44 magnum powders?

[ArchAngelCD]

A number of guys mention H110 as a favorite. I loaded a few hundred rounds in H110 early on. I moved away from it for 3 reasons:
1) I tested loads from 23gr-24gr. The 23gr loads showed more pressure signs than 24gr.
2) I ran H110 and 2400 loads over a chronograph, and found only 100fps between my mid-range 2400 and full house H100.
3) I don't like to beat up my hardware. I have a couple of broken semi-autos from a steady diet of upper range rounds. One of them needs to get repaired soon - its too valuable to have sitting idle. Granted, a Super Blackhawk doesn't seem to care, but I prefer to get a long life out of all my toys.

Anyway, I found I have plenty of headroom with the 2400 to challenge H110 when I want, and H110 has a very narrow working range.

Where you using a magnum primer with H110? Tell serious and the truth now...

 

[murf]

comrade mike,

what primer are you using and how heavy is your crimp?

looks like a good load you got there. i may want to use it in the future.

murf

 

[rogn]

Ive always found 2400 to be a bit fussy and on the dirty side. H110 certainly will give some impressive velocity and accuracy, but yer kinda locked into the high end. Ive been using N110 in many loads,, including 357 and 45C loads. It gets good accuracy, velocity, runs clean and meters well. A bit pricy, but only a penny or so per round, not a major increase in the overall cost of shooting.

 

[ljnowell]

Ive always found 2400 to be a bit fussy and on the dirty side. H110 certainly will give some impressive velocity and accuracy, but yer kinda locked into the high end. Ive been using N110 in many loads,, including 357 and 45C loads. It gets good accuracy, velocity, runs clean and meters well. A bit pricy, but only a penny or so per round, not a major increase in the overall cost of shooting.

I'm kind of curious what your definition of fussy is? 2400 is probably the most straightforward loading true magnum powder. It uses std primers and can be downloaded.

As far as dirty, if loaded below a certain pressure it will certainly be dirty. Most powders are. Loaded appropriately I have found it pretty clean burning.

 

[Legionnaire]

I use three powders in my .357 and .44 magnums.

2400 for magnum loads
Unique for "special" loads
Trail Boss for very light plinkers

 

[Eb1]

I find 2400 to be a good powder to have on hand. You can load it in 30-30 to .44 Magnum. In my .44 Magnum @ 20.5 grains with a 240 grain XTP it will leave some unburnt grains, but it is very accurate, and it does pack a punch with a nice flame.

For lead bullets I don't think you can beat IMR 4227 up around 22 grains. It gives you around 1300 to 1350 from my 5.5" Ruger SA, and is very, very accurate. It also shoots to the POA of the 2400 load.

I have loaded some True Blue, but I am a little worried about flame cutting with the small ball powder, but it is very accurate with lead bullets, and is pushing 1250 fps which is no slouch with a hard cast LSWC or a large meplate FP bullet.

The .44 magnum is so versitle with in its loading that you could use just about any powder and find something that will work. There is a reason they say, "you can load it from mild to WILD!" Just talking about it makes me want to grab a 100 round box, and to shoot some 2 liter bottles filed with water, and then ring the spinners I have.

I have to admit though that the 1911 has taken the place of the .44 Magnum for fun blasting, and the 9mm hardly gets shot, but the 9mm to me is like my BB gun I have had since I was 7 years old. I never aim it. I can point shoot it more accurately thab I can trying to use the sights.

Grab you a # of IMR 4227 for lead bullets, and a # of 2400 for jacketed bullets and get to loading. If those don't work out then you can jump to the more finicky powders like W296 and H110.
Despite others success with Unique, and my own success with it in 9mm. I could never get it to shoot well in my .44 Magnums. YMMV.
For super light 800 to 900 fps and for newbies who want to say they have shot a .44 Magnum I call on Trail Boss. It is dirty, but what isn't that gets set on fire or explodes? Think about it.

 

[GaryL]

Where you using a magnum primer with H110? Tell serious and the truth now...

Sure - Win LP (for Standard or Magnum). Says so right on the box.

Anyway, WLP primers had no problem lighting up H110 with snow on the ground and temps too low for a guy to be fondling frozen iron. But when winter lasts for half the year, and I don't get out nearly as often as I'd like, there's going to be cold days at the range.

 

[ljnowell]

I find 2400 to be a good powder to have on hand. You can load it in 30-30 to .44 Magnum. In my .44 Magnum @ 20.5 grains with a 240 grain XTP it will leave some unburnt grains, but it is very accurate, and it does pack a punch with a nice flame.

For lead bullets I don't think you can beat IMR 4227 up around 22 grains. It gives you around 1300 to 1350 from my 5.5" Ruger SA, and is very, very accurate. It also shoots to the POA of the 2400 load.

I have loaded some True Blue, but I am a little worried about flame cutting with the small ball powder, but it is very accurate with lead bullets, and is pushing 1250 fps which is no slouch with a hard cast LSWC or a large meplate FP bullet.

The .44 magnum is so versitle with in its loading that you could use just about any powder and find something that will work. There is a reason they say, "you can load it from mild to WILD!" Just talking about it makes me want to grab a 100 round box, and to shoot some 2 liter bottles filed with water, and then ring the spinners I have.

I have to admit though that the 1911 has taken the place of the .44 Magnum for fun blasting, and the 9mm hardly gets shot, but the 9mm to me is like my BB gun I have had since I was 7 years old. I never aim it. I can point shoot it more accurately thab I can trying to use the sights.

Grab you a # of IMR 4227 for lead bullets, and a # of 2400 for jacketed bullets and get to loading. If those don't work out then you can jump to the more finicky powders like W296 and H110.
Despite others success with Unique, and my own success with it in 9mm. I could never get it to shoot well in my .44 Magnums. YMMV.
For super light 800 to 900 fps and for newbies who want to say they have shot a .44 Magnum I call on Trail Boss. It is dirty, but what isn't that gets set on fire or explodes? Think about it.

It always interests me to see others opinions of powders. For example when you say 4227 for lead and 2400 for jacketed. I certainly can't argue with your post. '2400 when loaded near max with jacketed gives me terrifically clean burning loads and all the boom I could ever want.

To me, though, 2400 is the best lead bullet magnum powder. I once tried 296 and found that I got some leading with the same bullets that didn't lead at all with 2400.

I will admit that I don't have the most experience with 4227 though. I tried it in. 45 colt for my Blackhawk and found that I practically couldn't get enough in it to get complete combustion. I tried though, lol.

 

[HKGuns]

I use 2400 and Unique for 44 Mag.....you can load some really hard hitting rounds with 2400.

 

[joneb]

you can load some really hard hitting rounds with 2400.

I agree 2400 likes heavy.