Loading .44 Mag for a rifle

Almost all the reloading manuals have a separate section in the rifle data for the .44 Magnum, with data just for rifles. That's what I use when loading for my Winchester and Marlin lever rifles in .44 Magnum.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I use the same loads in both a Winchester Trapper rifle and Ruger Super Blackhawk. Loads that shoot well in the pistol shoot even better in the rifle. Wouldn't load any loads for my rifle that wouldn't also be recommended for a pistol. I shoot Hornady 240 XTP's with Win 296 at 23 grains with 24 being listed as maximum in my data source. I use CCI 350 Magnum primers with Win 296. Some manuals list data in both rifle and pistol sections.

rg1 said:

I use the same loads in both a Winchester Trapper rifle and Ruger Super Blackhawk. Loads that shoot well in the pistol shoot even better in the rifle. Wouldn't load any loads for my rifle that wouldn't also be recommended for a pistol. I shoot Hornady 240 XTP's with Win 296 at 23 grains with 24 being listed as maximum in my data source. I use CCI 350 Magnum primers with Win 296. Some manuals list data in both rifle and pistol sections.

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Ditto above for my Marlin 1894 Lever and my 629-3 6". 240gr XTP and W296 are made for each other in 44 mag. I've tried other bullets and powders but can't top these.
Speer 210gr Gold dots w/296 are #2 but cost more.
Low cost rounds are 240gr plated and Unique for the pistol but my rifle doesn't like them.

Do you guys with the rifles put together the same loads that you do for pistols? On a couple of web sites I've seen data for T/C Contenders and such.

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I would not use T/C Contender data for use in anything other than a Contender. The pressures are too high for "normal" rifle actions. For the most part rifle actions are no stronger than handguns using the same cartridge. (for the most part but not always)

I have a 357 Magnum lever action rifle and revolvers. I use the same ammunition in both.

While I have not looked at current data, in the past, several manual editions ago, the rifle data and the handgun data in the reloading manuals were similar. But, do not interchange the data out of hand. There may be greater differences with current data.

For lever action rifles with tubular magazines, there are some limitations on bullets that are safe to use.

As ArchAngleCD said, i would avoid Contender data in a lever action rifle.

RainDodger said:

I'll look around for some 296 if I can find it.

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Or H110, it is the same as W296 these days.

Look at Hodgdon's site for current data on H110 and W296.

http://hodgdon.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html

Hope this helps.

My Lyman 49th (?) manual has two separate sections for .44mag, one for pistol loads and one for rifle. Not familiar with that rifle, so I can't recommend the hotter rifle loads, don't know its strength.

RainDodger said:

Based on what you guys are saying, I'll look around for some 296 if I can find it.

Thanks a bunch.

Roger

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W296/H110 is a good choice for loading the 44 Magnum but there are others.

IMR4227 is an excellent choice for loading the 44 Magnum even with heavy bullets. Alliant's fairly new Power Pro 300-MP is also a good choice as is 2400. Accurate has AA#9 and even better in the 44 Magnum Accurate 4100.

What I'm getting at there are plenty of choices especially since it might be hard to find any powder. In today's environment it's good to know all the choices.

W296/H110
IMR4227
Power Pro 300-MP
2400
AA#9
AA4100
Ramshot Enforcer

There are probably a few more but they slip my mind right now. If it were me I would be looking for IMR4227 because it was very popular in the 44 Magnum years ago and delivers high velocities, it burns cleanly and is accurate. Since it's not extremely popular you will have a better chance of finding some on the shelves too.

Hornady has different charge maximums for rifle and revolver. I always look at what firearm is used in developing the load. For example they list 18.4 gr of H110 with my favorite deer pill, the 300gr XTP, for a Ruger Deerfield. The max charge for revolver for that bullet and powder is listed at 20.1gr

Sommerled said:

Hornady has different charge maximums for rifle and revolver. I always look at what firearm is used in developing the load. For example they list 18.4 gr of H110 with my favorite deer pill, the 300gr XTP, for a Ruger Deerfield. The max charge for revolver for that bullet and powder is listed at 20.1gr

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A SAAMI compliant load is a SAAMI compliant load no matter what it's fired in.

rondog said:

My Lyman 49th (?) manual has two separate sections for .44mag, one for pistol loads and one for rifle. Not familiar with that rifle, so I can't recommend the hotter rifle loads, don't know its strength.

