44 mag loading

[joshlm]

I had been keeping my eyes open for a used bisley vaq. with no success. My dealer told me yesterday that ruger was not going to make this revolver in 44 caliber with the 4 5/8 barrel so I had him order me one. Now I need to get some components to make up some loads with. I was wondering what hard cast bullets everyone had the best luck with. I have found penn bullets to be very good quality in my other guns and am sure they have something that would work but I thought I would ask. I will be looking for some really good target loads, plinking loads and an accurate full bore loading. I am also planning on picking up a lever gun to match and would like to be able to use the reloads in this gun as well. Thanks in advance for the help guys.

 

[stans]

Right now, my favorite plinking load for 44 magnum is a commercially cast 240 grain LSWC over 8.0 grains of Unique in Remington cases and ignited by Winchester large pistol primers. I am getting an honest 1000 feet per second from my S&W 29-3 six inch barrel. Accuracy is excellent, recoil extremely managable an it is a joy to shoot.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've been having good success with 5.8 grains of Tight Group under a 240-grain semi-wadcutter bullet. This is a .44 special target load in .44 magnum cases.

 

[JNewell]

I load a lot of .44 Mag along the lines Stans mentions using .44 Mag cases. Very pleasant shooting.

 

[Mikul]

I'm using 9gr of Winchester Super-Field under a 200gr truncated round nose. This puts out 1,050fps in magnum cases. It feels a bit like a .45 +P+ and feeds nicely.

 

[joshlm]

thanks for all the suggestions guys.

 

[wanderinwalker]

I like about 9.0gr of Winchester 231, magnum cases, commercial 240gr LSWC and Winchester primers. Works well, recoil is pleasant and it is easy on the guns. For magnum loads I go to Winchester 296, and lots of it.

Good luck and good shooting, Merry Christmas to all (even those who don't like the expression! ).

 

[Yooper]

22.9gr. of 296, CCI 350 primer, Hornady 240gr. JHP gives me 1318 fps from a 6 1/2" S&W 629 and 1247 fps from a 4" barrel. This duplicates the Federal factory loads in my guns, except standard deviations for the handloads were 6.37 fps and 2.18 fps respectively! This load is capable of one inch groups at 25 yards.