Making light loads of .44 Mag. for my son to shoot??

Trailboss was designed for the kind of loads you describe.

www.hodgdonreloading.com has the data you'll need.

I would start with .44 Special loads and work up to his tolerance. In a big pistol like that, he should be fine.

A reasonable load would be a 240grn cast bullet over 7grn Unique, or similar. If you want less of a recoil impulse, you can go to a lighter bullet.

My data log shows I've loaded 200grn cast over RedDot, TiteGroup, and W231, as well as Unique...

+1 for trailboss .

Both powders mentioned above are good choices.

Another lever for lighter recoil is bullet weight. Use 180/200 grain bullets at start loads.

Or look at a light lead 240 load. Alliant lists a 240 LSWC with Unique @899fps.
https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloa...owderlist.aspx&type=1&powderid=3&cartridge=33

Clays would work.
H110 can't be downloaded.
Unique would work.
Can't comment on the others.

Your first responder nailed it: Trailboss.

... but, remember, only with lead bullets.

Charlie98 said:

I would start with .44 Special loads and work up to his tolerance. In a big pistol like that, he should be fine.

A reasonable load would be a 240grn cast bullet over 7grn Unique, or similar. If you want less of a recoil impulse, you can go to a lighter bullet.

My data log shows I've loaded 200grn cast over RedDot, TiteGroup, and W231, as well as Unique...

Click to expand...

That 7 grains is nice and mild. I find that below 6.5, I get soot up the side of the brass; above that is fine.

GBExpat said:

remember, only with lead bullets

Click to expand...

I've never heard lead only for trail boss, can you show a source for that info?

Obturation said:

I've never heard lead only for trail boss, can you show a source for that info?

Click to expand...

re: handgun ammunition

From using Trailboss in handguns for a few years, it seems that there is a pressure-spike issue if it is compressed or has more difficulty forcing the bullet down the handgun's bore (like a jacketed bullet rather than a lead bullet). That would explain the Do Not Compress & Lead Only handgun bullets guidance from the MFR. At least, with a revolver there would be somewhere safe(r) for a sudden spike to bleed-off.

Years ago I tried to get the company to provide me some explanation of this, but they failed to respond.

First line in the following:

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uplo...15.961848640.1599919528-1664767504.1584479688

GBExpat said:

re: handgun ammunition

From using Trailboss in handguns for a few years, it seems that there is a pressure-spike issue if it is compressed or has more difficulty forcing the bullet down the handgun's bore (like a jacketed bullet rather than a lead bullet). That would explain the Do Not Compress & Lead Only handgun bullets guidance from the MFR. At least, with a revolver there would be somewhere safe(r) for a sudden spike to bleed-off.

Years ago I tried to get the company to provide me some explanation of this, but they failed to respond.

First line in the following:

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uplo...15.961848640.1599919528-1664767504.1584479688

Click to expand...

I've read the provided PDF before , I always interpreted that as trailboss is ideal for cast but doesn't exclude its use for jacketed . I've used trailboss to dispose of some randomly acquired projectiles that I didn't have load data for and working up a load would be pointless because when the supply was exhausted I wouldn't be buying more. Just because trail boss is simple and universal I figured no problem. I didn't notice anything unusual when loading jacketed bullets over TB but I'll be cautious if I do it again.

"Trail Boss was designed specifically for low-velocity lead bullets suitable for Cowboy Action shooting."

From the current Hodgdon description of Trail Boss on their website.

The Hodgdon data center only shows data for lead bullets in handgun calibers. I have seen some data for jacketed bullets in rifles but never for handguns.

One explanation is that the pressure curve of Trail Boss may not be suitable to fully engrave and push the jacketed bullets through the rifling.

I like Trail Boss a lot and shoot a fair amount of it. It makes nice soft shooting loads.

From the OP list I think HP38 and Unique could be loaded down. But.....with jacketed bullets not very far down. I only remember seeing Clays data for lead bullets but have not really looked for any Clays data.

For really mild shooting loads you need lead bullets. I use the coated bullets from Bayou Bullets (very long backorder now) and Acme. (has bullets in stock and ships fast).

