44 Mag Reloading

[Ariandis]

Greetings!

I have recently acquired a Ruger Redhawk in .44 Mag. Due to the cost of ammo, I'm going to reload it.

I was able to acquire some 2400. I will also be using Unique if I can ever find any.

With that in mind, do you think these will be sufficient for both powders? Would this style be better?

I will be using anywhere from 17 to 21 grains with the 2400 and 8 grains or so with the Unique.

Also, what are your experiences, if any, with the Missouri Bullet Company?

Thanks for the feedback!

[Sevens]

I have zero experience with Missouri bullet -- have never ordered and never used their product. However, in many years in guns and handloading forums, it is safe to say that they are extremely popular and have a HUGE following of very satisfied customers.

Your powder choices are terrific. I have no idea how those coated bullets will work but I suspect that they will do well.

I use a non-coated hard cast lead 240gr LSWC from Falcon and I run them from 870 fps (steel plate target loads) to full-bore (chrono'd 1,385 fps average) both from my 7.5-inch barreled Redhawk with a four-port Mag-na-Port job on it and my loads are fantastic.

My light loads are pushed by a small charge of Titegroup. They hit a plate a bit harder than does .45 Hardball, and from the large revolver, they are a pleasure to shoot. The heavy ones are pushed by Accurate#9 and I don't have any tangible use for them except the fun of a full load. I have been known to bench rest the revolver and send them 100 yards to hit a swinging steel plate. I plan to do a lot more of that this season.

[oldpapps]

Ariandis, welcome to the forum.

You don't state your use/uses for these loads.

I prefer for no real reason, the Keith type nose. Although not overly needed, I think the larger meta plate (flat point) is better for hunting, not that that 430 diameter isn't very functional. And for target use, the square corners cut the paper a little neater. The down is those same attributes can slow down loading.

Moving to the coating. Coated means two things to me, well three. 1.) No leading, this can be a big think. 2.) No lubrication smoke, some lubs are very smoky and in-door ranges can get rather thick with a lot of shooters. And a little added cost.
Unless your loads are 'barn burners' or your barrel is overly rough, at shootable velocities lubed lead doesn't lead all that much. I shoot out side and often shoot black powder. So a little smoke doesn't bother me. Others don't like it at all.

Your bullet selections are very good in my opinion. Same for your powder selection. Unique is a classic. If you can find any, 231/HP38 is a little cleaner and does very well from ultra wimpy to ..!. For you loads, start low and move up slowly. Congrats on your new toy.

Enjoy,

OSOK

[TimSr]

I've never used their coated bullets, but I shoot their Keith lead 240gr SWC from my 7.5" Redhawk at full magnum upper velocities without leading issues, and with super accuracy.

[hounddogman]

Mib is a great co just bought 400 240 gr lswc they make great bullets for a few different calibers I reload for 45 acp and colt. Imr 4227 is a good powder for 44 mag and easy to find

[mikld]

Like most others have said, both bullets will work fine for your new gun. I lean toward the Kieth style, but I've been reloading for 5, .44 Magnums for 18 years, and only one prefers a T/C bullet (my lever gun doesn't like SWC). You mentioned two powders that I have used for a looooong time in my .44s, and I suggest you begin with lead bullet data for your coated bullets (Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook), mostly out of simplicity, (K.I.S.S.) and you can get good magnum velocities with lead data, if you choose. For coated bullets just about any .44 diameter will work (.429"-.431"), unlike nekkid lead which should be a few thousandths of an inch over groove diameter. I've been shooting a lot of Powder Coated bullets lately and so far ther are great; no leading, no messy handling, and accuracy on par with lead bullets (don't know about jacketed bullets as I haven't used any for at least 15 years.).

[Nick_C_S]

I buy all my lead slugs from MoBuCo. They are a great company all around. I am a repeat customer because they've earned it. I haven't needed to buy any 44 Mag bullets from them yet, as I rarely shoot 44 Mag these days. (Tons of 38/357 bullets though)

Myself, I'm very partial to the SWC's (the Elmer K's) - they cut a nice round, sharp hole in paper/cardboard - and that's the kind of shooting I do.

As for the 2400 and Unique - two good choices. The Unique will work great for general target shooting. The 2400 for when you want to spunk it up a little.

Yep, you're moving in the right direction.

[sawdustdad]

I've ordered and used the Mo Bu Co. soft lead AND HiTek coated bullets in both .38/.357 and .44mag. (mostly RNFP). They all work great. However, when I load higher velocity loads for either cartridge, I switch to plated bullets (up to 1200-1500fps) or jacketed (limited only by the cartridge's limits).

[Ariandis]

Thank you for all of the feedback!

It seems I'll be purchasing my bullets from Missouri then based on the feedback here. Are there other powders you would recommend for the .44 mag? I've heard horror stories about Titegroup.

