.44 mag

plymouthrr1985 · April 4, 2010, 09:51 PM

New to reloading here, i got some blue dot and 240 grain xtp's anyone have some good loads for this? Will be used for hunting and maybe some bowling pin shooting.

**Unclenick** · April 4, 2010, 10:13 PM

Welcome to the forum.

The Hornady manual lists that bullet at 11.8 grains of Blue Dot as the starting load, then work it up to a maximum of 15 grains. Alliant has a fixed recipe for the 240 grain Gold Dot bullet with Blue Dot powder of 13.7 grains, so right in the middle of the Hornady range. So, in your shoes I would follow Hornady's advice to start at 11.8 grains and I would work up to the 13.7 grain Alliant load, in .3 or .4 grain steps watching for pressure signs after each increase. See how it feels and, if you have a chronograph, if the velocity is satisfactory? It it is satisfactory at 13.7 grains, stop there. If not, keep going in .3 grain steps until you get near 15 grains.

Oh, yes. The Alliant load uses a CCI 300 primer. The Hornady uses a Winchester WLP primer. That can make a pressure difference in where the maximum lies. Alliant doesn't specify a case, but Hornady used a Hornady case.

mrawesome22 · April 5, 2010, 08:38 AM

http://data.hodgdon.com/ My vote is for H110.

**Mike Irwin** · April 5, 2010, 09:19 AM

A friend of mine has used Blue Dot to great effect in his .44 over the years.

I'm not sure of his loads, but for some of them when he would hit a bowling pin it wouldn't come down in the same time zone.

The only problem I've found with Blue Dot is that the fireball out the front end can be kind of dramatic.

AlaskaMike · April 5, 2010, 11:24 AM

I quit using Blue Dot because it gets so erratic at the upper end of it's useful pressure range. I also didn't like how sometimes the unburned powder flakes (actually the blue color flakes) could sometimes get under the ejector star and jam things up.

Mike

Scorch · April 5, 2010, 01:39 PM

Blue Dot has come under a lot of scrutiny in the past few years, primarily due to people trying to use it in reduced loads. Alliant specifically states that loads should not be reduced below the listed minimums. Hornady has dramatically lowered the recommended Blue Dot loads in version 6 and 7 of their reloading manual.

I have loaded my magnum loads with Blue Dot since I started loading 44 magnum in 1984. I tried 2400 (which I also used for 22 Hornet), IMR4227, and W296, but went back to Blue Dot. I like Blue Dot better than W296 due to lower muzzle flash and lower felt recoil. That said, if I were just starting out with 44 Mag, I would load IMR4227.

rjrivero · April 5, 2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Irwin

The only problem I've found with Blue Dot is that the fireball out the front end can be kind of dramatic.

How is that a PROBLEM?

**Mike Irwin** · April 5, 2010, 02:26 PM

If you're firing on a dark range it can be hard to pick up subsequent targets.

plymouthrr1985 · April 5, 2010, 05:28 PM

Thanks for all the info, on the advice of a friend who has reloaded .44 for years i went with 13.4 grains. I used the cci 300 primers. Havent chrono'ed yet but the load felt great, and no signs of high pressure.

April 4, 2010, 09:51 PM	#1
plymouthrr1985 Junior Member Join Date: April 4, 2010 Posts: 2	.44 mag New to reloading here, i got some blue dot and 240 grain xtp's anyone have some good loads for this? Will be used for hunting and maybe some bowling pin shooting.

April 4, 2010, 10:13 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	Welcome to the forum. The Hornady manual lists that bullet at 11.8 grains of Blue Dot as the starting load, then work it up to a maximum of 15 grains. Alliant has a fixed recipe for the 240 grain Gold Dot bullet with Blue Dot powder of 13.7 grains, so right in the middle of the Hornady range. So, in your shoes I would follow Hornady's advice to start at 11.8 grains and I would work up to the 13.7 grain Alliant load, in .3 or .4 grain steps watching for pressure signs after each increase. See how it feels and, if you have a chronograph, if the velocity is satisfactory? It it is satisfactory at 13.7 grains, stop there. If not, keep going in .3 grain steps until you get near 15 grains. Oh, yes. The Alliant load uses a CCI 300 primer. The Hornady uses a Winchester WLP primer. That can make a pressure difference in where the maximum lies. Alliant doesn't specify a case, but Hornady used a Hornady case. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

April 5, 2010, 09:19 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	A friend of mine has used Blue Dot to great effect in his .44 over the years. I'm not sure of his loads, but for some of them when he would hit a bowling pin it wouldn't come down in the same time zone. The only problem I've found with Blue Dot is that the fireball out the front end can be kind of dramatic. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 5, 2010, 01:39 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Blue Dot has come under a lot of scrutiny in the past few years, primarily due to people trying to use it in reduced loads. Alliant specifically states that loads should not be reduced below the listed minimums. Hornady has dramatically lowered the recommended Blue Dot loads in version 6 and 7 of their reloading manual. I have loaded my magnum loads with Blue Dot since I started loading 44 magnum in 1984. I tried 2400 (which I also used for 22 Hornet), IMR4227, and W296, but went back to Blue Dot. I like Blue Dot better than W296 due to lower muzzle flash and lower felt recoil. That said, if I were just starting out with 44 Mag, I would load IMR4227. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 5, 2010, 02:26 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	If you're firing on a dark range it can be hard to pick up subsequent targets. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 5, 2010, 08:38 AM	#3
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	http://data.hodgdon.com/ My vote is for H110.

April 5, 2010, 11:24 AM	#5
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	I quit using Blue Dot because it gets so erratic at the upper end of it's useful pressure range. I also didn't like how sometimes the unburned powder flakes (actually the blue color flakes) could sometimes get under the ejector star and jam things up. Mike

April 5, 2010, 05:28 PM	#9
plymouthrr1985 Junior Member Join Date: April 4, 2010 Posts: 2	Thanks for all the info, on the advice of a friend who has reloaded .44 for years i went with 13.4 grains. I used the cci 300 primers. Havent chrono'ed yet but the load felt great, and no signs of high pressure.