Unique, .44 Mag, 240gr XTP

I get 1150fps with 10.0gr of Unique and a 240gr XTP with Starline brass and a Federal LPM primer. That's out of a 7.5" barreled Super Blackhawk.

Should be close to 1100fps out of a 5.5" barrel.

Edit: 44RemMag

WrongHanded said:

What I'm looking for is:

A reasonably accurate load that reaches 1100-1150fps from a 4-5/8" and 5.5" barrel. Hopefully using Unique and a 240gr XTP. If anyone has some previous experience that can fast track me on this, I'd appreciate it. I just don't have a lot of these bullets to do the load testing I typically prefer. Any data including chrono results and barrel length would be helpful.

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let me know too! 240XTP will put a nice hole in a Watemelon

Another vote for 10.0 gr of Unique

And just in case you are shopping around and need an alternative to Unique, 10 grains of Universal will give similar performance.

Targa said:

And just in case you are shopping around and need an alternative to Unique, 10 grains of Universal will give similar performance.

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nice! Universal is my powder of choice

WrongHanded said:

Well, I just ordered Quickloads. I keep thinking I don't need it, but at times I really wish I had it. So there we go.

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I keep pondering getting it also... some results would be cool to see...

Measure the bearing surface... that's the critical factor if they are the same material

I've loaded zillions of 240gr cast SWC with 10gr Unique.

for XTP's I'd prefer 2400 or H110/win296

I immagine that quickload would have that maybe but I dont know... may be a user entered data point.

I'll suggest 10gr Unique with the 240xtp as well. IIRC it was right at 1200 from my 8 3/8" M29, with starline brass and a CCI 300

derek45 said:

I've loaded zillions of 240gr cast SWC with 10gr Unique.

for XTP's I'd prefer 2400 or H110/win296

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I like my 44 mag XTP's hot, so I stick with 2400, H110/296 and IMR4227. With H110 or 2400 and 240g XTPs, I'll take them up to the 1400 fps range in my Super Redhawk.

Not the .44, but I have a LOT of experience with the .41 XTP and Unique... I would give 10grn Unique a try, that will very likely put you where you want to be. I've found Unique, loaded to the top of some data, to be pretty forgiving, but it would be interesting to see what QL says about it.

I've used some xtps with 9-10 grain unique back when I wanted weaker loads for N frames. Now like many here I use a ton of unique with cast.

WrongHanded said:

I think I settled on 9.5gr in .41 mag with a 210gr XTP. That produced around 1125fps or so (would have to check) from my 4-5/8" BH. That's why I'm slightly skeptical that an extra 0.5gr in a larger case with a bullet 30gr heavier will do the same.

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Well, in the interest of safety, that's probably where I would start with the .44. I've gone much higher in the .41, Back Home, Years Ago.

Looking at my data, I don't have any Unique/XTP data, just H110, but comparing it with other Unique data, and factoring in the additional weight of the .44 bullet, you are probably right... If you are confident with your load and pistol, you might start at 10.5grn. I would with the XTP, but probably not other bullets like the Sierra or Nosler, which are constructed differently, I believe.

My Gordon's Reloading Tool shows 10 gr. of Unique giving 1080 fps in a 5" barrel (splitting the difference) @ 25.4 kpsi. To get 1150 you need 11 gr. @ 30.4 kpsi, so still good on pressure.

I forgot to add, with 44 magnum and 240g projectiles, I've taken Unique from 8 to 11g+, never any issues. (these are with 240g projectiles):

8.5g gave me 927fps ave from my Super Redhawk.
10g gave me 1095fps ave from my Super Redhawk.

Hornady lists the max at 10.7g and 1200 fps. Now...I'll say I've gone higher than that...but found it to be useless considering what I can get easier from 2400 or H110.

Typetwelve said:

Now...I'll say I've gone higher than that...but found it to be useless considering what I can get easier from 2400 or H110.

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That was me with the .41. I pushed Unique very high... this before I understood what W296 was for. I don't know if I'd even looked at a burn rate chart by then, either. I was convinced the harder I pushed Unique, the more accurate it got...