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Old November 6, 2009, 04:27 PM   #1
Randy 1911
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Wanting to try new powder for 44 Mag.

I am wanting to try a new powder for my Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 Mag. I am currently using H-110 and am not happy with the group size(5"@25 yds off rest). I have tried Unique and 2400 and they were not much better. Any suggestions. I am planning on using this gun for deer hunting this fall. I will be shooting Hornady XTP @240 gr. I am also wanting to go hog hunting using Nosler 240 gr. JSP.
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Old November 6, 2009, 04:59 PM   #2
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Are you sure you are do’en your part?

Blue Dot I guess,
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Old November 6, 2009, 06:16 PM   #3
hickstick_10
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IMR 4227 works good for me with heavy hard casts
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Old November 6, 2009, 06:19 PM   #4
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IMR 4227 is one of my favorites. I like 22 grains with a 240. Have used some accurate #7 (20gr) with 180's and they shoot good.
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Old November 6, 2009, 06:38 PM   #5
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I'm loading #9 right now in the 44mag. Haven't shot enough of them yet to have an opinion.
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Old November 6, 2009, 07:03 PM   #6
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Before you conclude that it is your loads, you need to be absolutely 150% sure that it is not you. I don't mean to insinuate you are a bad shot, but particularly with big bore handguns, ANY change at all in grip/stance/etc can have a huge impact on POI. I've experienced this myself.

I've had a 9.5 inch SRH in 44 magnum, and I now have a 7.5 inch SBH hunter in 44 magnum. I actually just had her out today and she did pretty good at 50 yards. I've found that my best groups actually come from NOT resting the front of the gun on anything (like the Y rest that most handgun rests use). I just hold the gun normally and rest my hands on a flat surface. Recoil is most consistent for me doing that, and thus my groups are smallest.

The traditional "house load" for silouette shooters (at 200 yards I believe) used to be a 240 grain Sierra JHP and 23.5 gr H110 (not sure of primer). Most people had the best results with that combination. I would try that load with your XTPs and make sure that you are consistent for each shot. Bear in mind that H110 shouldn't be loaded down, so if you were low before taht could possibly have had an impact as well.
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Old November 6, 2009, 07:10 PM   #7
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Pity you don't use lead hard cast bullets in your gun (apparently)

My redhawk absolutely loves lead bullets and 2400...
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Old November 6, 2009, 07:49 PM   #8
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A 5" group at 25 yds from rest seems way out of line. I would double check your shooting/aiming setup. With a 2X scope and solid rest, I get better groups than that at 50+ yds. My full power .44 Mag load is 240-250 gr cast lead bullet (ALOX lube) with 24 gr of W296 and heavy roll crimp. Shoots closer than I can see with the 2X scope. If your gun/load doesn't like H110, then don't bother trying Win 296. They are the same powder, from the same mfr, simply packaged into two different containers under two different names. A call to Hodgdon will confirm this.
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Old November 6, 2009, 07:53 PM   #9
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Assuming good bag technique, I would take a close look at the gun. I have a Redhawk that fires 50 yard groups with 5 shots touching and one chamber that hits an inch and a quarter or so low and right (see below). That impressed a friend of mine so much, he got one. It shot just like your's. Neither one of us could make it shoot under about 6" even at 25 yards. So, we returned it to the factory with an accuracy complaint. It came back about 5 weeks later with a note saying the factory shop had reamed the chambers (usually the first step in revolver accurizing). It then shot much better. Not quite up to mine, but about 2" at 50 yards.

If you decide to get the cylinders reamed, you may be able to save yourself the delay of a factory return by removing the cylinder yourself and sending it to Cylindersmith. I believe they boast a 3 day turn around, and the cost is about like the air shipping to the factory.

Note: I just checked and the turn around time is now 4-5 days. You need to let them know it's coming for best service speed.

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Old November 6, 2009, 08:08 PM   #10
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Thanks Guys. I was shooting off cross sticks for a rest. I will try sandbags and see if things improve. I will be the first one to admit that it could be me. I do a lot of shooting with lead bullets, but I am trying to workk up a hunting load.
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Old November 6, 2009, 08:10 PM   #11
Edward429451
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What's wrong with 2" at 50 yds?

I'm getting my cylinder reamed! Wow
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Old November 6, 2009, 08:59 PM   #12
4T4MAG
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.44 Mag

My Redhawk and my Super Blackhawk Hunter both love 23.50 grn of H110 under XTP 240's with 2" grouping at 50 yds open sights. Has anyone tried the 225 grn Barnes Buster bullets in the .44 Mag?
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Old November 6, 2009, 11:50 PM   #13
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You might try VihtaVuori N-110. It's similar to 2400 in terms of how hard you can push the bullet. I find N-110 has less muzzle flash and burns cleaner than 2400 and I've done some of my personal best shooting with it. I still like 2400. I use it for my deer hunting load pushing a 240gr Hornady XTP but I'm also using my Marlin levergun for that particular purpose. If I were to use my revolver for hunting (maybe some day when I'm a good enough shot), I'd probably switch to N-110.
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Old November 7, 2009, 10:17 PM   #14
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I've been loading H-110 and sis 296, cast and jacket, for decades. I've never heard of a stock 44M pistol shooting 5" @25. Try from a secure bag rest and also try some 8gr Unique, 240 cast bullets. I suspect some flinching if nothing mechanical.
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Old November 8, 2009, 02:54 AM   #15
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my 7.5" sbh is killer with 22.5gr of h4227 under a 300gr rainier ballistics plated bullet. fp, or hp, both are identical impact points.

i get 2-3" cylinder groups at 50yd, but its mainly me making big groups. my buddy can get 3" groups at 100yd with the gun/load but he has been shooting big revolvers for decades.
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Old November 8, 2009, 11:52 AM   #16
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I like to try various powders and primers just to see what happens. I have not done a lot of experimenting with my .44 mag, but I have had some decent groups using Lil' Gun and W296 in all my magnums including the S&W 629. I have some N340 ordered, due to arrive tommorrow. Several folks at the .22 rifle/handgun club here like it a lot, so I thought I'd give it a try.
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