.44 Mag. Does this sound like a heavy charge to you?

Pond, James Pond · November 11, 2012, 08:27 AM

I'm still finding my feet in reloading and up until now my only .44Mag load was a 200gr plated bullet with a little over the starting charge.

I recently bought some PRVI Partizan 240gr FNFMJs and I decided to load up a handful today to do some chrono checks with when next at the range.

I have also bought new powder: VV N110. I had no load data for these exact bullets. So I look online on the VV website and I found a starting load for 240grs SJHP of 20.4gr N110.

This was a full case!! This worried me a bit and I found other data that was also for an FMJ of sorts. This quoted a starting charge of 18.7gr.

So, in the end I opted for a 19gr charge, although all this is a far cry from the 13.2gr of N350 that I've been using for my 200gr plated bullets.

In a nutshell, does that sound OK?
It still seems like a lot and the case is pretty much full!!

**Unclenick** · November 11, 2012, 08:47 AM

I assume this is .44 Rem. Mag. from your past posts, and not some other variant.

N110 is basically a very fast rifle powder, which makes it very slow for a pistol powder. Vihtavuori's single base stick powders all tend to be bulky, so I'm not surprised it fills the case. If you can't get enough in to perform well, N105 is the one they make for magnum pistols, though it performs best with lighter bullets. If the N110 fills the case beyond your ability to seat the bullet, try a long drop tube (I use a three foot one on occasion), or holding the charged case against the lid of an operating vibratory tumbler. Either will reduce the volume by packing the powder in better.

I think your lighter load will be OK if it is bringing the powder level up close to the bottom of the bullet. That's going to be a try-ti-and-see proposition. When playing with reduced loads of any powder that tends to be at the slow end for the chambering, double check that there's a hole in the paper after each shot. Slow powders can sometimes squib out when loaded low, leaving a bullet stuck in the bore, then destroying the gun when the next round is fired into that stuck bullet. I've not heard of it with N110, specifically, but it's a good caution when below manufacturer recommended minimum until you see you aren't getting irregular velocity, extra sooty cases or unburned powder or backed out primers (all signs of an extra low pressure events).

buck460XVR · November 11, 2012, 09:44 AM

Quote:

It still seems like a lot and the case is pretty much full!!

Many of my best 44 mag loads are with compressed or nearly compressed loads using IMR4227. If you charges are correct(reading the recipe and weighing correctly), loads like this are safe because you cannot overcharge enough to harm yourself or the gun, and you can easily see the powder volume in the case.

Hornady #7 shows a min of 17.6 to a max of 21.3 using N-110 and the same bullet as on the Vihtavuori webpage.

Pond, James Pond · November 11, 2012, 09:58 AM

Thanks.

According to that info, I'm mid way between start and max loads for an FMJ 240gr.

The VV .44Mag data page says 20.4gr (

) start load for a Hornady JTC-SIL 240gr bullet, and I think it was my Lymans #49 that said 18.4gr or so under a generic jacketed hollow point, so I opted for 19gr that was somewhere in between.

IIRR, 20.4gr was almost the maximum load for that same Lyman bullet reference. Makes me glad I shoot through a Ruger!!

Still seems like a lot of powder though!! Almost double the amount of N350 (my other powder) for the same bullet.

Shooting these may be an awakening experience!!

buck460XVR · November 11, 2012, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Still seems like a lot of powder though!! Almost double the amount of N350 (my other powder) for the same bullet.

Shooting these may be an awakening experience!!

Maybe, maybe not....I seem to get less felt recoil from slower powders than I do from faster powders when using the same projectile running at the same velocity.

Slower powders by their nature generally are bulkier and take more volume than faster powders. Sometimes it's the bulk/shape that gives them a slower burn rate. I like using powders than fill or nearly fill the case, as per the reasons I stated in my previous post. In large cases like the .44 mag, it seems I get more consistency also. It may have to do with how the powder position relates to the primer or maybe it's just that it's what my firearms like.

