Favorite 44 Magnum loads

[MightyMO1911]

I broke down and ordered a Ruger Blackhawk in 44 Magnum today with a 5 1/2 inch barrel. I'm heading to the local Graf's retail store next weekend for dies, brass and bullets. I have a jug of Lil Gun I'll be using for full blown Magnum loads but am looking for a milder load as well. If I can find the powder. Wow. Anyway. What's your favorite 44 mag load both and hot and cool?

 

[Walkalong]

I use AA #9 or N-110 to push a 240 around 1300 FPS from my Redhawk. They can both go faster, but are very accurate in my Redhawk and more comfortable to shoot than max loads.

Since I have a .44 Spl, I don't download .44 Mag. I guess I could, I just don't. My .44 Mag shooting is for when I want some recoil.

My downloaded .41 Mag load uses True Blue. Unique is another good choice for that. Many of the midrange burning powders will do well for downloading .357, .41, & .44 Mag.

 

[Schwing]

I treat my .44s the same as Walkalong. I don't really have any mild loads.

For hot loads, I really like 22 grains of 300 MP behind a 240g montana gold jsp. For cast bullets, the most accurate load I have found is 15 grains of good old blue dot behind a 240 grain cast SWC.

 

[Greg Mercurio]

2400 for magnum loads and TrailBoss for practice.

 

[WestKentucky]

I really like my loads of aa7, and 231 under 200 grain jsp or cast lead. I load the max 44 spl loads to minimize the hurt from my 16" contender pistol. In my revolver they are quite tame and superbly accurate.

 

[elwoodm]

gone through about ten powders but just started to use 2400 and was pleased with it. the ruger super redhawk 7 1/2 inch gave me 1430 fps with 200gr xtp at 23gr 1.6 col. the 240gr sjhp with 20.5gr of 2400 gave me 1360 fps. no problems with this load out to 100yrds scoped for hogs if i get the chance soon

 

[357 Terms]

VVn-110 for hot stuff, Universal for plinking (240grn Xtreme with 10grns). Works good enough I see no reason to change.

 

[savanahsdad]

I know you didn't ask , but.. I recommend getting Lee's 4 die set , since you said you're going to get dies and brass next weekend I thought I'd throw that out there,

for cast I like 2400 and for jacketed I use W296. for lite cowboy loads , you might want to try Universal , Bullseye , or unique, I've used all three of them over the years with good results with Lasercast 200gr RN

 

[MightyMO1911]

Savanahsdad, thank you actually. I have the Lee 3 die for my 45 acp and will be getting the Lee set for the 44 as well. I've been contemplating the 3 die or the 4 die and lean toward the 4. I think I would appreciate the crimp die.

I just hope I can find some powder. I want to shoot some Bayou bullets out of her as well but currently all I have for the 44 is Lil Gun. I'll grab probably 500 Nosler JHP for that application but not for the Bayou's. Well. I actually have a pound of bullseye but we use that for everything else and I don't want to rob from Peter to pay Paul. But I have lots of Lil Gun so that'll do for a while.

 

[savanahsdad]

Savanahsdad, thank you actually. I have the Lee 3 die for my 45 acp and will be getting the Lee set for the 44 as well. I've been contemplating the 3 die or the 4 die and lean toward the 4. I think I would appreciate the crimp die.

I just hope I can find some powder. I want to shoot some Bayou bullets out of her as well but currently all I have for the 44 is Lil Gun. I'll grab probably 500 Nosler JHP for that application but not for the Bayou's. Well. I actually have a pound of bullseye but we use that for everything else and I don't want to rob from Peter to pay Paul. But I have lots of Lil Gun so that'll do for a while.

you mean 300 JHP ??
you have Bullseye , that's what I started loading 44mag with . you can load a lot of round with a pound of Bullseye only need about 5gr. pick up some cast RNFP in a bulk box of 500 and you will have a lot of lite plinking round on the cheep

 

[MightyMO1911]

Lol. Yikes. I meant 500 nosler 240 gr JHP

 

[illinoisburt]

H110/W296 for full power jacketed rounds, Trailboss for cast 165gr to 240gr. Use CCI magnum primers and firm crimp for all rounds. Lee carbide pistol dies have worked really well for me. Going with the 4 die set gets the factory crimp die for little extra money so is the best deal. Honestly though I have rarely bothered to use it since the seating die does a good job roll crimping lead. If you have a fourth open station in the press (turret or progressive) and like to crimp separately for jacketed, it certainly will work.

 

[rg1]

For a 7 1/2 barreled Super Blackhawk and a Winchester Trapper rifle I shoot the same loads using CCI 350's, Hornady 240 XTP's, and 23 grains of Winchester 296 powder. They warn to not reduce charges of Win 296/H110 powder. I wouldn't go below 22 grains and most data lists 24 grains as maximum. Good full power load and shoots well in both my 44 Magnums.

