44 mag reloads Rifle vs Revolver

[MNPyro]

My dad who passed last year left me with a Henry 44 mag, and my brother a S&W 44 mag revolver.

He also had some 44 mag reloading items which is nice.

My brother is not keen on reloading, but I have reloaded for years. Looking at the load data, a rifle 44 mag appears to allow a slightly higher charge otherwise everything else is the same.

My question, is there anything else to pay attention to or practice for reloading for the rifle vs a revolver? Tube fed, so crimp or no crimp?

 

[PO2Hammer]

Crimp for improved ignition and the tube magazine and recoil resistance in the revolver.
Max pressure is the same for carbine and revolver, so loads should be interchangeable.
Data in the rifle section is developed for the longer carbine barrels, but is perfectly safe in a revolver.
Congrats on the carbine.

 

[murf]

make em both the same so you don't have to worry about which one goes where. also, start low, or mid-range, in the loading data and work up. 44 magnum doesn't need to run at the top to be effective.

luck,

murf

 

[MNPyro]

Thanks; for reference, I wouldn't be reloading for the revolver. My brother is on his own

 

[mdi]

I use the same 44 Magnum loads in my revolvers and my lever gun. The only difference is my Puma doesn't like SWC very much so I use a Ranch Dog RNFP design, but use the RD loads in both (really accurate in my 10" Contender). One thing to know; the SAAMI groove diameter for handguns id .429" and the groove diameter for the rifle is .431". Dunno why but stumbled on this when I got my Puma in '95 (I slug the barrels of all the guns I reload for). I need to size my 44 Mag. bullets for the Puma to .433"...

 

[GBExpat]

Thanks; for reference, I wouldn't be reloading for the revolver. My brother is on his own

Welp ... ya never know. Once you get to shooting that rifle, some, you may decide that it would be nice to have a cartridge-matched rifle/pistol pair.

 

[mcb]

The data should basically be the same since the peak pressure is the same. The one thing you can do when reloading for a rifle is use the slower powders of those amoung the published data for your choosen bullet. The longer barrel of a carbine will give you greater increase in velocity with slower powders.

For example:

I worked up two loads from my 44 Mag both using the same 240gr bullet. The one using the relatively fast burning 800x produced 1372 fps in my 6.5 inch revolver and 1600 fps in my 16 inch carbine a gain of only 228 fps due to the longer barrel. A second load using the slower H110 produced a very similar 1352 fps from the revolver but 1708 fps from the carbine. A gain of of 357 fps. The longer barrel of the carbine combined with the slower burning propellant resulted in a nice increase in velocity.

 

[Charlie98]

The data should basically be the same since the peak pressure is the same.

+1
If you look at the loading data, it should be the same... the difference would only be the results out of a longer barrel, for example. Load max is load max...

For what it's worth, to get maximum performance out of the carbine, use a slower powder... IMR4227, 2400, W296, etc in that burn range. I use IMR4227 in my Marlin .41 carbine with excellent results... but not so much in my pistols. I pretty much stick with Unique there.

 

[Crosshair]

Everyone else is pretty much covered it already. The worst you'll get from using rifle loads out of a handgun is a nice fireball from the slower powders.

 

[Tempus Tom]

One thing to know; the SAAMI groove diameter for handguns id .429" and the groove diameter for the rifle is .431"...

I know I've read somewhere that Henry makes their 44 mag rifles with a .429 groove diameter.

While writing this I googled it and here's one source...
https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/longgun_reviews_henry_111706/100364

I own two Henry rifles but neither are 44 magnum so I can't speak from experience. Although I definitely want to get one in 44 someday as I already load for my S&W 44 magnum revolver.

Anyways, have fun and good luck.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have a 357 Magnum lever action rifle and several 357 Magnum revolvers. I load the same for both as already said. I do not have to worry about which ammunition is for which. If I had a 44 Magnum rifle, I'd do the same.

The only limitation I have is my rifle has micro groove rifling which does not like cast bullets. So, the rifle only gets jacketed bullets.

I have not tried coated bullets in the rifle, maybe they might work where traditionally lubed bullets have less than stellar grouping.

The Henry will not have micro groove rifling so that is not an issue.

 

[Laggy]

Hornady and I think Speer are the only ones that give a little different load data (pretty much powder used). I’ll post below. Speer shows LP primers for handgun, and LPM for rifle. Hornady uses WInchester LP. I’ve spoken at length with Western powders, and they use magnum for magnum, and regular for non-magnum. Disclaimer: If you use magnum, where data calls for non-magnum, be sure to reduce by 10% unless that puts you below minimum charge. Never go below minimum charge.

