Best powder for 44 mag with 240 gr XTP.

[98 220 swift]

What has been your powder of choice for the 240 gr loads. This is for a 6" model 29-10. So it won't be loaded super heavy. I have been using he h110/296 at 23grs. Is there a better powder?

[Nick_C_S]

You'll get lots of opinions.

For me, it would be Winchester 296. Your 6" barrel will digest them nicely and deliver good velocities. In the neighborhood of about 1300 fps.

So I'm with you on the 296. I currently load to 22.7g - used to be a lot more though ;-)

[98 220 swift]

At 23grs I am getting 1225fps. Which seems kinda slow. But really it is probably more than enough for my self imposed 50 yard limit on deer.

[Nick_C_S]

My 22.7gns yield 1332 fps. But my Smith 629 has an 8-3/8" bbl. I would have guessed the 6" would probably yield a little less - say - 100 fps. After about 5 or 6" of bbl length, the velocity gains diminish.

[Gdawgs]

H110/296 is as good as any. I use it often as well as 2400, Lil Gun, and 4227. If you are satisfied with the accuracy you are getting, I say there's no need to try anything else.

[markallen]

I load 23.8 grs of IMR 4227. That is .2 grains from maximum, according to Hornady's.
And 1395 fps out of my Super Blackhawk. It thumps, but is the most accurate for my Ruger.
I definitely wouldn't go that hot out of your 29.

[Tinbucket]

I like 2400 for 240 grain. I don't have a charge reccomendation available right now. Most things are still packed
The XTP I use24 grains of H110 is the 300 grain seated to second cannelure, CCI 350 for Super BlackHawk or Super Redhawk ONLY.
Hell for stout. 1350-1400 fps.

[rg1]

That's what I shoot in a Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" and Winchester rifle. Using RP brass or Win with CCI 350 magnum primers and 23 grains of Win 296 powder. It's a good load with the Hornady 240 XTP's. Not maximum but close to the maximum recommended 24 grains. You're not supposed to reduce Win 296/H110 much and I wouldn't go below 22 grains with it.

[Mike / Tx]

Is there a better powder?

This is somewhat a relative question. Honestly what you have been using is perfectly fine unless for what ever reason your not satisfied. I have burned up many a pound of both 110 and 296 through the years in my 44 with excellent accuracy and velocity suited to the loads.

Now if your wanting to tweak your load into better accuracy or a more consistent SD for target shooting, then you might look into 2400 or AA-9 as they will both give you a bit more spread within the listed data to play with.

For my RH anything between 22.5 and 23.5 has shot very well using these weight bullets. If your getting spreads on your target I highly suggest trimming your cases to the same length. (most would never do this) Trimming will allow you to get a consistent crimp on every round, and by adjusting your crimp you can shrink your groups. I load up 6 rounds with just enough crimp to actually see that the lip of the case has been rolled into the cannalure. Then I shoot 5 of them measuring the last one after each shot. If it moves any, I give it a touch more crimp, not much maybe 1/8 of a turn on the die. Then I repeat this process until I get them where nothing has moved through two or three cycles of this test. Once there you should have plenty of crimp to hold the bullet but nothing overly compressing the sides. Also you will have each case crimped the same amount.

This picture illustrates what having too much crimp (left) did for my friends loads and what backing off to just enough, (right) did for his group at 40yds.


These were both shot standing using a two hand hold. He was giving me all sorts of grief about how the load I gave him wasn't squat and wouldn't group. I told him to follow what I posted above and he sent me that pic about an hour later. That load is from a 41mag using the Remington 200gr SJHP over 20.5grs of 296. This was only his first time using it, now he can easily keep them in groups as good or better than the one on the right. Give it a try you won't be disappointed.

[TimSr]

Its going to be hard to find anything that will outperform 296 or 110 in accurracy or velocity for the top end of the magnum scale. My load is 24 gr for my 7.5" Redhawk.






I have seen that Alliant makes MP-300 which looks to be like their version of 296/110. I don't know of anyone who has tried it.

