My first reloads

[rick300]

First, thanks to all here. I've learned that sportsmen love to share their knowledge and this holds true with the shooters and hunters. So, I loaded ten rounds last week (44 mag) and took them to the range. I don’t know anyone who reloads so I'm teaching myself. I am a very careful guy and I am determined to be even more careful when reloading. I've read lots and one thing I've learned is in big calibers, if the crimp is not right, the bullet not fired in the cylinder could work its way out of the case and lock up the cylinder. I loaded my SBH with five factory rounds and my first reload last in line. I took a shot and checked my round. It was fine. Four more times and everything looked great. Now, here goes… I was shaking …. It went boom, left a hole in the paper, and I had all my fingers. Life is good.
So I did this three more times and I had six rounds left. I loaded all six and fired away. It is worth all the trouble, time, research, and money to make your own ammo.
Ten rounds and about six hundred dollars later (that’s $60 per round) I know they will get cheaper and I am in love with my new hobby. I started this to shoot for less money. I’ll be picking all you brains later to shoot better. So anyways, thanks again to all you guys that like to share what you know. Rick

 

[Ben Shepherd]

You're welcome. A couple of suggestions-

1. Get "The ABCs of Reloading". Read it cover to cover.
2. Have at least three reloading manuals to cross check data with.

EDIT: Mind sharing your load data with us?

 

[warnerwh]

Welcome to the club. Reloading is the only way to go. With your .44 you can load from mild to max. I shooting mostly moderate loads. With a little experimentation you can adjust powder charges slightly to see which is most accurate. Once I get accuracy I can live with I call it good.

All of my revolvers are capable of 1.5" groups at 25 yards from a rest. This is good enough for me.

Depending on various circumstances a .44 magnum can cause your nervous system to make you shaky. Best way to see if you're also flinching is to load only 5 rounds, spin the cylinder and start shooting. If you push the gun in anticipation of the gun going off you're flinching. This varies by person. A 12 year old girl may have less of an issue with flinching than a 250 lb man. Your nervous system is reacting to the blast.

Best wishes in your new endeavor. Once you're used to shooting your own loads, this is very soon, you will have no desire to shoot anything but your own loads. Many of us haven't bought any ammo in quite a few years.

 

[cajun 48]

Rick, welcome to the wonderful world of reloading! Using my logic, your first round paid for all the equipment (one expensive little booger). Now all you have to do is keep it fed and have lots of fun. Be safe, Stay safe, Shoot safe!
aj b

 

[rick300]

Ben

I"ve got the "ABCs" the "Speer manual" and "The Complete Reloading Manual for the 44 mag" My first load was from the later, Sierra 220 grain and 11.5 grains of Unique. I bought what was available. (Its a tough time to get into this hobby. I wanted to start reloading for my fourty cause I shoot that more and have been saving brass for a while but dies are backordered. Everything came for the 44 so thats where I started. I would be interested in any favorite light loads that any of you have Thanks Rick. I didn't reply sooner cause I've been at work all day.

 

[lgbloader]

Rick,
Congrats, Mate. Looks like your hooked and there is no hope for you now. Your shooting will be taken to a whole 'nother level.

I load for 44 MAG too but I can't really offer any loads for it because I pretty much use H110 Powder redlined in all my Magnum pistol caliber rounds. this stuff is a madman.

If I want a reduced load for 44 Mag, I shoot the 357 MAG and if I want a reduced 357 Mag, I shoot 38 Spcl.

Keep reading and shooting.

LGB

 

[GaryL]

I happen to like 17gr of 2400 behind a 240 gr plated or JHP for 44mag. It's in between the full power H110 and your Unique load.

 

[rick300]

Thanks, Gary I know unique is not the best for .44 Like I said, I bought what I could find and wanted to start with the .40. Lots of people recomended unique for the .40 so thats how I ended up with that. I'm taking lots of notes and this will go into my books. Rick

 

[Walkalong]

I like AA #9 for .44 Mag myself, and have used W-296 for heavy bullets, but H-110, W-296, 2400, N-110, should all work great. I load the .44 to max, but don't hot rod it. I am not worried about that extra 100 FPS I could get. My plinker load is 240's at around 1350 FPS from a 5.5" Redhawk.

Unique is a good choice for lower power levels in .44 Mag, as it is in .357 as well.

Glad to hear you are excited about your new hobby/addiction. Yes, it will get cheaper per round over time. $60 a pop is a bit much even these days.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Rick,
Welcome to the wonderful world of reloading and crafting your own ammunition. I started some 30 years ago while in the military, stationed in Southern Germany. Had a wonderful tutor who also happened to be my next door neighbor.

My first reloads were also for the .44 magnum as I had been given a Ruger Super Blackhawk as a birthday present by my wife.

The load I eventually settled on that was most accurate out of the 7" ruger while still keeping recoil fairly pleasant was a 240 grain, gas checked Lead semi-wadcutter, over 8.0 grains of Red-Dot powder. A good pistol shooter could almost drive tacks at 25 yards with that load out of that gun.

Red-Dot has been re-formulated since then, and what worked then might not be right today, so before even trying it, check your CURRENT reloading manual for Red-Dot loads and the 240 grain lead bullets to make sure it's safe. I don't load for .44 anymore, and don't use Red-Dot for .38 special, so haven't kept up on the modern formulations vs bullet weights in that powder

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Rick, when the bug hits there are 2 loads you should work up to with the 44.

1. A 245 HCSWC in front of 20-21 grains of 2400. This will basically duplicate the old Kieth load.

2. A 300 XTP in front of 19-20 grains of 296 or H110. This one's for when you feel like having a load that will penetrate clear into next week.

Both are at the top of the charts, so start low and work up with care.

For a plinker, I like between 7 and 8 grains of Unique or Universal under a 245 SWC. This one is a pussycat that you can shoot all day.

On a good day, all three of these loads will shoot an inch at 25 yards for me.

 

[jeff1911]

Welcome to the world of reloading! Aside from the obvious quality benefit, I think you'll find that you will be able to shoot more.

I am reloading .45 ACP for bullseye style shooting for about $0.10 a round. No way I'd be able to shoot 200-500 rounds a week at today's prices for factory ammo; if you can even find it.

There is quite a collection of knowledgeable people here for any questions.

 

[alex9328]

Hello Rick300 : 44 caliber here too with me.

Great to hear that you were able to reload some amount and that it work. Why wouldn't it. You read, prepared and had a careful plan to reload.

I was the same way, but I started, and still use a $10.00 lee loader hand loading kit, so my ammo price per piece was not as high as yours. I do have a Lyman turret press, but I still sit outside on the porch and enjoy the Lee Loader. It slow but it works.

I use H-110 for my Hunting and Target loads. I have also used 2400 and in a pinch Herco. **** I think I also load a couple of dozen using Bullseye. They all go bang and grouping had been way better than using store bought.

Thanks for share your victory over the man, ( dependence on stores ) and a new steep toward a nice hobby. I mean, you sit loading ammo so you can enjoy more shooting. RIGHT!

Thanks, Alex