240 gr lead 44 mag bullets

[hkusp45c_shooter]

im going to be ordering some lead bullets for my 44 but in my manual they dont list h110 as a powder for that weight, but they list it for 250 grain bullets, can i use that data but use a little less

[Rifleman1776]

It is always wise to have several reloading manuals. What one doesn't cover the others usually will.
I have an ancient Lyman cast bullet reloading manual. While out of date much of the info is still very helpful. Try looking for one.
To answer your question, yes. Anytime you are starting to work up a new load it is wise to start with reduced loads. I shoot 240 and 245 gr. cast bullets and have encountered the same situation you are now faced with. You are wise to make the inquiry.
Load and test before moving up to heavier charges. I know it isn't always convenient for every one. But, my practice was to load new charges in twos. I might have anywhere from three to six loads to test at a time. I would take to my farm and shoot with the lowest charge first. After each two rounds I would carefully inspect the cases. When over pressure signs starting showing up I would note and usually my final load would be one or two tenths of a grain less.
Reloading is serious business. Care is required to get the best rounds and that is where the fun is.

[Joker0370]

Loading Data from Lyman 49th Ed.:

240gr lead, 1.645" OAL
H110 Sugg Start: 22.5 Max:23.5
Use a Mag primer.

I Personally like 2400 for this round out of my Super Blackhawk. I've loaded a lot of 240gr LSWC (.430) made by Better Bullets with 19.4gr of 2400 and winchester primers with very good results.

I try to save the H110 for when i'm pushing copper jacketed bullets. Just seems hotter to me (and looks it in the data).

Also, with one grain of difference between starting and max, its good you asked. You might have guestimated a dangerous number and that could be bad.

[454PB]

H-110 powder is one of the powders that should not be reduced more than about 5% from maximum. It can cause hangfires, misfires, and squibs.

Joker0370 gave you good information.

[zippy13]

Like Joker0370, I think of H110 as more appropriate for jacketed bullets. At Hodgdon's data site, they don't recommend a 240 cast bullet load with H110.

[zxcvbob]

im going to be ordering some lead bullets for my 44 but in my manual they dont list h110 as a powder for that weight, but they list it for 250 grain bullets, can i use that data but use a little less

You would need to use more, not less. H110 is a powder you do not want to reduce.

Get some 2400, you'll be a lot happier with it. (Also try about 12 grains of Herco.)

[GeauxTide]

I'd also recommend 2400, starting at 20gr. with 240s. The bullets should be in the 15-18 Brinnel range to minimize leading.

[totaldla]

H110/W296 works fine with 240gr lead. Just depends on whether or not it is accurate in your pistol. Look in the load data section of the 329pd info link.

[Ozzieman]

How hot are you going to make these 44's?
totaldla has a good point, pushing a 44 lead very fast with H110 can cause accuracy problems and leading.
If you’re looking for plinking rounds I would go with a non magnum powder like Herco or W231.

[crowbeaner]

Now that Olin and Hodgdon have stated that 296 and H110 are the same powder, you can use the 296 data as well. I load RCBS 44-240-SWC sized .430" and a Hornady gascheck over 24.0 to 25.0 of WW296. I use a magnum primer. For your plainbase boolits, I'd try 22.0 and work up if they weigh 250 grains. I use magnum primers with both powders, and standard ones with 2400. YMMV.

[shooter1911]

Rifleman 1776 has given you the best answer. It's fun to get loads off the Internet, and I do also, but you must have some current loading manuals to check the loads you are loading. I read mine constantly. And remember, what is good in my .44 might not be good in yours. Work up to all max loads.

Good luck, and stay safe.

[wncchester]

I prefer 2400 and Unique with my cast .44 loads. A bit "dirtier" than some but I'm gonna clean it when I get home anyway so it's no big deal.


Store bought lead bullets are likely to be too soft to take heavy loading very well. Unique works very well with mid-range loads but H110/W296 is a full power powder ONLY.

[AlaskaMike]

Store bought lead bullets are likely to be too soft to take heavy loading very well. Unique works very well with mid-range loads but H110/W296 is a full power powder ONLY.

Store bought doesn't have much to do with it--our local Sportsman's Warehouse here stocks both Hornady swaged lead bullets (which are very soft) as well as Lasercast and Cast Performance bullets (which are very hard). I definitely agree that you don't want to push soft, pure lead bullets very fast.

I've used Lasercast 240 grain bevel base cast bullets as well as my own 250 grain SWC bullets cast from RCBS 44-250-K using air cooled wheel weight alloy with H110/296 with great results in several revolvers. I tend to use 10 grains of Power Pistol for my preferred load, but 24 grains of 296 with either of the above two bullets is the best full power load I've found in .44 mag.

[iburnpowdah]

I think you will find that 8 gr +/- Unique is a wonderful shooting load appropriate for most shooting. Just my .02 worth. Be safe- Have fun!

[cornbush]

For lead 4227 is a good one to try too.... my favorite is 22gr of IMR 4227, most accurate load I have tried in a couple different guns.

[fredneck]

2400 powder with cast. H110 or Win 296 with jacketed. I guess H110 would work with cast but as others have said it's not to be reduced much if any. 2400 has served me very well for the last 30 years in this application and Unique for mid range load (8.5 to 10 grains)

[cdoc42]

I have used H110 for about 25 years, having moved "up" from 2400. In my .44 Mag I load 28 gr with a 180gr jacketed HP bullet, and the data I used at the time gave 1782 fps. When I graphed it = 1659 fps in my SuperBlackHawk(7.5") and 1757 in a Thompson Contender barrel (14"). My best friend passed away and his wife gave me some rounds he loaded using the same bullet. His receipe was 20gr of H110. My latest Hodgdon book lists 29gr of 110 a starting and 31gr as max. I assume 20 gr is not a good idea and I should pull all these rounds - right?

Regarding using cast bullets, a very accurate load in my SuperBlackhawk with 7.5" barrel is a Remington 240cast cast, CCI 350 primer and 14.5gr of 2400 -not hot but very accurate. I didn't graph it.

A Hornady 240gr cast bullet using 17.2gr of 2400 graphed 1200fps.

I also used a cast AA 215gr SWC with 23.5gr H110 and graphed it at 1850 fps w/o any problems

[hkusp45c_shooter]

still trying to decide on a powder, im going to stock up on some reloading supplies with my tax refund, one other question i would have is how well do they meter, i want a midrange load for target shooting to get more comfortable with the handgun.
i plan on loading either 240 or 300 grain xtp's for deer hunting this year and need to practice beforehand. im thinking of either #9, 2400, or 231 for the lead plinking rounds an possibly h110 or #9 for the xtps. I dont own any fancy measuring equipment, i have a lee balance scale, lee auto disk, and a lee dipper set with which ive good results in my .45 acp loads. With most of the powders i listed have dippers in the range i would be loading with, which one would be the best metering wise.
Also would using the dippers be to inaccurate and cause major problems, or would be double to triple checking each charge before using be ok

[zxcvbob]

Get a bulky powder (I really like Herco) and you can make your own dipper for it if your powder measure doesn't like it.

[AlaskaMike]

My best friend passed away and his wife gave me some rounds he loaded using the same bullet. His receipe was 20gr of H110. My latest Hodgdon book lists 29gr of 110 a starting and 31gr as max. I assume 20 gr is not a good idea and I should pull all these rounds - right?

Yep, definitely pull them down. Those loads would be virtually guaranteed to be squibs.

[cdoc42]

Thanks, AlaskaMike