[sawdustdad]

My most accurate load in my super blackhawk is 24g W296 with a 240g jacketed HP. Full house load, though. Some primer flattening but no difficult case extractions.

[stagpanther]

My best results have been very close to what you are already doing--but I have to admit shooting a warm load through a revolver isn't as easy as it is through a lever gun. My effective loads for hand guns almost always have more to do with my ability to launch them well rather than their inherent accuracy.

[chiefr]

2400, 296/110.

[madmo44mag]

2400 at 21.0 gr with a 240gr jacketed type bullet is my go to load for magnum rounds.
IMR 4227 is my second choice.

[bluetopper]

Everybody has their favorites, mine is Accurate 4100, the same as Ramshot Enforcer.

[GeauxTide]

Couple of things. Loading data suggests 1300 from a S&W 6-6.5". With H-110, I've had to use a hard crimp that completely fills the cannelure. Also, Mag Primers are a must. Now, I picked up a can of Lil'Gun recently. The books have it from 100-200fps faster, so I'll try it this spring.

[stagpanther]

You'll love lil'gun--kicks well and sends out a fireball a dragon would be jealous of. LOL

[Sky Master]

I use 23.0 296/H110 with 240gr JHP, and get on avg. 1388 out of my Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" use nothing else.

[totaldla]

Be sure of your target and beyond - even in Texas.

[Clark]

I got a 1988 S&W 29-4 like new in box in 1997 for $200 + $16 tax.

I heard the revolver could not stand up to full 44 mag loads, but I have been shooting the same book load for .... you do the math.

24 gr H110 240 gr JHP

It is still tight.

[buck460XVR]

Lil' Gun is known for excessive forcing cone erosion. I don't use it in any of my revolvers anymore. But it works well in my carbines.

H110/W296 will give you the best velocities in your revolvers, but can be a tad temperature sensitive.

IMR4227 gives me the best and most consistent accuracy in .44 mag with 240s outta my firearms.

[TimSr]

I heard the revolver could not stand up to full 44 mag loads, but I have been shooting the same book load for .... you do the math.

I'm sure you know where that came from!

1. Starts as Rugers are tougher and can handle beyond standard full power loads.

2. Then becomes, S & W is weaker than the Ruger, and can't handle as heavy loads.

3. Ultimate internet transaltion - S&W are weak. Don't shoot full power loads in them.


Published data for full power loads is made with all common, current used arms in mind unless otherwise noted.

I'm not telling you anything you don't know. This was for the benefit of those who may not.

[TimSr]

Lil' Gun is known for excessive forcing cone erosion. I don't use it in any of my revolvers anymore.

They had published warnings against using it in Freedom Arms .454 Casull revolvers.

[rodfac]

I've had excellent results with 296/110 (current production is the same powder with a different label), 2400, and Accurate #9 in the .44 Magnum. Groups with any of them are well below 2" @ 25 yds. Any good current manual can give you good starting loads to try.

Accurate #9 with a CCI 350 primer gives me 1250 fps chrono'd with 18.5 grains in my 50th Anniversary BH with 6-1/2" bbl. It's as accurate as I can hold in the revolver and will do 1" gps at 50 yds through the Marlin. That same load when paired with Hornady's 200 gr XTP gives me 1358 fps and even better accuracy. It's my deer load with either gun.

As always, these loads were safe in my guns, you should consult a GOOD manual and work up for use in yours.

HTH's Rod

[TMD]

Lil' Gun is known for excessive forcing cone erosion. I don't use it in any of my revolvers anymore.

5 or 6 years ago I read about the warnings of Lil'Gun from Freedom Arms and the throat erosion it was causing. Being as hardheaded as I am and seeing that it was right below H110/296 on the burn rate chart I tried it anyways in my S&W 460PC anyways. Found that I got higher velocities, lower SD's, and better accuracy than H110. Well after 200 or so rounds my accuracy went to crap. After close inspection I found that the throat erosion was pretty bad and extended about 2" down the barrel. Thankfully S&W replaced the barrel and that was the last of it I used in revolvers. From what I understand it has to do with the burning gasses mixing with the air as it passes through the cylinder gap.