W296/H110 over a 240 grain bullet of your choice.

I gotta agree......altho I usually put the powder UNDER the bullet. (Just jokin' GB )

The sweet spot for accuracy outta my PC M629 is just a tad below that.

IMHO, Accuracy of a load should always be the priority of load development........most of the time this is reached long before the limits of what a gun can handle. I never understood why folks like to beat up themselves and their guns with over max loads, just because they can.

[OLDHandgunner]

IMHO, Accuracy of a load should always be the priority of load development........most of the time this is reached long before the limits of what a gun can handle. I never understood why folks like to beat up themselves and their guns with over max loads, just because they can.

I totally agree.

[Graybeard]

Over/Under whatever works.  Some times I'm not fully awake when making these posts. Maybe I was standing on my head that day.  Dat's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[High Brass]

To go along with what Graybeard said, my experience is 23-24gr of 296/H110 under a 240 JHP is pretty much the standard magnum load in 44 mag.  Another one would be 21gr of 2400 under the same weight JHP.  Magnum primers are needed for 296/H110 but not for 2400.

[Glanceblamm]

+6 here as I started up the scale with the Hornady's third edition manual. 23.6 to 24.2gr of that 296 and the 240gr bullet works great.

I am also working up a load using 2400 & the 265gr FP that is showing great promise.

Here are some "easy recoiling" loads from the John Taffin writings.

Special Pleasure Loads for the .44 Magnum:
                      Bull-X 240 SWC

6.5 gr. HP38          851
6.0 gr. WW452AA         860
7.5 gr. WW231         914
7.0 gr. BullsEye         971
12.0 gr. Blue Dot         992
12.0 gr. HS-6         1041
8.5 gr. Unique         1065
19.5 gr. H4227         1109
10.5 gr. Herco         1132

[jimone]

I shoot 10 rnds of .22 for every centerfire round, 10 rnds of light loads for every hot one.

[flipajig]

my two powder choices for my 44mag are
HP38/W231 (same pdr)6.6 grn 240 cast
2400 19.5 for cast 20 for 240 JHP 22 for 200 JHP..

[Boxhead]

I suggest you find a copy of Hodgdon's #26 Data Manual. This and their website are all one really needs to handload about anything IME. Just last week I used a CPBC 275 gr WFN at a leasurely 1200 fps in an OMSBH to take this guy. I spined him while he was running away, his rear end dropped as he turned, a second through the head and lights out. Both shots were pass throughs.

[ccoker]

23g of IMR 4227 with a Keith 250g in my Smith PC 6.5" is a great load

[Drilling Man]

  I've been useing 23.0 of H-110 with a 250 grain hard cast SWC bullet since the 70's, and it still works perfectly for my hunting needs.  I have no reason to change a thing...

  DM

[Ole Man Dan]

There is nothing wrong with the old 10 Grains of Unique under a 240 to 270 WFN Hard cast.
(J.T. used to shoot it a lot.  Who am I to argue with him?)
It seems to shoot well and most shots are 'Pass-thru' shots.  I shoot it in 4 5/8" to 7" Rugers.
I've also been known to shoot other 'Light Loads' like 20 Grains of 2400 behind a 240 to 270 too...   
My 'Heavy loads' are all 296 and now days are less than 'Maximum'.

Over the years I have moved away from shooting 'Heavy Loads'.  I find that I shoot better with Mid-Range type loads.  Clint Smith has a fondness for carrying a .44 loaded with medium loads of 231.  I'm not gonna argue with him either.

Even in heavy/strong pistols, you should try to stay away from the very 'HOT' loads. 
You can only kill an animal so dead...
Besides; my pistol has nothing to prove. 

[Hook686]

What is a 'Lipseys .44 Special' ?

[bubbinator]

I  really like a Sierra 180gr.JHC over 29 gr.s of H110/WW296  out of my Ruger SBH. The manual says 1700 fps for the Ruger and  other sources say 2100/2200 fps from a Ruger aArbine. Speer #8 was my load source.  Is it not wierd that the loads get lower every revision?  Here in AL the deer are not too large and most of my trgets are not active at point of DRT!  In 30+ yrs no complaints or regrets.

[Mikey]

Boxhead - nice piggy.

