44 Mag revolver loads

[Franco]

I would be interested in hearing what others use in their 44s. I load my lever action 44 mag (Marlin 1894 cowboy) one grain higher than I do for my revolver (S&W 629 classic, 6") but maybe I'm being too conservative on both? I want to get the most out of these while maintaining decent accuracy. Although I'm open to other powders, I'm specifically interested in H110 and W296 (although I may move to H4227 for the lever gun this hunting season if that powder hasn't been discontinued)

Here's what I use in the revolver:

23g H110/W296 with Speer GDSP 240gr or Hornady 240gr HP-XTP. I use 21g of H110/W296 with Hornady's 300gr HP-XTP bullet.

Thanks.

 

[flipajig]

I use 2400 and nosler JHP along with hard cast bullets
and i shoot the same load in my M94 win,SBH and my TC super 14 all in 44mag.
for my light loads im using 6.6 grn of W231 and a 240grn cast at just over 800rpms
out of my SBH

 

[phred45]

I've been using Accurate Arms #9 powder, 20.0 to 21.0 grains with a 240 gr Hornaday JHP/XTP. works quite well in my Ruger Super Redhawk.

 

[Walkalong]

When I was still loading .44 Mag for a carbine I loaded the same load for both using AA #9.

 

[Dave P]

"I use 21g of H110/W296 with Hornady's 300gr HP-XTP bullet."

Quickload says that is about right.

 

[buck460XVR]

Franco....I too use 23 gr of H110/W296 under a 240 grainer for range work in the 629. Hunting loads are a half grain warmer. Next favorite powder for it is IMR4227.

 

[Karl Hungus]

23.5 gr of Win 296, 240gr Hornady XTP, CCI large pistol primers, Win cases, 1.61 OAL. This is for my Dan Wesson revolver.

Like buck ^^^ next favorite is 4227. The similarities are eerie.

 

[CraigC]

A commercial 240gr SWC over 10.0gr Unique...for everything. Gives me 1050-1100fps in sixguns and 1450fps from rifles.

Or sometimes a 240gr Gold Dot over 22.0gr 2400.

Been playing with some Cast Performance 320gr at about 1250fps though I have absolutely no practical use for them.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Same loads for S&W 629 and Marlin 1894. I don't remember my exact charge weight, but it's enough W296 to drive a 240gr XTP to about 1200-1250 from my 6" revolver, and it clocks around 1600-fps from the rifle. I could go (and have gone) hotter but this is enough for my needs.

Also like to load 240gr lead SWCs over W231 to about 950-fps from the Smith (about 1300 or so from the rifle). Nice, light practice load that still out-thumps most every other handgun at the range on a given day.

 

[lvl1trauma]

I let my guns tell me what they like but I always start with either 18 Gr. of 2400 or 22 to 23 grains of 296. I haven't been very good at predicting what kind of powder each gun likes! If I could do that I should play the lottery. Anyway, if you can't get a gun to shoot with either of those loads, it might not be a very accurate gun.

 

[Franco]

Thanks all. This has been helpful. I've been loading 23g of 296 in my revolver and 24g when I shoot my 1894 so I think that is about right. I am going to try 4227 also as I understand it's more temperature tolerant and buck season in PA can range from 40 degrees and rainy to -10 and frozen! Thanks again for the confirmation.

 

[Brillo]

I just checked my log and have about 90 different bullet/powder combinations that I’ve used over the years. I load a 10 in. Super Redhawk (with Leupold scope), 10 in. Super Blackhawk, and a Win 1894 (occasionally with a scope). I’ve used H110, HS-6, and Unique, and that’s the order in which I like them, H110 being best. For accuracy I have determined that the jacketed lighter bullets are better in both my revolvers and 1894, and powder loads are usually close to the higher end. I cannot achieve the same accuracy with lead or plated bullets that I get with jacketed bullets, and I usually drive the lighter bullets (180 + 200 gr.) too fast to use lead although I plink with it using Unique powder. I chronograph most every load combination.

For my guns and my loading and shooting technique here are the most accurate combinations:
Hornady 180 gr. JHP w/ 30.8 gr. H110, MV = 1810 fps (max load for handgun)
Hornady 180 gr. JHP w/ 26.0 gr. H110, MV = 1620 fps
MV = 1995 fps in 1894
Rem. 180 gr. JHC w/ 26.0 gr. H110, MV = 1570 fps in Super Redhawk
MV = 2025 fps in 1894
Rem 180 gr. JHC w/ 30.0 gr. H110, MV = 2190 fps in 1894
Sierra 220 gr. JSP w/ 26.5 H110 (for rifle only!), 1.75 in groups at 100 yds. Nice!
Berry’s Cu Plate 240 gr. w/ 23.5 gr. H110, MV = 1490 in Super Redhawk
(I don’t recommend using H110 with plated bullets because you have to download too far to keep the MV in a range suitable for plated bullets, and H110 shouldn’t be downloaded very much)

I’ve tried Barnes 225 gr. XPB solid copper and was not impressed in the Super Redhawk or 1894. The bullet is so long that the round, even with maximum compression, has to be downloaded (22 gr.) so much that the muzzle velocity is too low to get the bullet spin necessary to stabilize it. They were not accurate loads! Expensive and disappointing. I also tried Hornady’s LeverEvolution in the 1894 and was also very disappointed with these rounds.

Finally, when I go elk hunting with the 1894 I use Hornady 265 gr. JSP with 23.1 gr. H110 – very effective.

 

[Franco]

Brillo, I've never seen a Hornady 265gr JSP. I've only seen 240 and 300 gr XTP-HP from Hornady (and the 225gr flex tip). I would really like to shoot a 265gr JSP from my 1894 so please share your bullet source! I had some 270gr Speer at one point and may resort back to those. The problem I've seen with the 225 flex tip is that they break up like buck shot when they hit the animal. Haven't killed anything with the 240gr so I'm not sure about those. In any event, I like the idea of sticking with a JSP for hunting rather than a HP.

 

[bear375]

#7.5 or 9 shot, speer capsule, 7.0g, 700-X, CCI 350
240g LSWC, 8.1g, 700-X, CCI 350, very accurate load
180g JHP, 28.0g, H110, CCI 350, very accurate load about 1525 fps
270g GDSP, 20.2g H110, CCI 350, very accurate 1475 fps
300g Nosler JHP, 20.5g H110, CCI 350 very accurate

these loads were developed using a Redhawk, 629, and SuperBlackhawk Hunter.

 

[GaryL]

I switched from H110 to 2400, and never looked back. 2400 can tolerate a much wider load range. Has a bit of a flash though.

Unique works pretty good for plinkers.

 

[Franco]

Bear, it's interesting that you have a higher load of H110 for the 300gr Nosler than for the 270gr GDSP. Seems the 270g load might be a tad light but if it's accurate and has a mv of 1475, that's pretty good.

 

[bear375]

just happened to be the most accurate for each of those bullets

 

[Franco]

I think the 270g GDSP is going to be my new standard for deer hunting. I've found that the Hornady XTP bullets fragment too much. The exit wound on the last deer my son shot with the 240g XTP looked like buckshot passed through. The deer ultimately died but it wasn't a pretty sight.