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Old October 18, 2012, 12:10 AM   #1
Rebel9793
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.44mag reloading?

For Fathers day I found my dad the .44 mag hes always dreamed of...Ruger Super Redhawk stainless with a 9.5" barrel (would have liked a shorter barrel but I got a heck of a deal) Not realizing that he and I both broke our right hands recently and factory 240gr loads kick like a mule. I was thinking of loading a 200gr xtp hollow point just for plinking and close range pig hunting every now and then when he or I decide to get up close and personal. Any suggestions on what powder to use? maybe even a better bullet if someone has a combination that shoots well?
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Old October 18, 2012, 12:25 AM   #2
Edward429451
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2400. Your 9.5" bbl will love it. You can load it down easily also, not so with WW296/H110.
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Old October 18, 2012, 12:31 AM   #3
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As stated, 2400 is the best powder for the 44.

If you go down (or want to) below what it can go, then Unique is a good one.

I would have to look up my old data to see what I shot down there (44 and 41).

H110 is a nasty powder, vicious kick and poor accuracy in the hot loads. Never like or trusted it. Still have can of it I never used up.
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Old October 18, 2012, 06:38 AM   #4
grandpajoe
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10.5 grains of Unique under a 250 cast is a good load for your .44. It's powerful enough for most anything but wont beat you up. I use it in a 6" 629 and enjoy it.
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Old October 18, 2012, 08:20 AM   #5
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I don't post loads here. But I have used many powders successfully for my .44 mag. I hope your father is strong and in good health. At age 74, with bad shoulders I can no longer even hold up my Redhawk with one hand.
I'm not very big but when I was shooting several thousand rounds a year the recoil was not a problem for me until I got up to 300 gr. bullets and max-max loads.
Try 180 and 200 gr. bullets with lighter loads for fun shooting.
BTW, if you do end up using light loads, what's the point of a .44 mag.?
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:08 AM   #6
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"10.5 grains of Unique under a 250 cast is a good load for your .44. It's powerful enough for most anything but wont beat you up. I use it in a 6" 629 and enjoy it."
I agree that is a sweet load and will do just about anything a handgun can do. You are probably at 600 ft lbs plus which is plenty of power.
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:23 AM   #7
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I loaded several ammunition cans of a 240 L with 8.5 grains Unique. This was just at 1000 fps in my 5" M629. You could probably cut it down to 7.5 grains and you would be around 850 fps, which is just at a 44 Special load.
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:40 AM   #8
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For my light load for .44Mag I've settled on 10g of Unique under 240g SWC.

Quote:
BTW, if you do end up using light loads, what's the point of a .44 mag.?
Could be ... fun to shoot . Shoot all day? .44Spec level loads (7.5g to 8.5g Unique) are perfectly fine in the .44Mag... So ... why not? .
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:46 AM   #9
Rebel9793
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I appreciate the info fellas. My dads in decent shape. He can hold it up and shoot accurately, its just the fact that he does not want to separate those breaks in his hands which a hi powered .44magnum load would do. (done it...) Sorry to hear about the shoulders Rifleman...Shooting sticks perhaps? Those things do way a ton so dont feel bad haha. As for light loads those are mainly for my father to plink at the range. its no fun when you go to the range and are only able to pop of a cylinder or two and be hurtin the rest of the day. I can handle magnum loads just fine and I will probably end up hunting with it more than he will.
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:58 AM   #10
Tuzo
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44 special loading

Sometimes I reload 44 mag as 44 special. This results in a milder recoil and good accuracy. You can shoot these all day without punishing yourself. Also saves buying 44 special casings. Similar to many shooters who load 357 magnum brass as 38 special for less recoil and noise.
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Old October 18, 2012, 10:00 AM   #11
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240 grain lead SWC's or RNFP's. Use .45 Colt load data (but not "Ruger Only" data, and probably not cowboy action shooting data.) The .45 data will be for 250 or 255 grain bullets, but that's OK. Unique and Herco are good powder choices, or Red Dot (about 7 grains) for very accurate low-end loads.

You can also use blackpowder.
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Last edited by zxcvbob; October 18, 2012 at 10:20 AM.
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Old October 18, 2012, 10:31 AM   #12
Rebel9793
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Let me ask you this, Have you ever fired a .44 mag with a recently broken hand? Any other time magnum loads would be perfectly fine, but bones take time to heal and that wont happen by the time hunting season is over. Im asking for Advice, not criticism. Thanks for all the info guys.
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Old October 18, 2012, 10:45 AM   #13
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Many years ago I made up some loads for my son, he was 3 or 4 at the time, so that would make it 32 or 3 years ago.

Well he wanted to shoot, not just a Browning Highpower or 1911, 'da black one'. Thus the 'powder puff' load. My daughter learned on it and did her 'CCW' revolver shooting with it.

My chrono tests don't match up well with the 'online' listings, but I know what I'm getting. Remember these are not 'barn burner'. They are very pleasant to shoot all day. My oldest granddaughter could care less but the 8 and 5 year old's like it.

The load is any lead 240gr bullet over 5.6grs of 231 (this amount didn't change when 230 was changed over to 231), with a standard LP primer in 44 mag brass.

Depending upon the revolver/barrel length, I get 634 to 652 FPS @ 10 feet.

This is a fun load to play with. I end up shooting it more and more.