[Dave in WV]

A: find a load that's accurate in your handgun.
B: practice with the hunting load sparingly.  Full .44 mag loads can help develop a flintch if you fire too many rounds at each practice session. If it hurts to shoot, it ain't going to get easier or hurt less if you bear down and keep shooting.
C: Find your maximum accurate range and limit your hunting to that range or less.

Good luck and good hunting. Dave

[ccoker]

ran out of IMR 4227, wanted to try something different than 2400 and was looking for 1150-1200 FPS with the 250g Keith hardcast
ended up getting some AA#7 and 15g had me grouping about 2" at 75 yards with a red dot off the bench
should be close to my desired FPS, will chrono at the lease next weekend (can't chrono at the indoor range)

I took the T1 off the gun, want to try it open sight for a while
been hitting some defensive training classes and want to work on the handgun for a bit

[archer9926]

 And also.....

To go along with what Graybeard said, my experience is 23-24gr of 296/H110 under a 240 JHP is pretty much the standard magnum load in 44 mag.  .

  Has worked great for me as well with cci mag pistol primer and 240gr jhp and/or  hard cast in both my Marlin 1894 rifle and super redhawk.

[Lloyd Smale]

I own many 9 44mags right now and 4 44 specials and to print all my favorite loads would take near a book. Out of all of these guns and the 44s ive had in the past i dont think any two shared a favorite load. the only way your going to find out what your gun likes is to start buying differnt powder and primers and bullets and or molds and make sure when your buying primers you buy a bunch because its going to take a while. Then if a guy wants a light a medium and a heavy load for each youll end up shooting thousands of test rounds in search of the holy grail for that gun. It all comes down to what you call accuracy. Some guys are happy if they can roll a coffee can at 25 yards. Me I usually end the fight when i can get a 2 inch group at 50 yards. Some guns are just not capable of doing it and will take you on a long ride finding it out. Bottom line is a 2 inch at 25 or 4 inch at 50 yard gun is good enough for about any hunting chore.  Using someone elses load data is about a waste of time. Your better off buying a box of bullets and looking at a load manual.

[FN in MT]

  Unless your after elk or moose...one really doesn't need too much for deer with a .430" slug. I've killed a bunch of them with .44 spcl's and the 429421 Keith slug over 7.5 of Unique.

  In the magnum I use 22 of 2400 and a 250-260 gr lead Keith SWC or LBT design. I've shot clear THROUGH a few cow elk with that load. Is that enough??

FN in MT

[flexjr]

  Unless your after elk or moose...one really doesn't need too much for deer with a .430" slug. I've killed a bunch of them with .44 spcl's and the 429421 Keith slug over 7.5 of Unique.

  In the magnum I use 22 of 2400 and a 250-260 gr lead Keith SWC or LBT design. I've soot THROUGH a few cow elk with that load. Is that enough??

FN in MT

yes that sounds like enough to me. i have been playing with the oregon trail 310 at around 1200 fps. it kicks but at 35 yards i got it into a half inch with four shots after changing my grip after the first shot. this gun will mostly be hunted with as i have that 44 special to practice with. i figure this gun'll end up shooting elmer's load. it was built durring elmer's time and i figure that is what it will like. elk and or moose are both on my list with this gun and it hates 44 special level loads.

[BPS slayer]

My load for deer/hogs is 19 grains of 2400 under the WFNGC Beartooth bullet. My S&W 29 6 7/8" likes this, and it is easy to handle.

[Default_Required]

         I have to second Bill's recommendation since that is my 240gr bullet load hahaha ; 24.0 W296 under 240gr RNFP slugs , And works equally well with the numerous copper coated candies I have tried with this charge from my SBH and 44 mag rifle.

 I'm also fond of the 300gr XTP ( over IMR 4227 ) out of the two mentioned 44 mags with good to very good results and have had great success both in accuracy and perfomance on game loading the same XTP in the 444 Marlin over Alliants' Reloder 7

[luckydawg13]

my 14" tender loves 24gr of H110 and 240gr XTP

[gunoil]

14.0gr of blue dot and a 240 xtp shoot's good in my encore   WORM

[gunoil]

14.0gr of blue dot and a 240xtp shoot's good in my encore WORM