If loading jacketed bullets withTrail Boss in a revolver you need to be darn sure the bullet comes out of the barrel each time.

Obturation said:

... I didn't notice anything unusual when loading jacketed bullets over TB but I'll be cautious if I do it again.

Click to expand...

Actually, I did try it with a jacketed bullet ... once.

My 32-20 Trailboss handloads, for my vintage Colt & S&Ws, I kept in the ~800fps range with 100gr or 115gr lead bullets.

For trial I topped a few Trailboss cartridges with jacketed 100gr Hornady XTPs, the ones that I used in my rifle-only IMR4227 power loads (vintage Marlin 27-S pump).

I fired the first (only) one, probably from a 4th Change (hardened cylinder) S&W Model 1905 Hand-Ejector, and it was ... um ... interesting.

Ever seen one of the high-speed pics of a jet at the moment it breaks the sound barrier? The big white puff of instantly-condensed water vapor? That is what my revolver looked like at the cylinder gap. The bullet just barely managed exit the bore slowly traveling the ~7yds to the target and striking it hard enough to leave small dents in the paper target and the corrugated cardboard backer.

I call it the Poot Shot 'cause that bullet just pooted out of the barrel.

I found a pic of both the bullet and case:



After that one shot I decided, "Nah, like Hodgdon suggests, from now on I'll just stick with lead when I'm rolling Trailboss handgun ammo".

Great info.
We're at or near max charge for that cartridge?
I've had undesirable results downloading TB but when loaded up everything exited without any dramatic event. My favorite use of trailboss is in 45-70 with a 405 cast rnfp. I completely agree it's best to keep it to cast bullets .

we routinely use TB for subsonic 308 loads with fmj.

Obturation said:

We're at or near max charge for that cartridge?

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Ayup, I had that Poot loaded to its proper Trailboss max.

One of those memorable trigger squeezes.

mrawesome22-250 said:

Trailboss was designed for the kind of loads you describe.

www.hodgdonreloading.com has the data you'll need.

Click to expand...

I use that data at minimum load of Trailboss for my backup cowboy rifle. What I use though applies to lead bullets. 44 Mag brass, regular primers.

With all due respect don't download.

If the your son is unable to handle magnum specific loads then stay away from those. Plenty of calibers that can be shot which you most likely own.

All down loading does is lead to less than stellar performance and the possibility of double charging.

If and only if I had to do this in a 44 mag i would proactive use 7 grains of unique and a 250 grain lead bullet. (I use this in all my 44 specials with happy results)

usmc0811 said:

Hello everyone hope all is well. I recently bought a used Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag.
I love it so far, I shot about 20-30 rounds the other day with some stout .44 and loved it. It had some kick for sure but im cool with that. I want to take my 18 year old son out to shoot it, however I know he will not enjoy and most likely not be able to handle them hot loads. He is a smaller size kid and has a disability so his hand strength it not as other kids his age. He has shot other calibers such as .40/.38/.22/.380 not sure if he shot .357 or not but I know these .44 will be too much. Im looking for some advice/ideas for loading some very light and safe .44 mag. cartridges he could handle and enjoy shooting at steel. I have 3 reloading manuals, several powders, and bullets weights to choose from on hand at my buddies house so I don't have exact details of what I have right now. He is holding all my reloading components as I am in the processos of moving an didn't want to put that stuff in storage. Thanks for any advice.

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I use 5 to 5.5 grains of Bullseye with either a 240 lead SWC or a 240 Campro plated with 44 magnum cases for my 5.5” SBH. There has been literally 1000’s of these through that gun with no issues, good accuracy and cheap to load.
After 2 to 3 hundred my stainless SBH is a tad bit darker with soot but it wipes right off. There has been girls as young as 12 to as old as 75 year women shoot that load and have smiles on their faces knowing in their mind they just shot a 44 magnum though most knew it was a very light load but it was a 44 magnum.

Double post

I load 4.0gr of Titegroup with a 240 gr LSWC 44spl for my wife in my 44 mag, 7" barrel, 54oz, it's like shooting a 22lr, she loves it.

While not as soft as Trailboss loads, I've had good luck with BE86 for mid-range loads in 357 and 44mag. They are about 150fps slower than typical magnum velocities.