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Author Topic: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?  (Read 1010 times)

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Offline rybo

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Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« on: May 18, 2010, 05:15:04 PM »
That isn't H110 or Unique.

H110 works great for my hunting type loads, and unique shoots horrible for me.

Looking for a mid power load to shoot mostly cast plinking rounds. Any help?
Thanks.
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Offline Kurt L

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2010, 06:10:08 PM »
I used to burn lots of blue dot for hard hitting lead loads in both.
that was 20 years ago.
I am sure some members will have newer ideas to help you.
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Offline cybin

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2010, 06:12:14 PM »
2400 works reasonably well

cybin
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Offline Bigeasy

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2010, 06:47:58 PM »
For years I have used 6.0 to 6.5 grains of red dot over a cast 240 / 250 grain bullet as an accurate plinking/small game load.  About 875 to 975 fps depending on the gun (44 mag's)  PS- Always check any load you hear of on line with a loading manual..

Larry
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Offline john keyes

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2010, 07:58:15 PM »
yeah I got tired of getting my ass whipped with H110.

I can shoot full house 45/70 H322 405 gr bullet slobber knockers and like it better than my little 1894P with H110 loads.  that little dude will sting ya. then you wanna fling the gun as far as you can.

anyway its sad that blue dot went bananas. it was some good stuff. 
Now I'm using the rest of a 8lb keg of green dot and its working out really well.  get a set of dippers, you would be surprised they are pretty useful with the fluffy powders.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2010, 08:16:38 PM »
You took the words right out on my mouth. W296/H110 for heavy loads and Unique for LIGHT loads. But for medium loads, 2400 would be a better choice than Unique for the 357 and 44 with either cast or jacketed using starting loads for the 2400. Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline ButlerFord45

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2010, 02:04:33 AM »
+1 for 2400
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Offline buck460XVR

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2010, 02:40:22 AM »
Quote from: rybo on May 18, 2010, 05:15:04 PM
That isn't H110 or Unique.

H110 works great for my hunting type loads, and unique shoots horrible for me.

Looking for a mid power load to shoot mostly cast plinking rounds. Any help?
Thanks.



..........at what levels are you shooting Unique? My guns don't like really light loads with Unique, but when you get to the middle to upper end of it's parameter it does well. I've  gotten to like IMR4227 for  loads in between Unique and H110/W296.
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Offline OLDHandgunner

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2010, 03:54:07 AM »
Another + for 2400.
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Offline bolewine

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2010, 12:44:32 PM »
I like tight group in my >357 and 38spc
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Offline wncchester

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2010, 01:32:50 PM »
They are magnums, use Unique for "light" loads and 2400 for max power with moderately heavy bullets.  Standard primers.
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Offline teamnelson

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2010, 01:51:30 PM »
Quote from: rybo on May 18, 2010, 05:15:04 PM
Looking for a mid power load to shoot mostly cast plinking rounds. Any help?

I'm using HS-6 in .44 and .38/.357 with swc bullets cast from wheel weights.
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Offline jedman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2010, 02:27:26 PM »
  + 1 for HS 6,   meters great , positiion insensetive, accurate, try it !!
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Offline rybo

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2010, 02:50:38 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
Just a bit more info.
I'm shooting 200 SWC in the 44 with 9.8-12.5 gr. 

The 357 standard 158 SWC with 5.4-6.5 gr

As an aside, I did get awesome groups with a 140 gr JHP in the 357, but that was the only one.
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Offline Dand

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2010, 03:19:26 PM »
I don't load for the 44 but do for 41 mag and 357. I like Unique but if your gun doesn't, I'm +1 on the 2400. Or for a long time I used Herco for cast in my 41 mag. Haven't used Herco in the 357.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #15 on: May 19, 2010, 03:44:36 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
Just a bit more info.
I'm shooting 200 SWC in the 44 with 9.8-12.5 gr. 

The 357 standard 158 SWC with 5.4-6.5 gr

As an aside, I did get awesome groups with a 140 gr JHP in the 357, but that was the only one.

Of Unique?

If One powder does not do it, try some thing else. Look at all these answers. If there was one that was THE magic powder, they would not sell much of the others.
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Online Lloyd Smale

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #16 on: May 19, 2010, 04:18:11 PM »
2400 again
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Offline dieselman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #17 on: May 19, 2010, 04:44:37 PM »
I like hp-38 for both with lswc's and I have also used true blue but, its dirty I think.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #18 on: May 19, 2010, 04:57:01 PM »
W296 & Accurate #5
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Offline Pumah25

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #19 on: May 19, 2010, 05:48:07 PM »
IMR 4227
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Offline Dand

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2010, 09:37:44 PM »
Swampman, if the OP doesn't like H110 why do you think he'd like 296 - its the same stuff?

