44 Magnum loads

micksis86 · December 1, 2009, 06:35 AM

Hey,
Just bought my marlin 1894 in 44 magnum, dies and what not.
And i'm looking for some good loads. Both lower power plinking loads and full power hunting loads.
I'm using nosler 240 grain jacketed hollow points.
Obviously i've already checked my reloading guides but i'm just looking for some tried and tested favorites.
Thanks.

B.L.E. · December 1, 2009, 07:27 AM

Alliant/Hercules 2400 has always been my favorite powder for full power loads. I like the way it smells when I shoot it.

Dave P · December 1, 2009, 08:40 AM

I use a lead 180/200 bullet, with about 14 gr of AA #7 for my plinking loads. Very sweet in my 1894C.

GeauxTide · December 1, 2009, 01:38 PM

Follow the Nosler manual with H-110. You'll have my favorite 44 loads with the 240s, except I like the Rem 240SP. I use the same loads in rifle and pistol.

CowTowner · December 1, 2009, 02:00 PM

Someone with the Sierra manual might want to see if they did the same for the 44 mag as they did for the 41 mag.
Sierra made two specific loads for the 1894FG that are hog smackers for sure.
Since I'm in the office, I don't have the manual in front of me.

Doodlebugger45 · December 1, 2009, 06:38 PM

I shoot a lot of 44 mags in pistols. Ever since I got a 480 Ruger and a 454 Casull, I don't load up full-power loads in the 44 mags nearly as often as I used to. It is now relegated mostly to plinker duty, although I still like having the best accuracy I can get. For the lower powers, I like 231 powder the best. For cast bullets, I will load 6-7 grains of 231 and it works just fine. Occasionally I will still load up some higer power loads using the JHP bullets. In those cases I will use either H110 (W296) or else 4227, depending on what my supply of primers looks like that week. About 23 grains of either one of those powders gives a pretty hot load. The H110 needs a magnum primer whereas the 4227 takes a standard primer. But 23 gr of either powder gives a load somewhere around 1400 fps according to the books.

micksis86 · December 1, 2009, 09:09 PM

Thanks alot for the info guys.

rg1 · December 1, 2009, 10:38 PM

My Winchester 44 Mag 16" Trapper shoots Hornady 240 XTP's very well. I use Winchester 296 powder and use CCI 350 magnum primers. I would recommend to start at 21.5 grains of 296 (don't go lower than 21.5) for a velocity in a 16" barrel at approx. 1520fps and work up to 23 grains of 296. I wouldn't go above 24 grains of 296 with the Hornady 240 XTP's. 24 grains isn't maximum but getting close. 22 grains gives about 1583 fps and 22.5 goes approx. 1620 while 23 grains gets approx. 1670 fps and 24 grains barely tops 1700 fps in the 16" Trapper. Your longer barrel will show slightly higher velocity with all loads. I've tested these loads in RP, Win, and Federal brass.

micksis86 · December 2, 2009, 04:44 AM

rg1, thanks for the info that's great. I was thinking of using winchester 296 so that'll be a great help. What are the Hornady XTP's exactly? The main reason i'm going with the nosler is because I got them pretty cheap.

rg1 · December 2, 2009, 05:16 AM

240 XTP's are just Hornady's jacketed hollowpoint bullets. Noticed in Nosler's Number Four Manual that they list 23.8 grains as maximum with 296 powder with their 240gr. HP using Win cases and WLP primers. They also indicated that 22.8 was their most accurate load tested.

Hook686 · December 2, 2009, 05:20 AM

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...aspx?gtypeid=1

I use 21.5 grains of Alliant 2400 with 200 grain JHP, also I load 20.5 grains of the 2400 with 240 GDHP, and 16.5 grains of the 2400 with 270 grain GDSP. I am content with these loads in my Marlin 1894SS and S&W 629 Classic.

paralaska · December 2, 2009, 01:07 PM

My "Bear" Load that I carry in my Ruger Blackhawk. Stiff Load . . .

Hard Cast 320gr SWC
21.0gr of W296
Fed 150 primers
C.O.L. - 1.730

sc928porsche · December 2, 2009, 01:09 PM

Win 296 works well in 44 mag also.

LHB1 · December 2, 2009, 01:37 PM

My favorite .44 Mag load:
Win 296/H110 with Nosler 240 gr HP bullet (or my cast lead 250 gr bullet).

I use max load of Win 296 as recommended in Nosler manual. This is very accurate in my S&W 629 revolvers and also in a previous Marlin M1894 rifle. Note that Win 296 and H110 are the SAME powder from the same mfr, packaged and sold under two different names. Hodgdon will confirm this if you call them.

