Recommend a good .44 Special Load

[jason280]

I need a good mid level .44 Special load to shoot through a 3" Taurus 431.  I don't want anything too heavy, maybe a 240gr hardcast bullet at around 650fps.  Thanks!

[Gregory]

I've had good luck with W-231, when I had a S&W Model 696.  You can find recommended loads here:

http://www.wwpowder.com/data/handgun/44swspec.php

[44 Man]

Well, I have a bunch of 240 cast LBT's loaded over 5 grains of bullseye.  They do 740 out of a 4" bbl and are very pleasant to shoot.  Surprisingly, they hammer whatever they hit much harder than you would expect from that velocity.  I would think that 6.5 gr of Unique would do about the same.  I usually shoot 7.3 grains of Unique under a 240 cast bullet for about 850 most of the time.  For defence I load 8 grains of Unique with a 200 gr jacketed hollow point.  That's a great load in my 3" Charter!  44 Man

[Almtnman]

I need a good mid level .44 Special load to shoot through a 3" Taurus 431.  I don't want anything too heavy, maybe a 240gr hardcast bullet at around 650fps.  Thanks!

I like to load 240 grain hardcast bullets up with 5.0 grains of Bullseye and shoot in my Ruger SBH, but it has a 7.5 inch barrel and they make a very good practice round and are capable of killing a whitetail deer out to about 50 yards. If you want to stay in the 650fps range, try 4.5 grains of Bullseye with a 240 grain hardcast bullet.

[S.B.]

240 grain lead bullet over 7.5 grains of Unique gives 750 fps. Try using a little less powder?

[Lloyd Smale]

what he said!

Well, I have a bunch of 240 cast LBT's loaded over 5 grains of bullseye.  They do 740 out of a 4" bbl and are very pleasant to shoot.  Surprisingly, they hammer whatever they hit much harder than you would expect from that velocity.  I would think that 6.5 gr of Unique would do about the same.  I usually shoot 7.3 grains of Unique under a 240 cast bullet for about 850 most of the time.  For defence I load 8 grains of Unique with a 200 gr jacketed hollow point.  That's a great load in my 3" Charter!  44 Man

[stuffit]

Try 4 to 5.2 grs of IMR's trail boss with that 240 gr bullet. The velocities you are wanting will be more at the lower end of this spread. 
Interesting article regarding trail boss here:
http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=37

 
stuffit

[Larry Gibson]

I need a good mid level .44 Special load to shoot through a 3" Taurus 431.  I don't want anything too heavy, maybe a 240gr hardcast bullet at around 650fps.  Thanks!

44 Man has the load....5 gr Bullseye over a 240 cast or commercial swaged is an excellent load and is just in the velocity range you are looking for.

Larry Gibson