I think he needs to explore the fast to medium burning powders with medium level loads.

Maybe he should explore the 44 Special equivalent loads for the 44 mag and 38 Special level loads for the 357. Its not hard to do with red dot, green dot and similar powders. I'm still a bit surprised he doesn't like Unique.  Maybe he should try the Hodgdon Clays series like Universal. They are cleaner burning. He could also try the Winchester Super Target and Super Field [??? I think??] powders. They worked for me in medium level 357 loads; but the powder is really fine and worked its way out of my Lee ProAuto Disk measure.
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Offline securitysix

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2010, 10:21:35 PM »
I'm not a fan of H110/WW296.  I don't load .44 Magnum, but I do load .45 Colt for a Ruger Blackhawk and .41 Magnum along with .357 Magnum.  I use Unique for my lighter loads in the .45 Colt and .357 magnum.  Haven't tried any lighter loads in the .41 magnum yet.  For my not quite so light loads, I use 2400 in the .357 and .41 mags and I like Lil'Gun for the .45 Colt, but Lil'Gun likes heavier bullets (think 240 grain and up in your .44 mag).

For the .357 and .41 Mag, if a max load of 2400 won't get me where I want to be...well, that's never happened.  I've been really happy with 2400.  If I couldn't use 2400, I'd probably give Blue Dot a closer look.  I've mostly been happy with it, I just like 2400 better. 

I also love Unique.  I use it for .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Special, and .45 ACP.  Once I get some .41 caliber lead bullets, Unique is the first powder I'll go to there, and once I run out of the old canisters of Bullseye I've been using to load .38 Special, I'll probably go to Unique for those, too.

But you don't like Unique, and that's fine.  Different strokes and all that. Like others have said, you might give Red Dot a look. 
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #22 on: May 20, 2010, 12:39:26 AM »
H110 & W296 is not the same stuff.  W296 is without a doubt the very best .44 mag powder.
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Offline GH1

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #23 on: May 20, 2010, 01:09:14 AM »
Have you tried Bullseye?  I use it in my .38/.357 target loads.
GH1 :)
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Online Lloyd Smale

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #24 on: May 20, 2010, 02:09:43 AM »
same powder just the possibility of differnt lots. Back 10 years ago there was enough variation between lots of it to make a small differnce. Now hogdon sells ww powders and its the same thing.
Quote from: Swampman on May 20, 2010, 12:39:26 AM
H110 & W296 is not the same stuff.  W296 is without a doubt the very best .44 mag powder.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #25 on: May 20, 2010, 03:27:45 AM »
Whatever
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Offline buck460XVR

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #26 on: May 20, 2010, 08:27:06 AM »
Quote from: Swampman on May 20, 2010, 03:27:45 AM
Whatever

If you don't believe Lloyd, maybe you'll believe the manufacturer, Hodgdon.  E-mail them and ask......I have. Otherwise go to their website and look at their load data. Every load recipe they list with H110/W296 is exactly the same. But you are correct,

Quote from: Swampman on May 20, 2010, 03:27:45 AM
W296/H110 is without a doubt the very best .44 mag powder
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #27 on: May 20, 2010, 08:57:51 AM »
They don't shoot the same.  The manuals list different loads for them.  I won't use 110 but I think 296 is the best .
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Offline High Brass

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #28 on: May 21, 2010, 07:18:10 AM »
For mild lead cast loads I have used TITEGROUP and Universal with excellent results in both cartridges.
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Offline JustaShooter

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Re: Good powder to double in 44 mag & 357 mag?
« Reply #29 on: May 21, 2010, 05:51:06 PM »
Quote from: Swampman on May 20, 2010, 12:39:26 AM
H110 & W296 is not the same stuff.  W296 is without a doubt the very best .44 mag powder.

It might have been different in the past, but today they are the same.  Period.  Here's an email from Hogdon:

Quote
OK, let me make this as clear as possible. The only difference between
H110 and Winchester 296 is the label on the container. There is no
other difference.

Mike Daly
Customer Satisfaction Manager
The Hodgdon Family of Fine Propellants
Hodgdon Smokeless Powders
Winchester Legendary Propellants
IMR Propellants
Pyrodex
Triple Seven
Goex Black Powder

If you don't believe me, ask them yourself: http://www.hodgdon.com/contactus.html

Just a Shooter
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