.44 magnum load

[hkusp45c_shooter]

whtat is a good load for a 44 magnum, i plan on loading 240gr lead semi-wadcutters,

[DiscoRacing]

I use 8.0 grain a titegroup

[Mustangpalmer91]

With my interarms virginian dragoon I have the best luck with 6.5Grains of reddot that is behind 240gr FMJ Bullet.

[NWPilgrim]

Are you looking for for full power magnum or medium velocity target and plinking load?

I like full charge of W296 for top velocity. I think it is about 23 gr.

For medium loads I like Unique at about 10 gr. It is very flexible and can be loaded easily from light to medium, velocities. Also, it fill s the case more than most powders.

[PawPaw]

Depending on what type load you want, I find that 19.0 grains of Alliant 2400 gives me 1350 fps with a 240 grain LSWC. It's a fairly standard loading for bullets in the 240-250 grain weight range. Recoil is stout, but manageable. Very accurate in my Ruger SBH.

[hkusp45c_shooter]

im looking for a medium target load, i also load 45acp with bullseye, in the lee manual i have it has load data for a 44 mag with a 240 grain bullet with 9 grains of bullseye would that be a decent target load that way i wouldnt have to buy another type of powder

[ipscchef]

I am reluctant to give any load info until I know what gun(s) will be feeding with them. In my old Three Screw Super Blackhawk, I am just getting around to loading some 240gr. Keith Bullets from Leadhead Bullets(www.proshootpro). The 270grainers work well out of my .45 Colts. I will be using a near max charge of H-110, but again I do not want to get any more specific about data until I know just what gun you will be using, and just as importantly, what you want to do with them.
sorry, I did not see your post about using them as a medium strength target load. I would still like to know what gun you have.

Willy Henderson

[hkusp45c_shooter]

im buying a s&w model 29-3 and since factory is quite pricey for thee .44 i would like to reload them

[cornbush]

You say you want target loads.
Try 4227, 22gr. of IMR 4227 and a 240-250gr cast lead bullet is the most accurate load I have used in more than one gun.

[ehb86]

I have had really good accuracy from Vitavouri N-110 in .44 mag and .357. It measures well and is a nice powder to work with. Sometimes it's expensive, but it's often available at competitive prices. For actual load specs I would recommend their website.

[mbopp]

You can try WW231 / HP38 for both 44 and 45. It's slower than Bullseye but faster than Unique.

[Hog Buster]

In my Model 29-2, 8 3/8” barrel I use the following:

For cast target loads, 7 gr. of Unique behind a 255 gr. SWC. (255 is what my mold drops them at) Mild and accurate.

For the barn burners, 23 gr. of 296 behind a 240 gr. JHP/JSP. Not mild, but accurate.

[reloader28]

I usually like light to med loads. I'm using 7gr Bullseye with a 250gr gas check bullet. Its a light load, but fun and accurate from 2 different guns. I can easily load it hotter and actually need to pressure it up some to seal the check better. It's basically too light of a load right now but fun.

I'm actually working on some loads for a plain base 250gr SWC at the moment. I heat treated 100 and they got way to hard for some reason I dont understand and I aint tried the air cooled ones yet. Maybe tomorrow.

If you bought your bullets, they're probly pretty hard and you may need to load them pretty hot to seal the bore. Just an opinion.

I use Bullseye for alot of light loads cause I got alot of it. I really like 2400 too.

[Doodlebugger45]

Accuracy is not all that hard to get with .44 mag. But attaining an accurate load that burns clean as well as minimizing lead deposits in the barrel is a bit harder to come by. Just as reloader28 suggests, many of the current commercial cast bullets are very hard. They are accurate at most velocities but they often burn very sooty at low pressures and also leave a lot of lead in your barrel at those low pressures and velocities. Hence, many of the recommendations for pretty high velocity loads that you are getting in this thread. They work well, but recoil is rather stiff. And then others are recommending Bullseye loads on the other extreme. They are accurate also, giving lower velocities but higher pressures in an attempt to burn better and cleaner.

Really, if you want some mild recoil, lower velocities, you need to find some softer cast bullets than what is commonly marketed today. Seems like the commercial bullet makers are responding to the demand and the demand is for harder and harder bullets, but that's not always the answer to every problem. There are some softer bullets available out there for sure, there are some makers out there who can give you BHN 12 or BHN 15, or whatever you are seeking. But a lot of the commercial sites don't tell you what hardness their bullets are. And there is more to the story than just hardness. There are other factors in the chemistry of cast bullets that influence how they perform.

I don't have the ultimate answer. For target work, I just start out with a medium load of W231 usually, say around 8 or 9 gr or so and see how they work. I have used Universal and Unique and True Blue in the medium range with good results and I have used slower powders like 2400 or 4227 with good results, although recoil was stiffer. Most any of them give pretty good accuracy, but it's anybody's guess which one will work the best in terms of clean burning and low barrel leading unless you know your bullet hardness and chemistry. Of course it seems like just when you figure out the perfect combination, you are out of bullets and you can't find exactly the same combination again.

[Xfire68]

Man I am not to sure about my new Hornady 8th Edition loading manual?

The data for .44 Remington Mag, 240g LSWC using Tightgroup is 4.8g-6.6g max and on Hogden's site it has the max at 10.0g?

Those are some big differences!

My 49th Lyman's has 9.0g-10.0g.

Not sure why I bought this book if not to have me second guessing all of my loads I have been shooting this year!

The Hornady data for Bullseye is 5.0g-7.1g max with the same 240g LSWC.

Well this may help me understand a little better? The Hornady data they are using "Real" guns. A Rugar Redhawk is used for .44 Mag. The Lyman data many are fired from a "Universal" receiver".

[Doodlebugger45]

I know what you mean. When I was using all the different manuals available on loaddata.com it was common to find 4-5 different recipes using the same bullet/powder combo. Typically, 3 or 4 of them would be fairly close, but inevitably one would be a lot higher or lower than the rest. I tended to go with the consensus opinion, but it always made me wonder a bit...

Nowdays, I tend to trust the data from the powder manufacturers more than the rest, but it's always nice to see confirmation.

[WESHOOT2]

I use 7.5g Universal, sized brass, CCI350, 240g LSWC, Redding Profile Crimp die 'medium-heavy'.

Av 873fps from my 5.5" Redhawk. Accurate, controllable, often copied

[mnhntr]

i like tightgroup in my lighter 44mag and 357 mag loads