achildofthesky
Member
H110 for jacketed, Unique for cast/lead
Be safe
Patty
Be safe
Patty
What's your favorite powder for .44 Magnum?
- Thread starter texgunner
- Start date
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ADKWOODSMAN
Member
Ditto achildofthesky
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
I like 2400 and Unique. Haven't tried the H110 yet, but it looks like I might need to.
lil ski
Member
Blue dot for hunting and H110 for wrist breaking loads.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
For those who have never used W296/H110 there are a few things you need to know. Both are hard powders to ignite so a Magnum primer is high;y recommended. A very firm is also necessary because they are slow powders. Also, neither reacts well to being downloaded. You should stay up near the top end for the best results. Actually, the less air space in the case the better with W296/H110.
Hodgdon's load data for the .357 Magnum using a 158gr Jacketed bullet and H110 is 16.7gr Max. When I filled a .357 Magnum case with H110 to where the bottom of the bullet would be when seated correctly the charge weighed 16.8gr. I would say that's very close to what Hodgdon is telling you the Max charge is, no?
Hodgdon's load data for the .357 Magnum using a 158gr Jacketed bullet and H110 is 16.7gr Max. When I filled a .357 Magnum case with H110 to where the bottom of the bullet would be when seated correctly the charge weighed 16.8gr. I would say that's very close to what Hodgdon is telling you the Max charge is, no?
DEDON45
Member
FloppyD, yeah, you'll get a grin on your face with the H110 loads... as ArchAngelCD says, you need to keep the case pretty full with H110; Hodgdon does not recommend that you load anything with H110 (same goes for W296, it's the same powder) more than 3% below max...
As to the primer needed to ignite the H110; I did some testing a while back when the claims that a Magnum primer was necessary (some books use it in their recipes, some don't) to ignite H110. My findings (posted somewhere in this forum) were that everything I tried worked fine. I tried Magtech Large Pistol Primers (these were the most consistent in my gun, with my brass and 240gr XTP bullets--surprising, yes, as the Magtechs were less expensive), CCI Magnum, CCI Standard, and WLP primers. All worked OK, with WLP being the least consistent. I did get like 20fps more with the CCI Magnum primer. I tried putting the gun in a cooler (in a sealed bag, and it's stainless, which I cleaned well after the test), along with some test ammo and a bunch of ice for an hour or two before going to the range the second time... all fired OK, velocities were a little lower (normal, given that the first time I shot in near 100 degree temps), no hangfires. I say test 'em all, see what works good for you. A chronograph is a necessity in figuring out this mystery.
At any rate, H110 is a lot of fun to load up in the .44 Mag. I'm probably going to try AA#9 to see if I can go any hotter, but I think I've hit the wall with the .44 Mag... If I feel the need for more power, I can always get a .460... that thing is a cannon... a dude fired that at the range the other day, and I swear it was louder than an AR or .300 Mag rifle with a muzzle brake!
As to the primer needed to ignite the H110; I did some testing a while back when the claims that a Magnum primer was necessary (some books use it in their recipes, some don't) to ignite H110. My findings (posted somewhere in this forum) were that everything I tried worked fine. I tried Magtech Large Pistol Primers (these were the most consistent in my gun, with my brass and 240gr XTP bullets--surprising, yes, as the Magtechs were less expensive), CCI Magnum, CCI Standard, and WLP primers. All worked OK, with WLP being the least consistent. I did get like 20fps more with the CCI Magnum primer. I tried putting the gun in a cooler (in a sealed bag, and it's stainless, which I cleaned well after the test), along with some test ammo and a bunch of ice for an hour or two before going to the range the second time... all fired OK, velocities were a little lower (normal, given that the first time I shot in near 100 degree temps), no hangfires. I say test 'em all, see what works good for you. A chronograph is a necessity in figuring out this mystery.