Emerson · December 3, 2009, 12:57 PM

A great plinking load for the .44 Magnum is 5.0 gr of Bullseye with a 240 gr cast SWC.

James R. Burke · December 4, 2009, 09:20 PM

I have good results with the win -296.

bamaranger · December 5, 2009, 03:08 AM

My .44 mag carbines are Ruger auto's, old style. Traditional bullet weights (240 gr) never gave the accuracy I felt necessary (6-9" at 100 yds no kiddin') and I nearly traded my first one. Heavier bullets were worse. A pie plate at 100 yds was a 50/50 shot, or so it seemed. I could outshoot myself w/ my 6" M29 when my eyes were sharp. The rifles were twisted 1-38" which is not best for accuracy w/ heavy longer bullets. Proof is that S&W twisted their pistol bbl 1-16" ( I think) and when Ruger released the new .44 bolts, autos and lever .44's, they went 1-20". Anyhow......

I ended up with light for caliber jacketed bullets 180-200 grain Hornady XtP's.
I drive these slugs w/ 2400 powder, at velocities in the middle of the scale to ease wear and tear on my auto carbines. These give me 3" groups at 100 yds and make my Rugers useful carbines.

I use STANDARD pistol primers, abiding w/ Elmer KEITH's belief that Mag primers give higher than necessary pressures. There's more bbl to burn powder in , in a carbine as opposed to handgun, anyhow.

Another thing I would advise is to avoid reduced load powder charges that would allow the double charging of a case and not be noticeable. I did that very thing this summer in using Unique for a lead bullet handgun load and ended up pulling a bunch, just to be safe. Now I'm leaning to 2400 as a powder for reduced load as well, say, 14 grs or so. (just a guess, for now)

That would put a double charge near or over the case mouth, and now way could I seat a heavy .44 bullet (for handguns) over that and not notice, even on a multi stage. Keith advised that as well, but I had never double charged any till my fiasco this summer. Now I'm going to proceed in a manner that will help to avoid a repeat.

Enjoy your carbine. I've been using .44 carbines since my Dad bought a Win 94 so chambered in about 1970. Wish I had it, but he traded w/o advising me.

December 1, 2009, 06:35 AM	#1
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	44 Magnum loads Hey, Just bought my marlin 1894 in 44 magnum, dies and what not. And i'm looking for some good loads. Both lower power plinking loads and full power hunting loads. I'm using nosler 240 grain jacketed hollow points. Obviously i've already checked my reloading guides but i'm just looking for some tried and tested favorites. Thanks.

December 1, 2009, 08:40 AM	#3
Dave P Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 1999 Location: North Florida Posts: 1,346	I use a lead 180/200 bullet, with about 14 gr of AA #7 for my plinking loads. Very sweet in my 1894C. __________________ I think this country is screwed.

December 1, 2009, 02:00 PM	#5
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Someone with the Sierra manual might want to see if they did the same for the 44 mag as they did for the 41 mag. Sierra made two specific loads for the 1894FG that are hog smackers for sure. Since I'm in the office, I don't have the manual in front of me. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

December 2, 2009, 05:20 AM	#11
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...aspx?gtypeid=1 I use 21.5 grains of Alliant 2400 with 200 grain JHP, also I load 20.5 grains of the 2400 with 240 GDHP, and 16.5 grains of the 2400 with 270 grain GDSP. I am content with these loads in my Marlin 1894SS and S&W 629 Classic. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

December 2, 2009, 01:09 PM	#13
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	Win 296 works well in 44 mag also. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

December 1, 2009, 07:27 AM	#2
B.L.E. Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Somewhere on the Southern shore of Lake Travis, TX Posts: 2,603	Alliant/Hercules 2400 has always been my favorite powder for full power loads. I like the way it smells when I shoot it.

December 1, 2009, 01:38 PM	#4
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	Follow the Nosler manual with H-110. You'll have my favorite 44 loads with the 240s, except I like the Rem 240SP. I use the same loads in rifle and pistol.

December 1, 2009, 06:38 PM	#6
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	I shoot a lot of 44 mags in pistols. Ever since I got a 480 Ruger and a 454 Casull, I don't load up full-power loads in the 44 mags nearly as often as I used to. It is now relegated mostly to plinker duty, although I still like having the best accuracy I can get. For the lower powers, I like 231 powder the best. For cast bullets, I will load 6-7 grains of 231 and it works just fine. Occasionally I will still load up some higer power loads using the JHP bullets. In those cases I will use either H110 (W296) or else 4227, depending on what my supply of primers looks like that week. About 23 grains of either one of those powders gives a pretty hot load. The H110 needs a magnum primer whereas the 4227 takes a standard primer. But 23 gr of either powder gives a load somewhere around 1400 fps according to the books.

