Rifle powders in a 44 mag Handi???

[Jeffery8mm]

Can you use reduced charges of some rifle powders in a 44 mag Handi rifle?? such as IMR4064 or 3031? I have a handi that just plain wont shoot anything I try. Even factory ammo lacks alot as far as accuracy. I hear that some handi's were 'oversized bore' This thing is about to wind up in the creek!! I tried hardcast with Unique and it does fair but velocity has to be kept low. I think I am going to trade it for a 45/70.
Jeff

 

[Jeffery8mm]

Steves reloading pages says you can use 4064 in a 44 mag

Just dont know if I want to try that.
Jeff

 

[rcmodel]

Can you use reduced charges of some rifle powders in a 44 mag Handi rifle?? such as IMR4064 or 3031?

NO!
I have never seen a published load for either powder in the .44 Magnum.

It takes 50.0 grain or more of either powder for even a starting load in the much longer .444 Marlin.

No way you can get enough of either one in a .44 Mag case to make a safe load that wouldn't risk a stuck bullet.

I would look at 2400, or H110 powder for your rifle.

But I would also suggest you slug the barrel and find out for sure what you are dealing with. An oversize hard-cast bullet might shoot better if the bore is over-size for .429" jacketed bullets.


rcmodel

 

[Ranger J]

If you have a 44 barrel with an ejector (old run of barrels) practically nothing you feed it is going to shoot well. I spent 2 years and God only knows how many combinations of bullets and powder trying to get mine to do good. Most of them were bored at .432 or larger and most bullets are 429. The twist is 1 in 30 which didn't help either. I tried all size bullets up to Beartooth .432 with less that stellar results. The only thing that even got close to acceptable accuracy were Hornady XTPs over a max load of H110. I finally sold mine to someone that was going to have it reamed out to 445 super mag. People that have done that report improved accuracy. The new run of .44mag barrels are reported to be much closer to reg size and will have extractors not ejectors. I hope so as I just ordered one.

RJ

 

[Jeffery8mm]

Ranger J Then there IS hope. Mine is an extractor and the serial prefix is NW. I am going to pick up some 4227 or 2400 and try a little harder to get this thing wrung out!!
Thanks to all
Jeff

 

[Ranger J]

You might like to check on the Graybeard Outdoors forum. It has quite a lot of info on the 44 barrels. I just found out that a few of the barrels from late 06 and early 07 had extractors but were oversize. I guess NEF was using up the old run of barrels. Hope yours was not one of those.

RJ