new to loading 44 mag

[Steve in PA]

I've hunted, reloaded and shot the .44 Mag for many years now and it's all been done with full power loads using H110.

Recently on a handgun hunting page I came across a thread about mid-range practice loads. The load was 240gr bullet over 10.0gr of Unique. I tried this a week or so ago and found it to be a nice load. I'll probably load and shoot more of this next year.

 

[Charliefrank]

Unique for my midrange loads 2400 for my magnum loads. If you do the work by slowly working up the loads you won't be sorry.

 

[RealGun]

I've hunted, reloaded and shot the .44 Mag for many years now and it's all been done with full power loads using H110.

Recently on a handgun hunting page I came across a thread about mid-range practice loads. The load was 240gr bullet over 10.0gr of Unique. I tried this a week or so ago and found it to be a nice load. I'll probably load and shoot more of this next year.

Just loaded 50 of those at 9.5 gr this afternoon. Shot some yesterday too. Load used to be 10.0, but I wanted something more midrange for lead and to ease up on the knuckle punishment with my NM Blackhawk Flat Top.

 

[JO JO]

I am going to try 8.5 unique with 240 gr swc this week

 

[joed]

My favorite powder for the .44 mag is 2400. When I got my first .44 Mag I started reading about Elmer Keith and how he used 2400. Soon as I tried 2400 I never replaced H110 again. I have loaded from 15.0 gr to 21.5 gr of 2400 with Winchester primers. At 15.0 gr with a 250 gr LSWC I get 1050 fps which is pretty comfortable to shoot. The 21.5 gr is a hunting load and I rarely shoot it.

When I used Unique I loaded 7.5 gr with the same bullet. I have given up on Unique and will never use it again since I discovered Universal. Universal is a cleaner burning powder that is easier to load and uses almost the same charges as Unique. Unique is a very dirty powder and I'm glad I don't use it anymore.

 

[Charliefrank]

I am going to try 8.5 unique with 240 gr swc this week

I think you'll be pretty happy. Very accurate, pleasant to shoot and still enough power to take down white tail size critters within 50 yards.

 

[RealGun]

I think you'll be pretty happy. Very accurate, pleasant to shoot and still enough power to take down white tail size critters within 50 yards.

Since even Lyman's minimum of 10 grains is under 1000 fps, I am skeptical about significantly reduced loads for hunting deer without compromising the kill. I also don't expect my various magnums to be "pleasant to shoot" for very many rounds. I let magnum be "magnum" but do reload for the size of the gun.

 

[JO JO]

8.5 unique will be a paper puncher , for my kid and I , I have never loaded 44 if it feels to soft I will load up a bit,
when I had my 357 I used 2400 for upper end loads and unique and trail boss for the light loads, my kids were smaller and enjoyed the trail boss 357 loads, I will probably try both trail boss and 2400 in the 44 after the unique work up

 

[JO JO]

Kinda funny but I am not recoil sensitive , my boy 13 yrs old is doing well but my older girl likes going shooting with me is recoil sensitive
She likes my 9 and 223 but not the 40 and 308 , so I need to have a 44 plinking/ mid range load and a real 44mag load unique/2400 that’s what I did with the 357 range time with the kids is the best

 

[RealGun]

Kinda funny but I am not recoil sensitive , my boy 13 yrs old is doing well but my older girl likes going shooting with me is recoil sensitive
She likes my 9 and 223 but not the 40 and 308 , so I need to have a 44 plinking/ mid range load and a real 44mag load unique/2400 that’s what I did with the 357 range time with the kids is the best

For letting the recoil sensitive give 44 Mag a try, I would recommend trying my cowboy load for my Remlin lever gun. It is with magnum cases, 200 grain lead, and 6.2 grains of Trailboss..

 

[Walkalong]

Kinda funny but I am not recoil sensitive ,

I like a few .44 Mag rounds from my Redhawk from time to time, but I don't like shooting them from a Model 29 (Sold it.) And the older I get, the fewer .44 Mags at a time for me. Not recoil "sensitive" so much, but definitely not a recoil "junkie" like some folks.

 

[444]

I have been loading .44 Mag for decades. But it was mostly full house loads.

These days the only pistol shooting I do is during winter, I shoot indoors at a club range. At this range, shooting heavy magnum loads is frowned upon. So, I wanted a light load for my .44. The problem is that with powders like Unique or Tightgroup.....combined with cast bullets, the smoke is terrible.

Last Friday, I decided to take my Model 29, 4" to the weekly shoot. I spotted a few bags of .44 ammo I had loaded last spring for a suppressed Ruger 77/44. I was loading them to subsonic velocity using Trail Boss powder. I didnt give it much thought, I was just going to shoot up what I had lying around. They shot fine out of my 29.

Part way through, I ran out of them and went back to shooting other ammo using Tightgoup. I pulled the trigger and thought I was shooting black powder. I probably fired 20 or so of those and my hands were filthy, my gun was filthy, I could taste the smoke.....