For my first post, I couldn't be more happy with the responses. I think I've found a new place to hone my skills!

And what, if any, thoughts do you have regarding the following recipe? 17 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain projectile of various types?

Also, what crimp would you suggest using (if any)?

[madmo44mag]

In 44 and 357 at mag velocities you want a powder that fills as much of the case as possible.
2400 & IMR4227 work best for me.
Unique is a fast burning powder by comparison to 2400 and 4227 and works great in 44spl and 44mag with light bullets.
Lots of folks load unique to mag specs but I have always gotten my best results with slower powders.

As for MBC their bullets are a great value and only once did I get a batch I was not happy with. The bullet lube was very soft and caused excessive smoking when fired.

[Sevens]

And what, if any, thoughts do you have regarding the following recipe? 17 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain projectile of various types?

Also, what crimp would you suggest using (if any)?

17.0 grains of 2400 is definitely a starting load for a 240gr bullet in .44 Magnum -- will certainly be safe. This particular powder will very much like to be loaded heavier and I would not be at all surprised if at 17 grains, you find the loads to be dirty and you also see scattered and unburnt powder. This is a calling card of 2400. It wants to be worked up HIGHER and will likely perform better when loaded warmer than 17.0gr under a 240.

As to crimp, most any standard three-die set will provide for a normal roll-crimp with the bullet seating die. In .44 Magnum as much as with almost anything, a -SOLID- roll crimp is a very good idea for at least two reasons:
1) will give the round the time to develop a good starting burn before the bullet moves and tends to make for a more consistent performing load

2) will prevent other rounds in the cylinder from attempting to lurch forward under recoil and "crimp jump", which can tie up your revolver.

How do you know when you have enough crimp? Testing is pretty easy, in my experience. First of all... too much crimp will deform the round and the round may not chamber, so beware of forcing things.

To check to ensure that you have enough crimp...
--Apply a firm crimp on at least 11 rounds of a load you wish to use.
--mark one round with a sharpie on the case head
--load 6 rounds and fire only 5 of them, leaving the MARKED round unfired
--eject all of the brass and one loaded round
--chamber up 5 more and use the marked round for the 6th chamber
--again, shoot just FIVE of the rounds, leaving marked round unfired
--eject all of the spent brass and unfired marked round

NOW-- inspect that marked and unfired round. It's been through 10 shots of the hellfire and fury of recoil tugging on that bullet and attempting to jump crimp. But if the crimp you applied was decent, it should look just like all the other loaded rounds -- with same COAL and crimped in the same place.

[T. O'Heir]

The style of bullet makes no difference. However, Alliant is showing 7 grains of Unique as the max for a 240 cast bullet. No online 2400 cast data, but 17 is one under minimum for a 232 cast in my old Lyman book. Close enough. 21 is max for a 225 grain cast.
Like oldpapps says, what you're doing with it matters.
IMR4227 is a go-to .44 mag powder. Used for both jacketed and cast. Handy that. Lightest crimp possible.

[totaldla]

Missouri makes a good product - I use their supposed "Keith" 240gr fodder. I would use 2400 and not bother finding Unique. After all, this is a 44mag. 2400 is a good powder IMO because it lights easily with any standard primer.

[oldpapps]

OK, crimp.... Do it or not, if do, how much...

I think that adding a crimp is only going to add another factor to confuse accuracy/consistency.

That said, there is two other factors that must be addressed. Bullet walking - the effects inertia walking a bullet from it's seated depth till it blocks the rotation of the cylinder or just falls out. And the second is maintaining suitable bullet hold to facilitate proper powder combustion.

First, these loads are for instructional used only and may or may not be safe in your weapon.... All standard disclaimers.

That said:
44 LSWC 240 2400 O 17.5 1256.2 S&W M29-2 9/25/13 10 rnd tested no crimp
44 LSWC 240 2400 O 17.5 1291.1 S&W M29-2 9/25/13 10 rnd tested medium crimp
44 LSWC 240 2400 O 17.5 1242.6 S&W M29-2 9/25/13 10 rnd tested heavy crimp

The listing 2400 O is some of the last of the Hercules brand 2400 powder I had in stock, thus the notation of 'O' for old.

How much crimp is medium or heavy? It is all conceptual on my part.
The velocities are taken at 10 feet and the weapon is/was a 6 1/2 inch barrel.

What can be gleamed from the above? I think, a hard/stiff bullet pull is needed to get a good powder burn, at least with some powders. I have ran the same type of tests with 231/HP38 and couldn't see any difference between the crimps. Granted these were my wimp load. I use NO crimp on them.

If your loads are 'stiff', test for walk and if using a slower powder, well any powder, test the crimp/s you use.

Load with care.

OSOK