.44 Rem mag... how do you load for rifle and pistol

Manuals often include separate tables for rifle and pistol (also true for .357Mag and even 9mm), so you can consult them for answers. Generally, the starting loads for pistol should be avoided when loading for a rifle since there is a much greater chance of squibbing a bullet in the rifle's longer barrel.

But consult those tables.

I've used the pistol loads in rifles many times without issues. But I also laod with H110 / 296 for 44 mag and other magnum pistol cartridges. As already mentioned, be cautious about using pistol target or light to mid range loads for rifle or squibs could happen. And on the other hand, rifle load tables are a bit hotter and might be too much for a handgun, other than a SRH or SBH, which I think is stout enough for rifle loads.

GS

Load the same for both. Avoid light loads in rifles.

Dealers choice. If you don't want hassle of making sure to keep ammo separated then load to pistol specs. When you find that load that shoots good in both then hang with it. That said, you may want to work up a hotter task specific load for occasional use in the rifle. If you use a completely different bullet style you will easily be able to tell the difference visually. Bug do make the box "rifle only" in case you get whacked by a MAC truck and don't want your kids to risk an accident. That said, I don't think I have ever worked up a .44 rifle load that would actually blow a modern pistol up. May be a recoil nightmare and cases may be hard to extract but pistol should survive.

I shoot the same loads in my Blackhawk 7 1/2" and my Winchester Trapper rifle. Both shoot well with my load. I use Hornady 240 XTP's with 23 grains of Win 296 with a CCI 350 primer, mostly RP cases but the same load in other brands. 24 grains of Win 296 is often recommended with the 240 XTP. Don't reduce Win 296 very much. Wouldn't go below 22 grains.

Load the same for both. Avoid light loads in rifles.=this

Loading differently for handgun and rifle would defeat the purpose of having both in the same caliber.

I have a few loads that I load with the intent of the ammo being suitable for either my 7.5" super Blackhawks or my Winchester '94. My pet load to be used in both is this bullet over 22gr of 2400:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/75...eter-220-grain-full-profile-jacket-box-of-100

Its more aerodynamic than the XTPs and lighter. It's a little lighter recoil in the revolver, and groups great at 100 yards with the carbine.

I also load everything intended for semiauto and lever action in nickel cases. It makes them easier to find at the range.

-MW

I load .41 mag in a Blackhawk and a Marlin 1894. I tried to find a cast bullet load for both but had to abandon the effort. The Ruger loves cast bullets, the Marlin not so much. So I end up shooting the revolver a lot more, using economical cast bullets. The rifle doesn't get shot very much.

If your Marlin has the microgroove rifling as my .44 and .357 do you can forget the cast bullets. It seems to plug the rifling almost immediately. I switched to jacketed and voila...the carbines shoot.

ANY manufacturer published load will work in ANY pistol OR rifle. I have shot thousands of my cowboy action loads in .44 special (significantly below manufacturer published loads) through my 20 inch 44 mag Winchester and have NEVER had a a cartridge that had powder in it (had one without powder about 10 years ago) not leave the bore. If you stick to published loads you will NEVER have a squib related to the recipe.

Load lower than published and you accept the responsibility for any squibs in your rifle AND handgun (saw a bullet half out of the end of a rifle barrel at a match once, just like an ice cream cone, dozens of folks with bullets stuck in their handguns and rifles - usually no powder in the case). I have seen folks ring barrels on their pistols and rifles searching for that last % recoil reduction when loading for SASS, trying to use just enough powder to get the bullet to the target (and shooting a second into the squib stuck in the barrel). I find I am faster with mild recoil rather than low recoil, better feedback from the firearm.

I see the OP is shooting a Marlin , but I thought I should point this out anyway,

If you load 44 mag for an auto loader you need a slow burning power for the gas , H110/W296 , or 2400 work great I like H110, don't use Unique, bullseye, Uniaversal, as they wont kick out the case, this is true for my Ruger Carbine, and my Ruger DeerField. my Marlin 1894 will eat just about anything that my blackhawk's will, and H110 works great in all 5 of my 44 mags .

as for cast in a Marlin 1894, use something hard like "LazerCast" I shoot them in my Marlin and my Ruger BlackHawk they work just fine in the Marlin 1894
Hope this helps

Non-lead bullets are longer for their weight, so shouldn't that give better aerodynamics and retain more energy at long range, if you can load to the same MV? Could be worth considering for long-gun use.

As I understand it, non-lead bullets are harder and eat up more case capacity, so you CANNOT use the same load data. I haven't searched for the load data, so maybe the case capacity reduction prevents reaching the same velocities as a lead bullet.

Fer example:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/71...w-point-lead-free-box-of-20?cm_vc=subv1757167

Looks a lot less stubby than a jacketed lead bullet of the same weight.

Given that you can clear a rifle bore at about 500 FPS with certain ease, I don't think that a light pistol load is going to be an issue in a rifle.

Where you could go afoul is taking a top-tier pressure rifle load and putting it in an old steel handgun.

Meh.

If you experiment with any old, old, olde olde olde 44 mag wheel guns- save the high pressure loads for something that'll take the pressure.

Beyond that..... I dunno, I've loaded max "rifle" loads in my 4" Taurus. I've also gone beyond that- don't do that at home kids.

Beyond "beast mode fireball" and "angry wrist" there was not a lot of worse for wear.

In a modern, sporting firearm in good condition

I would have no problem taking any of my 44 wheel gun loads and putting them in a rifle, or vice versa.

I would have a problem cheating the max rifle loads by about 15%, and putting that in a handgun again though.

That pressure spec over % is there as a safety margin- not the margin you should cut into regularly for entertainment.

It wasn't that accurate anyway- I don't really see the point.