So, I am going to start playing with Trail Boss for my light loads.

 

[JO JO]

, I am going to start playing with Trail Boss for my light loads.

I like trail boss great case fill and fairly clean, I have used it in 357 and believe it or not works great in my 308 bolt action , as for the smoke I hope using acme coated 240gr swc will reduce the smoke and filth ?
going to try some this week if all goes well ,

 

[Walkalong]

acme coated 240gr swc will reduce the smoke and filth ?

It will. Trail Boss loves lead, but plays funny with plated. I would think it would like coated.

 

[444]

I like trail boss great case fill and fairly clean, I have used it in 357 and believe it or not works great in my 308 bolt action , as for the smoke I hope using acme coated 240gr swc will reduce the smoke and filth ?
going to try some this week if all goes well ,

I was digging around my basement last spring and I came across a box of 50 rounds of .308 loaded with Trail Boss; 150 grain Remington jacketed bullets. I guess I had loaded them some time, years ago, to try with a suppressor. I took them out the next time I was at the range and they basically shot one hole at 50 yards and were very very quiet with the suppressor. I made a mental note to try that again.

 

[Charliefrank]

8.5 unique will be a paper puncher , for my kid and I , I have never loaded 44 if it feels to soft I will load up a bit,
when I had my 357 I used 2400 for upper end loads and unique and trail boss for the light loads, my kids were smaller and enjoyed the trail boss 357 loads, I will probably try both trail boss and 2400 in the 44 after the unique work up

I've had great success with 2400 in my full magnums. As a matter of fact, it's all I use for those.

 

[Charliefrank]

Since even Lyman's minimum of 10 grains is under 1000 fps, I am skeptical about significantly reduced loads for hunting deer without compromising the kill. I also don't expect my various magnums to be "pleasant to shoot" for very many rounds. I let magnum be "magnum" but do reload for the size of the gun.

I use more unique than 10 grains. I have shot many white tails and a few hogs and never had a problem.

 

[GooseGestapo]

My .44's like 6.0gr RedDot for light loads. I don't care for trailboss. Smells like burning dirty pissy underwear. (Nitroguanadine, I'm told). RedDot smells like Shotgun shells... 200gr to 300gr.
10.0gr of Unique for mid-range. I cast the Ubiquitous 255gr Lyman/Keith from 50/50 pb/ww. Lube with SPG. Have gone 6/6 into a gallon jug at 100yds. Off-hand. (6.5" M29). Unique and it's older sibling Bullseye are "dirty" because of the graphite used as a burning rate deterrent. Also why they are so accurate. IMO, only HP38/Win231 approach accuracy of Bullseye/Unique.

For full throttle I prefer 21.0gr #2400 with cast bullets, 23.5gr H110/win296 for jacketed... been loading/shooting the .44 since '77. Bought a M29 on my 21st birthday.

 

[444]

"I don't care for trailboss. Smells like burning dirty pissy underwear."

I agree with you. It doesn't smoke, but it does stink. I will give the Red Dot load s try.
Part of the reason I posted to this thread was to see what everybody else said about light loads in the .44.

I know all about 2400 with heavy loads. But these days, I need a light load. And I have zero experience in that arena.

 

[onegunred]

I do have Unique but it is for my 45-70. The powder I use for my 44 mag is Universal. My everyday target load with a 240 gr MBC #13 is 7.0 gr, I also have some 9.5 gr Univ. with the same bullet for thicker paper. I have loaded varying amounts of Universal but like those loads the best for my useage. The gun used is a Ruger SBH in 5.5" bbl ( cut down from a 7.5" ). Very comfortable to shoot. At 71 too much of anything hurts after a bit.

 

[RealGun]

I use more unique than 10 grains. I have shot many white tails and a few hogs and never had a problem.

You are moving the goal posts. I was responding to your endorsement of shooting deer with 8.5 grains.

 

[Charliefrank]

You could be correct. When I get home I'll have to go out to my shop and check my reloading log. Good eye.

 

[Charliefrank]

You are moving the goal posts. I was responding to your endorsement of shooting deer with 8.5 grains.

You are correct. My bad. 8.5 gr is a 44 special load. I'll have to reference my reloading log and get back to you.

 

[RealGun]

You are correct. My bad. 8.5 gr is a 44 special load. I'll have to reference my reloading log and get back to you.

I already looked that up. 8.5 grains is below the minimum for 44 Magnum but above the max for 44 Special, so it lies in a range that is legitimate for lighter loads for the magnum brass. I was questioning its power for hunting deer. It could be okay, but there is always the question about ensuring a clean kill with a powerful enough round.

 

[Charliefrank]

I understand your concern. All I can say is I've used successfully for years on white tails. As long as the distance to target is reasonable. I would never attempt anything past 50 yards with this particular load. Realistically most haven't been over 30.