 

[buck460XVR]

The Noslers, both the JHPs and the JSPs are good performers, both in accuracy and terminal performance. H110/W296 are good magnum powders as is IMR4227. I use all of them for hunting type loads in .44 mag revolvers and carbines. I do not use Lil' Gun in any revolver because of reported premature and excessive forcing cone erosion. Most all of the projectiles from the major manufacturers work well for me in .44 mag.

 

[41 Mag]

My most used load uses 23.5grs of 296 under the Remington 240gr SJHP. It is plenty accurate for any of my target or hunting needs.

The jury is still out on my light loads. I just never developed one. Now that I am casting though I'm sure its only a matter of time till I do. More than likely it will use Unique as I have plenty of it.

 

[oldpapps]

OK, I'll jump in.

Standard disclaimers.... for information only... safe in my weapon/s the way I load them, may not be safe with your components......

I have 4 standard loadings, well starting points.

My 'wimp' load is 240 grain cast lead over 5.6 grains of 231, in full length Mag brass, lit with standard LP (CCI or Winchester) primer, all for a (running total/average) of 642.9 FPS out of my favored S&W Model 29-2 - 6 1/2 inch barrel. But I shoot this load in all of my 44s.

My jacketed load, this is not shot often. 240 JHP Hornady over Olin 630 powder (won't find much of that), lit by a CCI Mag primer. I will not list the velocity. The rubber grips sting my hands! Only fired in one weapon.

My old heavy load. 240 gain cast lead, some times from Missouri Bullet, some times my cast. Starting load of 2400 is 17 1/2 grains. Any time I change any component, I re-work the load. Not worried about pressure but leading. These have ran from 1169.8 to 1291.1 FPS with no leading. Depends on the bullets and weapon.

My new powder coated loading. My cast 240 grain SWC coated and over 17 1/2 grains of 2400 for 1151.3333 FPS.
I batch load the powder coated load and use it in 3 weapons.

Now you have my favorite 44 loads. And I am not ashamed to say that 90% or more of my shots fired are the 'wimp' load. My granddaughters love it.

 

[AABEN]

240 Gr lite loads W231 heavy loads AA#7. 231 for jest plickimg around #7 for hunting. I use the 240 for all of my shooting in a hand gun 300 in a rifle with AA# 9 .

 

[mahansm]

Heavy load is 23-24 grains 296/H110 with 240 grain JHP. Currently using up a lot of 2000 IMI bullets I bought several years ago.

Light load is about 6-6.5 grains of Trail Boss under a 240 grain LSWC. Currently using up my stock of Valient (out of business) and I have another couple thousand I bought from another reloader (commercial) before I have to order more.

Both loads use Winchester large primers. Both shoot well in my 29-2.

 

[kevtherev]

I use 6.6 grains of Red Dot under a 240 g LSWC from Dardas; extremely accurate. Low recoil but I shoot around 100 rounds at a time and the big boomers get old.

kevtherev

 

[blarby]

I got to play around with Lil'gun in 44 mag this year thanks to a shortage of H110.

I loaded it to max levels underneath 240 XTP's, and probably over max with 240 GCLSWC's, and 200 GCLSWC's, as well as powdercoated 240g bullets of a few types- all worked fine.

Missed the smell of my h110 though !

As to my favorite ? Robust loads of H110 and 216g GCCLHP's( ever seen a 1500+FPS projectile invert itself into pieces about 9" into a gel target ? Pretty neat.), and for practice 8ish grains of unique under a 240 !

With all that said, you can get into trouble in 44 mag land at max charges of fast burning powder pretty quickly. Please work-up your loads in your gun.

Welcome to the ruger 44 family. Pics or it didn't happen

 

[bubbinator]

44 Mag Loads

H-110/WW296( same powder) from Speer #8 Manual makes my day. I've shot S&W M29s, Ruger Super Black Hawks, Ruger Deer Stalker 44 Rifles, and Marlin 1894s with loads from this manual. It is hotter than later issues(less lawyer BS). My Super BlackHawk 180 gr Sierra JHC load is 1700 FPS, 2100 FPS in the rifles.

 

[cfullgraf]

I do not get my jollies from full magnum loads any more, but to each his own.

I used W296 when I did load top 357 Magnum loads but I am fairly new to 44 Magnum and my revolver has yet to see top power loads.

My favorite 44 Magnum load is a 240 cast SWC over Unique to get about 850-900 fps in a 44 Magnum case. Other powders would work as well but I have not done any load development yet. I will eventually develop an alternate load to provide some flexibility during component shortages.

 

[larryflew]

H110 24.5 in my full mag loads. 240XTP bullet and CCI mag primers.

 

[Kurastduuks]

As much as I love the max loads in 44 mag my all time favorite is still probably 23gr of 4227 under a 240xtp. Not bad on recoil and very accurate in every revolver I've used it in.

 

[ljnowell]

I used to load 21gr of 2400 under a 240gr SWC.