44 Mag revolver/carbine load suggestions

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mcb

mcb

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So with the addition of my new (to me) M29 to go with my M92 I need to get serious about working up a good load that will work for both guns.

RzW1PS0l.jpg

I am currently thinking of going with a 240gr XTP pushed by a charge of either Lil'Gun, H110 or BlueDot. I am not after super atomic loads. Hoping to achieve 1200-1300 fps from the 6.5-inch barrel revolver and the rifle velocity will be what it is but I would expect, from last weekend shooting/chrono, about a 200-250 fps boost in the carbine. Biggest critter shot at would be Tennessee Whitetail.

I am more than happy to hear suggestions for other powders and even other bullets that are around 240 gr give or take some. What are you favorite loads for 44 Mag pistol/carbine?
 
240gr jacketed bullet and IMR4227 or VithaVuori N105. Both are very accurate in my lever action rifle. I choose a powder weight that is right in the middle of the recommended minimum and maximum charge weights that are on both company's online reloading data pages. Can't say how they are in a revolver as I load with different powders in my revolvers. But I have settled on those for my rifle as mentioned above. The rifle has a 20" heavy octagon barrel. If you try the loads I hope they work as well for you as they do me. I've been working up loads for years and have finally found them to be the most accurate for me.
 
44 Magnum is my favorite cartridge and I have 5 guns chambered for it; one Puma and three revolvers and one Contender. I use the same bullet in my revolvers as I do in my Puma; a Ranch Dog design 240 gr. LRNFP. (I also use SWC in my revolvers but have a good load for my Ruger SBH and Puma). I use mid to upper loads of Blue Dot and 2400 and get around 1550 fps n my Puma. RD also has an excellent RNFP 265 gr. bullet that also works well in all my 44s...
 
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If the 240 XTP seated to the cannelure and firmly roll crimped over 23.5 H110 doesn’t shoot well for you, your gun is busted.
 
I have been real happy with a 240 grain bracketed bullet over 11.5 grains of longshot. Possibly not up to your velocity specs, it accurate and would kill deer fine.
 
2400 works very well for a load to be used in the two guns. I like a 245 grain to 265 grain cast bullet over 18 grains of 2400. This load give me 1150 fps to 1200 fps in revolvers. Haven't measured speed in the rifle, yet.
 
Varminterror hit the nail on the head. Winchester 296, same as H110 with Hornady 240 XTP's, CCI 350 Magnum primer, at 23 to 23.5 grains and like he said, if it doesn't shoot well your gun's broken. I shoot 23 grains of Win 296/H110 in my 16" Win Trapper and 7 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk. I would not reduce Win 296 or H110 less than 22-22 1/2 grains and 24 grains in many manuals is maximum. Firm roll crimp.
 
Love H110, use it in 410 shotshell loads, 357 Mag and heavy 450 Bushmaster loads. Though I think 23.5gr under a 240gr XTP might be a bit hotter than I like for lots of shooting. I will give it a try though I am not afraid to shoot a few hotter loads. Last weekend my brother had some 180gr XTP over 29gr of H110 and that was quite the fireball to touch off. Managed to get over 2000 fps from my M92 Carbine. Recoil was very sharp in the M29 and the muzzle blast was an eye opener. Hopefully the muzzle blast when used with the heavier and slower 240gr XTP will be less. I would not want to shoot those 180 gr without hearing protection. I was plug and muffed for those and it was still loud.
 
Varminterror said:
If the 240 XTP seated to the cannelure and firmly roll crimped over 23.5 H110 doesn’t shoot well for you, your gun is busted.
Click to expand...

That is the load I use as well for jacketed bullets. For a medium load I use Missouri Bullet's 240 RNFP Cowboy bullet over 10.0 Unique.
 
For my Henry .44 Mag Rifle, I like a 240 gr. XTP JHP over 19.6 grains of Alliant 2400. I also shoot this load in my Ruger Super Blackhawk but my favorite load for the revolver is a 250 gr. or 240 gr. hard cast SWC over 7.5 gr. of Unique.
 
I have not done much comparison yet between 44mag revolver and rifle loads, but so far my favorite bullet is the Zero 240 JSP. It has been as accurate as the XTP and is only about 14 cents each.

So far I like 2400 and N-110 in the revolver, and 300MP in the rifle. The 300MP powder does not really shine until you use it in longer barrels, at least that has been my experience.
 
Reloading for my Ruger 44 Mag Carbine, 18" barrel was one of the big reasons I got into reloading in the early 90's. Finally settled on 24 gr. H110 and the same bullet 240 gr. HP/XTP you are using. Any more H110 and I was getting ejection marks on my brass. velocity was a little less than 1800 fps the one time I ran these across a chronograph. Shoot the same loads out of my Ruger SRH with good results.
 
