SD load for 44 mag.

[Dusty Miller]

I'm looking at loading a 180 gr. JHP with 29 gr. of H110 and anticipate an MV of near 1400 fps.  If the 125 gr. JHP at 1300 fps is a good perp stopper in the .357 mag. then it seems to me that this load should be at least as good without having to worry so much about over penetration.  Whatta you guys think, am I on the right track?  (Please, lets not talk about using reloads for self-defense, that poor dead horse has been beaten enough!)

[Dusty Miller]

Now I read in my Hodgdon manual that 29 gr. of H110 under that bullet is good for 1700 fps, but that's out of an 8 inch barrel and my gun is a 4"er.  I'll have to chronograph it to be sure.

[Gregory]

I used a 180 gr with 25 gr 2400 for my deer hunting for a couple of seasons and at dawn or dusk there was one heck of a fireball.  I imagine your load with 29 gr H110 will at least blind anyone nearby if you touch one off in the dark.    :eek:

I'd be more inclined to load 44 Specials at 1200 fps with a more moderate charge of powder.   In fact I plan to work with my Smith 624 this summer and work up a load using a supply of 200 gr Nosler JHP's I have.

[SAWgunner]

I very rarely take my .44 Mag along for self Defense, but when I do I load them with CORBON 165 gr JHPs...the box says Velocity of 1300 fps and 619 ft lbs of energy.  I stopped reloading SD loads for my .44 because these work so good, and they do wonders in my ballistic gelatin recipe I got off the internet.  Although you are sick of hearing it, that dosen't mean you should ignore the Hand loaded SD ammo thing.  But anyway, when I found these, I stopped trying to load an SD round for my SB.

[Greybeard]

I believe you'll find you're getting way more than 1400 fps with that load. Now I used to use 12 grains of Unique with the Hornady 180 JHP that they made before the XTPs came out. This was a load used in Metallic Silhouette competition and it really took down the NRA rams with authority but had less recoil than the 240 grain loads for longer shooting sessions.

I tried it ONCE on deer. I made a broadside lung shot and found the bullet under the hide on the far side. I think that would have passed thru any human and exited personally. Only the thick tough hide stopped it on the deer.

I think if you're thinking you'll not get exits on humans with the bullet you're wrong. I believe it will blow thru pretty much 100% of the time. But it will sure enough end the fight.

[Cheesehead]

I have done the same thing for home defense. A maximum charge of 2400 under a .429 Remington 180 grain coming out of my model 29 with a 5 inch barrel. The only problem is the EXTREME muzzle flash. There must be a powder available with less muzzle flash but I do not know what it is. Other than the muzzle flash thing I agree this would be a most effective sd round.

Cheese

[Dusty Miller]

I put those 29 grains of H110 into my 44 mag cases yesterday and it scared the live'n daylights out of me!  That load is ALMOST a compressed load and it is the lightest load listed for that bullet/powder combination.   :?  The heaviest load is over 32 grains and quite frankly I don't think that much H110 will fit into a 44 mag. case.   :shock:   I'm afraid I'll end up dismantling a bunch of these cartridges.

[Dusty Miller]

I shot'm today and I'm here to tell ya that load is just TOO MUCH for a 4" S&W 629.  It was OK in my 56 oz. Colt Anaconda but they'd ruin that 629 if I fed it a steady diet of that stuff.

[JD11]

I think if you're thinking you'll not get exits on humans with the bullet you're wrong. I believe it will blow thru pretty much 100% of the time. But it will sure enough end the fight.

I'm sure inclined to agree.   As suggested elsewhere, I'm only loading 5.3 grains of Titegroup with 180 gr. Sierras for my light weight 329 S&W for enjoyable plinking.   Not exactly a scientific test, but I fired a round into a 4X4 and even that super-light load penetrated 2".

[ricciardelli]

With the risk of falling under the wrath of one of the "moderators" of this system, here is MY .44 special load:

Bullet: Sierra 180 Grain Jacketed Hollow Cavity  
Powder: 15.5 grians of 2400          
Primer: CCI-350          
Case: Federal          
Firearms: Charter Arms Bulldog          
Velocity: 1,000 FPS @ 15' from the muzzle

I have also fired this load in my Ruger Super Blackhawk.

Although this is quite a load for the little Bulldog it is quite managable in the Ruger.

I carried, for awhile, the Bulldog with this load.  However, I found it blinding at nightime, and follow-up shots were difficult to place properly at all times.  But, it was fun to shoot.

I now carry either 9MM, .357 Magnum or .45ACP, depending on the time of year.

[Dusty Miller]

I've loaded up some of those 180s with 12.8 gr. of AA5.  A note I put in my AA loading manual a year or two back bills that as a "good load".  The book sez 14.8 gr. gives me 1420 fps and that's not what I want.  If the 12.8 load puts me in the 1100-1200 fps range then that's what I'll use.  A 180 gr. JHP at 1100+ fps should be a solid man stopper.  If me and the Mrs. have one more argument this morning then I'll split for the range and try it out.  Gee, what can I do to irritate her? :-D

[ricciardelli]

Stay tuned for CSI: Kalifornia