And for totaldla, yep its a wimp load. Close only in brass and name to my other loads. But then, I got rid of all of my little pistols a long time ago. Couldn't find a valid reason for a 9 or 38 or 357 or any of those other 'little' bullet guns. If I need or want less, I load for it and still have what the weapon is capable of with just a change in the rounds in the cylinder.

Enjoy and be safe,

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Old October 18, 2012, 10:52 AM   #14
Rebel9793
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Appreciate it Papps. I want a load that's pleasant to shoot all day if I choose. not drive 45minutes to the range to shoot 10 rounds and that's it. Its a beautiful gun and it shoots very well. Would be a shame for it to just sit in the safe all the time.
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Old October 18, 2012, 11:02 AM   #15
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Rebel9793,
Are you trying to make me feel bad?
My pick-nick table (shooting point) is next to my (metal - echo box) car port. My big effort is to get one of the grand kids to bring the 4-wheeler from the barn for me to run back and forth to the targets.

45 minuets to get where you shoot! If you ever get to west central Missouri, stop by and we can burn some powder.

Take care of the hands. Breaks in your hand/s will hurt years later. Mine does.

Enjoy and be safe,

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Old October 18, 2012, 11:40 AM   #16
Rebel9793
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No sir, Not at all. Haha if I make it up that way anytime I'll gladly give ya a shout. Yeah there are a bunch of indoor ranges close by but there always so busy and you have to buy there ammo. I prefer to go out to the outdoor range and take my time with my ammo. Oh trust me, I already know about the hand hurtin. this aint the first time its happened.
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Old October 18, 2012, 02:40 PM   #17
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U can shoot 310 gr bullets with 9.5 gr of 2400 or 7.2 gr of bluedot for mild loads around 44 special specs.
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Old October 18, 2012, 04:56 PM   #18
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sorry to hear about the hand, and I can respect wanting to shoot the 44 even with that. I love my 44 mag and my new 500 S&W. cheers to you.... I am one that truly enjoys and am accurate with high recoil loads ala h110. If you don't like h110 your probably recoil shy/sensitive/ladylike so, just wanted to chime in, can't give advice other than to say stay away from h110 till the hand is better. good luck.
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Old October 18, 2012, 05:10 PM   #19
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Rebel, sounds like you probably have a couple good light loads there, but I thought I'd throw mine in as well.

Code:
(both with 250 grain cast SWC)
10.0 gr.  Power Pistol        1000 fps
 7.5 gr.  231                  850 fps
The Power Pistol load is probably my most used .44 mag load because it's a good compromise. While it wouldn't be my first choice to go into the woods with, it's one I can shoot all day long without any noticeable fatigue. I haven't tried shooting it with a broken hand though!

Both loads are very accurate in all my revolvers.
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Old October 18, 2012, 07:05 PM   #20
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I can relate to the OP trying to shoot under a disability. Don't know what you all accomplished today. I saw fit to slam my hand in the truck door as hard as I could. 10 stitches and about 4 hours later I am home. I think the anesthesia injections in rhe finger tips was the worst of it. I am contemplating which rifle I may shoot best lefthanded or with the middle finger.
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Old October 18, 2012, 09:14 PM   #21
Rebel9793
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appreciate it capodastro. worst part is I bought the gun, then broke my hand 4 days later...

Daggit: Damn it man! if there's a will, there's a way! Buddy of mine had a construction accident and it took off his trigger finger. the day he got his stitches out, he was off the to the range to see how he could do with his middle finger. Tough ol buzzard haha.
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Old October 20, 2012, 11:44 AM   #22
Steve in PA
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I've owned a SRH for over 20 years and have shot nothing but H110 out of it. I have no idea why someone would claim poor accuracy.

I have mine sighted dead on at 100 yards with both 240 and 300 grain XTP's. I have a 200 grain load that I shoot out of my Super Blackhawk (28.0gr), but for the SRH I prefer the 240 or 300 grain bullets.

Also, the weight of the SRH really does a job on handling the recoil of stout .44 Magnum loads.
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Old October 20, 2012, 12:13 PM   #23
Rebel9793
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What kind of groupings are you getting steve? Yes, those things weigh alot, but it sure does help. Also as an added defense, if you ever run out of ammo, you could always turn it into a bludgeon real quick...lol
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Old October 21, 2012, 05:38 AM   #24
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my turn

I suggest HS6 for mild-to-mediums, and it works superbly under 250--280g lead bullets suitable for piggies.

General all-around go-to choices include Universal, Power Pistol, N350.
These meter well, too.
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Old October 21, 2012, 11:36 AM   #25
buck460XVR
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Quote:
H110 is a nasty powder, vicious kick and poor accuracy in the hot loads. Never like or trusted it. Still have can of it I never used up.
Makes one wonder why it is so highly recommended when the inquiries to good hunting type loads are asked...... Within it's parameters, H110/W296 performs very well, one reason it is so popular with those that load at the upper end. Loading "hot" or beyond published loads will result in vicious kick and poor performance regardless of powder used. Used within it's parameters, H110/W296 is safer than many other powders due to it's ease of measure and the inability to double charge a case.

One powder many overlook when loading for the .44mag is IMR4227. Performance is in line with 2400, but for me in .44mag it really shines, especially in my long piped revolvers and carbines. It too can be downloaded safely to medium velocity loads and still be accurate. Like 2400 it does not give me the velocities of H110/W296 but it is very accurate and seems to be less temperature than either H110/W296 or 2400.
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