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The loads in those two sections are the same, because they all conform to SAAMI pressure specifications for the .44 Remington Magnum. The powder charges are identical. They just re-shot the same loads in a longer barrel to get rifle velocity data.

VASTLY more knowledgeable people than I say the model 92 type action is pretty strong. I take that to mean that it could take more pressure than the SAAMI limit, which has to allow for every .44 Mag revolver, even those built with an eye to weight, not abuse-resistance. But you won't find that +P data in any published book of load recipes, AFAIK.

You *will* find some interesting stuff here:
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/14
Compare that powder charge of Lil'Gun for a 250 grain LBT bullet with the recipes you'll find on Hodgden's website for bullets of similar weight.

Only problem with loading for .44 magnum is that it is a little boring. W296/H110 appear to perform head-and-shoulders above the rest; so there's no real point in trying other powders.

The round seems to do its best with 240 grain bullets; heavier and the trajectory is unfavorable, lighter and the bullet loses energy pretty fast. Also, my revolvers need re-zeroed to stay on the paper when I change bullet weights. So, I just stick with 240s.

What is nice is that a full-power load of H110/W296 pretty much fills the case, delivers optimum accuracy, and operates at a pressure that's significantly lower than full-power loads using other powders. Dropping the charge just 1 grain below maximum with H110/W296 drastically reduces pressure will still delivering very good velocities. That's why both Hodgdon and Winchester recommended only full power loads with these powders for years.

Basically I load for my Marlin 1894 the same as I do for the SBH and the RH: 23.5 gr. 296 under a 240 gr. JHP and ignited by a CCI 350 primer. Performance in handguns and rifle is excellent; but the rifle is much more pleasant to shoot.

Most data for cartridges that are commonly chambered for both rifle and handguns, will have separate tables for each. But I have shot my handgun loads from rifle many times with no problems at all. But this could also be cause I load full house for everything anyway, so sticking bullets in the barrels isn't really a concern.

Maybe try some H110 / 296, so you can shoot them out of both type firearms.

GS

I've loaded 44 mag as low as 4.5 grs of unique with a 225g GCLSWC for use in a suppressed 44 mag rifle- all the way up to maximum velocity loads for handgun and they all fired just fine in both.

I have loads for my hand guns that work in my lever gun but shoot better in my hand gun , lever gun is a Marlin 1894 with micro groves and my hand guns are Blackhawk's with 10 1/2 barrels , will loads work in both ? sure but I'm picky. My auto loaders ( Ruger Deerfield , and Ruger Carbine ) need slow burning powder like W296/H-110 or 2400 to run as they need the gas to cycle , I have a load for plinking with my Blackhawks using 200gr cast RN with Bullseye but they wont run the auto loaders , when you see data for a Deerfield or a carbine (autoloaders) you wont find fast burning powders listed , for your new lever gun most hand gun data should work fine , as already posted most rifle data is listed to show the higher speed with the longer barrel , with the exception for autoloaders , however that data will work in lever guns and hand gun as well, there is also data for RedHawks that will be to hot for your Browning much like the data for the T/C .

RainDodger said:

Do many of you guys load .44 Special rounds for .44 Mag rifles?

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Since I don't have any .44 special only firearms, I load .44 special type loads in my .44 mag brass. I have also found that altho loads that work well in my .44 mag revolvers also work well in my .44 mag carbines, the carbines always do a tad better with consistent accuracy using IMR4227 as opposed to H110/W296. I've always contributed it to the 4227 being less sensitive to temperature.

I like the 300 Gr JSP with ACC # 9 - 19.0 Gr 1488 VEL Will drop any deer in 100 Ft and any Hog. For smaller game I like the 200 GR JHP with ACC # 7 18.7 1994 VEL