 

[Laggy]

 

[Obturation]

my Puma doesn't like SWC very much

Interesting , my 357 mag rifle (77/357) doesn't shoot swc well at all. Slowly transitioning to wfn across the board for that cartridge (got a good amount of swc to burn up).

 

[JDeere]

As has been said load the same. I run the same load, same bullet, same oal in my Henry and Ruger BH...

 

[buck460XVR]

For modern firearms, you load for the cartridge/caliber, not the platform. Modern actions, regardless of platform are built to withstand the same pressure within their chambers. Small differences you see in manuals is not from the platform, but from small differences during testing(powder lots, test platform, etc) while trying to conform to the same SAMMI specs(as in max pressure). It also comes down to bullet type, as in the examples given by Laggy. You don't load lead and jacketed the same.

 

[dh1633pm]

I reload specifically for 45 Colt for Rifles. But I also like to shoot my reloads in my dad's Ruger Blackhawk. So I load safely for both. One exception is when I load with AA5744. Doesn't burn as well in short barrels.

 

[Typetwelve]

+1
If you look at the loading data, it should be the same... the difference would only be the results out of a longer barrel, for example. Load max is load max...

For what it's worth, to get maximum performance out of the carbine, use a slower powder... IMR4227, 2400, W296, etc in that burn range. I use IMR4227 in my Marlin .41 carbine with excellent results... but not so much in my pistols. I pretty much stick with Unique there.

I agree. I have a Henry carbine and a Super Redhawk. I can use loads in either/or...but they definitely have individual likes/dislikes.

I've had great luck with H110/296, Acc No7 and IMR4227 in the Henry. Acc No7 is a great powder in the Henry, but it tends to heat the barrel up quickly. I doesn't seem to like projectiles much lighter than the std 240g mark. I have much better luck with 2400, Unique, and IMR4227 with my Super Redhawk. I loves all kinds of projectiles but it really fond of 250 (sierra) and 180g (XTP) bullets .

So far, with all the powders I've messed with, IMR4227 seems to make the most accurate loads.

I like to load the scorchers for the SRH but find no need to do that in the Henry. It achieves high vel even with moderate loads, no need to beat on the rifle.

 

[Charlie98]

So far, with all the powders I've messed with, IMR4227 seems to make the most accurate loads.

I like to load the scorchers for the SRH but find no need to do that in the Henry. It achieves high vel even with moderate loads, no need to beat on the rifle.

That's kind of why I got away from 'magnum' powders in the pistols... there really was no need for it given the target shooting I do with them, Unique fills the bill nicely.

Unique works pretty darn good in the rifle, too, but I use the rifle differently... and I need the extra velocity the slower powder provide, even without beating it to death. IMR4227 became my go-to in the rifle for that very reason... additional velocity without magnum primers, the boom, or the heat of something like W296. I've been playing with 2400 lately, as well, but so far it has not been a better mouse trap than IMR4227, but it does work better in the pistols than IMR4227.

 

[buck460XVR]

So far, with all the powders I've messed with, IMR4227 seems to make the most accurate loads.

Same here.
While it does not give me the velocity of H110/W296, the accuracy, consistency and lower sensitivity to temperature, more than makes up for the few FPS less.

 

[Steve51]

I actually load a different load for my rifle than I load for my two Super Blackhawks.
For my Henry .44 Big Boy, I load near max loads using 2400 or AA#9 under a Hornady 240 gr. XTP JHP.
I can shoot the above load in my revolvers and do occasionally but for most shooting in the revolvers, I prefer a milder load. Usually 8.0 gr or 10.0 grains of Unique under a 240 grain bullet of various styles.
I only shoot jacketed bullets in my rifles (except for the .45-70). In my handguns, I will shoot lead, coated lead, copper plated, or jacketed bullets.

 

[Typetwelve]

I've been playing with 2400 lately, as well, but so far it has not been a better mouse trap than IMR4227, but it does work better in the pistols than IMR4227.

I have great luck with 2400 under some Hornady 180g XTPs. Not a hot as H110 loads, but they are really accurate.

 

[Charlie98]

I have great luck with 2400 under some Hornady 180g XTPs. Not a hot as H110 loads, but they are really accurate.

The last batch (of .41's) were more accurate in the pistols... not so much in the rifles. *sigh* I still have some working to do with it, though.