44Magnum The Most Versatile Handgun Caliber

RealGun,

I have to say that the Missouri Cast Co. has a Round nose Flat Point and a 240 LSWC that will not lead the barrel with this load of IMR 4227. I can shoot 100 rounds from my SBH with this loading, and I have very little cleanup.

For 240 XTP I prefer 20.5 grains of 2400. Super accurate, and shoots to the same point of aim as the IMR lead loading.
I personally do not, repeat DO NOT like Unique in the .44 Magnum. I have never had a good loading with it. I use Unique in 9mm, and that is it.
I have a new mega accurate load with a new powder for a velocity of 1000 to 1100 fps, but I cannot devulge that information quite yet. I don't have enough stocked up. LOL, but I will tell you it shoots every round in to the same hole from 15 to 25 yards using the Missouri Cast Co. RNFP @ 240 grains and a Federal LPM primer. Recoil is nothing from the big Super Black Hawk.

There are so many powders for loading down the .44 Magnum. I would shoot Magnum brass, but load down to Special velocities if that is what you are going for. It would sure help from creating a ring in the cylinders. W231 is a good powder to load down to special velocities, Even 2400 at 15 grains is a good 240 grain jacketed load.
I think you will find lead to be a good friend in the .44 Mangum versus other calibers. I haven't had any issues finding a good load with lead, and I haven't had to chore boy any of my cleaning sessions. I shoot 90% lead in my .44 Magnum. I do have some 240 XTP loaded with said 20.5 grains of 2400. I have some 270 Speer FP and 300 grain Sierras also loaded up, but I rarely shoot them.
I also like the 240 grain LSWC with 7.3 grains Trail Boss. If it is 7 to 7.3 or 7.5 I don't worry to much about it. They are light loads that shoot very accurately and good to have on hand for people who want to shoot the "BIG" gun without hurting them or shying them away from trying a second time.

Remember also that you'll never find a .44mag in a revolver frame any smaller than an N frame.

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At the risk of turning this into a Taurus/Rossi bash...

Second thought, never mind. I like the .357 and the .45 Colt, don't own or need a .44 magnum, but that's just me. To each his own. If I bought a .44, I'd need dies and molds and, well, it's another caliber and I already load a bunch, pistol and revolver calibers. However, I HAVE been lookin' at that new Rossi .44 mag, 29 ounces or some such, 3" barrel. But, I kinda like my 3" Taurus 66 in .357 magnum. I think .357 is a better carry caliber, too, better for shootin' humans, more loads available for the purpose anyway, regardless of what Harry Callahan carries.

I noticed that the trigger and hammer are very unattractive, raw-looking, uneven-colored steel, i.e. ugly, and asked S&W if they have stainless versions.

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Most people like color case hardened hammers and triggers, among other things.

Yep, it absolutely is the most versatile from a reloading perspective and its uses are wide ranging. I do take it to the range for plinking and I carry this one relatively effortlessly when in the woods.

Case colors on hammer and trigger...that's a good thing.

C&L

That would look better if 44 Magnum was stamped on the barrel

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44 magnum does look better stamped on a barrel...no doubt about it!

C&L

To complete my transformation after being convinced to buy a .44 Magnum, today I crossed the "no lead" line and ordered equipment for casting bullets (and a book). Now I need some lead.

Mr.Revolverguy said:

C&L

WOW I am seriously jealous

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That makes two of us.

aw shucks, thanks guys

hmmm...get you a .44 mag and start there. it will be a good thing and will probably increase in numbers!

To be quite honest with myself and everyone else. I really have started to neglect and not enjoy shooting any of my gun accept my .44 Magnum. It is so accurate with my hand loads that it is very easy to call shots.
The power factor is just right for me because I load for me. It is so much of a fun gun to shoot that I am moving up the .44 Magnum line to the next level.

as for versatility the 45 colt, 44 magnum, and 357 are without a doubt the best of the best IMHO

That hunter plus is a beautiful handgun, Does it shoot as good as it looks? My 629-4 6" is my constant companion when I'm hunting or just out of doors. I cant load it to Ruger velocities or pressures because they just dont hold up like a Contender or Redhawk but they are a heck of a lot lighter to carry and dont make you wish you had left it in the truck after a long deer drive. As far as versitility I love a hard cast LSW at 1000fps or so fun and accurate without the punnishment of full powered loads or the noise. I do miss my 300 grain XTP and a max load of AA#9 or H110 though for hunting It was comfortable to shoot in the 7.5" Redhawk but impossibly punnishing in the 629 plus it removed a nice chunk of my thumb on the cylinder latch. Which by the way has been altered so that doesnt happen again. And EB1 is Long Shot really that hard to come by in your area? LOL

Still going with this? Wow.....

C&L, is that a factory "pinto"?

CraigC said:

C&L, is that a factory "pinto"?

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Yes Sir it is. S&W factory lettered pinto 29-2. Shipped to GT Distributors in Rossville GA on May 28, 1975.

Very cool, thanks for posting!

Now that I have a .44 Magnum and want to load some that are more in a real magnum range, I find I need the double disk kit for my Lee powder measure to allow me to drop charges over 20 grains. Every little step highlights something I don't have and makes me spend money and wait.

I am planning to load 21.6 grains of IMR4227 in both .45 Colt Redhawk 250 XTP and .44 Magnum 240 XTP using LPMP. The charges are so close that I split the difference to one setting that was equal to a Lee auto disk double combination.

Tomorrow I hope to test 18.8 gr A2400 with 240 gr hard cast LSWC. I am new with lead bullets, so I'll check closely for this barrel leading business, not to mention smoke. Should be fun.

p.s. 18.8 g is not a magic number but is the A2400 yield of the largest Lee Auto Disk aperture I have. Sorry to get muddled between Revolvers and Reloading forums, but they seem almost inseparable with the .44 Magnum.

19 grains of 2400 with a 240 SWC is my standard fun load for everything. Missouri Bullets makes good bullets but my favorite is still the Keith mold.

19.0gr 2400 under a commercial 240gr SWC is where that powder starts to sing for me. It burns more completely and accuracy is excellent. Another grain is even better and I settled on that for my guns years ago. You can go up to 22.0gr (Keith's .44Mag load) without fear (in Rugers, sparingly in S&W's) but it is unnecessary.

Standard primers only with 2400.