So I finally got around to compiling the chronograph data from my first time out with my new (to me) M29. Rather than start a new thread I figure I would just tack this data on to this thread. The ammo I had was some 44 Mag a friend had given me, some ammo I had loaded specifically for my M92 a couple years ago and finally some ammunition my brother had loaded for his Taurus 44 and Encore with a 10.5 inch 44 Barrel. All the chrono data came from a Chrony Alpha Master about 12-ft from the muzzle. Partly sunny day and about 55 deg temperature.

Bullet 240 gr XTP (old style)
Powder 10.4 gr Unique
M29: 1138 fps (avg 12-shots)
M92: 1288 fps(avg 6-shots)
Been shooting this load in my M92 for a few years but I am just about out of these bullets and obviously Hornady is not making this any more. Shoots well in both guns.

Bullet 240 gr XTP (current style)
Powder 13.7 gr Blue Dot
M29: 1172 fps (avg 6-shots)
M92: 1420 fps(avg 5-shots)
I liked this load shot fairly well in both guns. Would like to bump the velocity up a bit assuming it still shoots as well. I think H110 will do that and might gain even more velocity in the rifle.

Bullet 265 gr LRS (not sure who made this bullet)
Powder 6.0 gr Bullseye
M29: 853 fps (avg 6-shots)
M92: 1007 fps(avg 6-shots)
Super soft shooting, shot high in the revolver as expected.

Bullet 265 gr LRS (not sure who made this bullet)
Powder 15.0 gr Blue Dot
M29: 1285 fps (avg 6-shots)
M92: 1523 fps(avg 6-shots)
Stout recoil but very accurate out of the rifle.

Bullet 250 gr Sierra FPJ Match
Powder 9.0 gr Titegroup
M29: 1111 fps (avg 6-shots)
M92: 1235 fps(avg 6-shots)
Very inaccurate in the revolver, very accurate in the rifle. Very consistent velocity best Std Dev of all rounds tested both Std Dev of ~10fps

180gr XTP (old style)
Powder: 29.0 gr H110
M29: 1561 fps (avg 6-shot)
M92: 2036 fps (avg 6-shot)
Holy fireballs Batman!!! :eek: The recoil was very snappy and mildly abusive in the revolver. Still sharp in the light little M92 cabine despite its recoil reducing steel butt-plate ;). Hard to tell if it was accurate in the pistol due to hand fatigue by this point in testing. It was very accurate in the carbine.

Bullet 300 gr Sierra JSP
Powder: 9.0 gr HP-38
M29: 896 fps (avg 6-shot)
M92: 974 fps (1-shot) Had to feed direct to chamber too long to feed out of magazine.
Surprisingly soft shooting but shot high in the revolver as expected. Accuracy was so-so. Shoots super accurately in my brothers 10.5 inch Encore barrel.
 
Varminterror said:
If the 240 XTP seated to the cannelure and firmly roll crimped over 23.5 H110 doesn’t shoot well for you, your gun is busted.
Click to expand...

Yep, same goes for any good quality 240 grain jacketed bullet. If only for the carbine, I wouldn't hesitate to use Lil' gun, but I don't use Lil' gun in any of my revolvers anymore. just ain't worth it, especially with standard for caliber weight bullets. IMR4227 won't give you as much velocity as H110/W296, but it sure is accurate from my .44 carbines and revolvers.
 
I am going to load 23 and 23.5 grains of H110 under some 240gr XTPs to chrono and test. I have a pound of 4227 coming and will try 22 and 22.5 to start with and see how that does. I'll save the Lil'gun for 450 BM.
 
If your looking for a full-house hunting load H110 / 296 is the ticket for me I'll stick with 2400 / blue dot or Unique in that order I never had good
luck with 4227
 
mcb said:
I have a pound of 4227 coming and will try 22 and 22.5 to start with and see how that does.
Click to expand...
Did the same thing years ago, and everything came together at 23.5. Still good to start low and see in your gun with your load procedure though.
 
My best luck with IMR4227 and 240 grainers in .44 mag, is when the powder charge is nearly compressed or slightly compressed. This will vary with bullet selection, but it should be over 23+ gr. Walkalong's charge of 23.5 is probably right there. You cannot get enough 4227 under a 240 grainer in .44 mag to make it dangerous. As long as the bullet compresses the powder and seats to the cannelure, you are good to go. IMR 4227 can be downloaded, but when it is downloaded too much it gives inconsistent performance and gets pretty dirty. Use it like H110/W296 and stick to the upper limits of it's parameters for best performance.
 
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