December 1, 2009, 09:09 PM	#7
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	Thanks alot for the info guys.

December 1, 2009, 10:38 PM	#8
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	My Winchester 44 Mag 16" Trapper shoots Hornady 240 XTP's very well. I use Winchester 296 powder and use CCI 350 magnum primers. I would recommend to start at 21.5 grains of 296 (don't go lower than 21.5) for a velocity in a 16" barrel at approx. 1520fps and work up to 23 grains of 296. I wouldn't go above 24 grains of 296 with the Hornady 240 XTP's. 24 grains isn't maximum but getting close. 22 grains gives about 1583 fps and 22.5 goes approx. 1620 while 23 grains gets approx. 1670 fps and 24 grains barely tops 1700 fps in the 16" Trapper. Your longer barrel will show slightly higher velocity with all loads. I've tested these loads in RP, Win, and Federal brass.

December 2, 2009, 04:44 AM	#9
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	rg1, thanks for the info that's great. I was thinking of using winchester 296 so that'll be a great help. What are the Hornady XTP's exactly? The main reason i'm going with the nosler is because I got them pretty cheap.

December 2, 2009, 05:16 AM	#10
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	240 XTP's are just Hornady's jacketed hollowpoint bullets. Noticed in Nosler's Number Four Manual that they list 23.8 grains as maximum with 296 powder with their 240gr. HP using Win cases and WLP primers. They also indicated that 22.8 was their most accurate load tested.

December 2, 2009, 01:07 PM	#12
paralaska Member Join Date: September 29, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 24	My "Bear" Load that I carry in my Ruger Blackhawk. Stiff Load . . . Hard Cast 320gr SWC 21.0gr of W296 Fed 150 primers C.O.L. - 1.730

December 2, 2009, 01:37 PM	#14
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	My favorite .44 Mag load: Win 296/H110 with Nosler 240 gr HP bullet (or my cast lead 250 gr bullet). I use max load of Win 296 as recommended in Nosler manual. This is very accurate in my S&W 629 revolvers and also in a previous Marlin M1894 rifle. Note that Win 296 and H110 are the SAME powder from the same mfr, packaged and sold under two different names. Hodgdon will confirm this if you call them. __________________ Good shooting and be safe. LB

December 3, 2009, 12:57 PM	#15
Emerson Member Join Date: May 9, 2009 Posts: 89	A great plinking load for the .44 Magnum is 5.0 gr of Bullseye with a 240 gr cast SWC. __________________ An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it. - Col Jeff Cooper

December 4, 2009, 09:20 PM	#16
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	I have good results with the win -296.

December 5, 2009, 03:08 AM	#17
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	light jacketed bullets My .44 mag carbines are Ruger auto's, old style. Traditional bullet weights (240 gr) never gave the accuracy I felt necessary (6-9" at 100 yds no kiddin') and I nearly traded my first one. Heavier bullets were worse. A pie plate at 100 yds was a 50/50 shot, or so it seemed. I could outshoot myself w/ my 6" M29 when my eyes were sharp. The rifles were twisted 1-38" which is not best for accuracy w/ heavy longer bullets. Proof is that S&W twisted their pistol bbl 1-16" ( I think) and when Ruger released the new .44 bolts, autos and lever .44's, they went 1-20". Anyhow...... I ended up with light for caliber jacketed bullets 180-200 grain Hornady XtP's. I drive these slugs w/ 2400 powder, at velocities in the middle of the scale to ease wear and tear on my auto carbines. These give me 3" groups at 100 yds and make my Rugers useful carbines. I use STANDARD pistol primers, abiding w/ Elmer KEITH's belief that Mag primers give higher than necessary pressures. There's more bbl to burn powder in , in a carbine as opposed to handgun, anyhow. Another thing I would advise is to avoid reduced load powder charges that would allow the double charging of a case and not be noticeable. I did that very thing this summer in using Unique for a lead bullet handgun load and ended up pulling a bunch, just to be safe. Now I'm leaning to 2400 as a powder for reduced load as well, say, 14 grs or so. (just a guess, for now) That would put a double charge near or over the case mouth, and now way could I seat a heavy .44 bullet (for handguns) over that and not notice, even on a multi stage. Keith advised that as well, but I had never double charged any till my fiasco this summer. Now I'm going to proceed in a manner that will help to avoid a repeat. Enjoy your carbine. I've been using .44 carbines since my Dad bought a Win 94 so chambered in about 1970. Wish I had it, but he traded w/o advising me.