Sevens · November 11, 2012, 01:25 PM

Keep in mind that most all of the plated bullet manufacturers recommend 1,200 FPS as a maximum speed for their plated bullets. (Extreme brand may say higher?)

Using a 200 grain bullet in .44 Magnum is using a lighter-than-standard slug. Sure, .44 Mag is offered in even 180's and who knows what else, but I think we can all agree that 240 grains is the standard weight.

So unless you are building .44 Special loads -- a 200 grain plated slug in .44 Mag is quite likely to be running outside - perhaps well outside the recommendations for the bullet.

I use thousands of plated slugs with great success (Berry's) but I do not use them in .44 Magnum.

November 11, 2012, 08:27 AM	#1
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	.44 Mag. Does this sound like a heavy charge to you? I'm still finding my feet in reloading and up until now my only .44Mag load was a 200gr plated bullet with a little over the starting charge. I recently bought some PRVI Partizan 240gr FNFMJs and I decided to load up a handful today to do some chrono checks with when next at the range. I have also bought new powder: VV N110. I had no load data for these exact bullets. So I look online on the VV website and I found a starting load for 240grs SJHP of 20.4gr N110. This was a full case!! This worried me a bit and I found other data that was also for an FMJ of sorts. This quoted a starting charge of 18.7gr. So, in the end I opted for a 19gr charge, although all this is a far cry from the 13.2gr of N350 that I've been using for my 200gr plated bullets. In a nutshell, does that sound OK? It still seems like a lot and the case is pretty much full!! __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly. Last edited by Pond, James Pond; November 11, 2012 at 08:44 AM.

November 11, 2012, 08:47 AM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	I assume this is .44 Rem. Mag. from your past posts, and not some other variant. N110 is basically a very fast rifle powder, which makes it very slow for a pistol powder. Vihtavuori's single base stick powders all tend to be bulky, so I'm not surprised it fills the case. If you can't get enough in to perform well, N105 is the one they make for magnum pistols, though it performs best with lighter bullets. If the N110 fills the case beyond your ability to seat the bullet, try a long drop tube (I use a three foot one on occasion), or holding the charged case against the lid of an operating vibratory tumbler. Either will reduce the volume by packing the powder in better. I think your lighter load will be OK if it is bringing the powder level up close to the bottom of the bullet. That's going to be a try-ti-and-see proposition. When playing with reduced loads of any powder that tends to be at the slow end for the chambering, double check that there's a hole in the paper after each shot. Slow powders can sometimes squib out when loaded low, leaving a bullet stuck in the bore, then destroying the gun when the next round is fired into that stuck bullet. I've not heard of it with N110, specifically, but it's a good caution when below manufacturer recommended minimum until you see you aren't getting irregular velocity, extra sooty cases or unburned powder or backed out primers (all signs of an extra low pressure events). __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 11, 2012, 01:25 PM	#6
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Keep in mind that most all of the plated bullet manufacturers recommend 1,200 FPS as a maximum speed for their plated bullets. (Extreme brand may say higher?) Using a 200 grain bullet in .44 Magnum is using a lighter-than-standard slug. Sure, .44 Mag is offered in even 180's and who knows what else, but I think we can all agree that 240 grains is the standard weight. So unless you are building .44 Special loads -- a 200 grain plated slug in .44 Mag is quite likely to be running outside - perhaps well outside the recommendations for the bullet. I use thousands of plated slugs with great success (Berry's) but I do not use them in .44 Magnum. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

November 11, 2012, 09:58 AM	#4
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	Thanks. According to that info, I'm mid way between start and max loads for an FMJ 240gr. The VV .44Mag data page says 20.4gr () start load for a Hornady JTC-SIL 240gr bullet, and I think it was my Lymans #49 that said 18.4gr or so under a generic jacketed hollow point, so I opted for 19gr that was somewhere in between. IIRR, 20.4gr was almost the maximum load for that same Lyman bullet reference. Makes me glad I shoot through a Ruger!! Still seems like a lot of powder though!! Almost double the amount of N350 (my other powder) for the same bullet. Shooting these may be an awakening experience!! __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.