At any rate, H110 is a lot of fun to load up in the .44 Mag. I'm probably going to try AA#9 to see if I can go any hotter, but I think I've hit the wall with the .44 Mag... If I feel the need for more power, I can always get a .460... that thing is a cannon... a dude fired that at the range the other day, and I swear it was louder than an AR or .300 Mag rifle with a muzzle brake!
MAGNUM44
Member
unique & herco for mid range loads & blue dot or 110 & 2400 for cast loads canyou guys post your loads for midrange and full house loads and the bullets that you are using
dmazur
Member
H110. (Believe it or not, also recommended for .410 shotgun...)
counterclockwise
Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 176
What about this one for the Rossi 1892 20" rifle.
.
Speer 240 gr. GDSP (jacketed) over 22 gr. IMR4227;
CC350 mag pistol primer, case trimmed to 1.265;
bullet seated for c.o.l. 1.570; moderate roll crimp;
R-P casings.
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Speer 240 gr. GDSP (jacketed) over 22 gr. IMR4227;
CC350 mag pistol primer, case trimmed to 1.265;
bullet seated for c.o.l. 1.570; moderate roll crimp;
R-P casings.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Powders
Its hard too beat Hodgdon's H-110 for heavy .44 magnum handloads.
I use to think that the old Hercules 2400 was "the king"; until I tried
the H-110~!
Its hard too beat Hodgdon's H-110 for heavy .44 magnum handloads.
I use to think that the old Hercules 2400 was "the king"; until I tried
the H-110~!
GJgo
Member
I use Lil' Gun in my 7" 629 w/ 240gr XTP. Same speed as H110 with less pressure in my gun.
coolbarrelbill
Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2008
- Messages
- 11
W296
gtim88
Member
.44 mag
I recently got a 44 mag Marlin 1894ss w/pentax gameseeker 3x9x40 (I think it has the Ballard Riffling). I've tried imr4227, unique, and wc820 in the last 4 range sessions. I water drop wheel weights from a lyman Keith mold (I'm Not sure of the mold number) lubed with LAR 2500. The best results so far have been from wc820; 18gr = 1" to 1.5" @ 60 yds. I'm pretty sure it was moving at over 1450fps. I'll check for MOA white tail come November.
Wc820 is a military surplus powder very close to H110. I don't have any
H110, so I don't know how close it is. Pats reloading say's reduce wc820 by 10% comparred to H110. It is a ball powder and seems to burn more completely with magnum primers.
Info on LAR lubes and surplus powders can be found at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/.
I've only shot paper with cast. If I don't like cast vs's white tail, I have plenty hornady xtp's.
I recently got a 44 mag Marlin 1894ss w/pentax gameseeker 3x9x40 (I think it has the Ballard Riffling). I've tried imr4227, unique, and wc820 in the last 4 range sessions. I water drop wheel weights from a lyman Keith mold (I'm Not sure of the mold number) lubed with LAR 2500. The best results so far have been from wc820; 18gr = 1" to 1.5" @ 60 yds. I'm pretty sure it was moving at over 1450fps. I'll check for MOA white tail come November.
Wc820 is a military surplus powder very close to H110. I don't have any
H110, so I don't know how close it is. Pats reloading say's reduce wc820 by 10% comparred to H110. It is a ball powder and seems to burn more completely with magnum primers.
Info on LAR lubes and surplus powders can be found at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/.
I've only shot paper with cast. If I don't like cast vs's white tail, I have plenty hornady xtp's.
Last edited:
280shooter
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 707
296 for the 44 mag,
240 gn bullets
240 gn bullets
reloader223
Member
2400 ,Elmer Keiths load.
According to this web site http://www.sixguns.com/range/elmersloads.htm
Elmer Keith's 44 mag load for Alliant 2400 powder:
"44 MAGNUM: Keith early settled on 22.0 grains of #2400 with his #429421 bullet for 1225 fps. out of a 4" Smith, 1400+ fps out of a 6 1/2" Smith or 7 1/2" Ruger. These are hunting handloads pure and simple, with this load taking big game all over the world."
Lyman Pistol & Revolver list 18.5 to 20.6 grains max for 2400 under that same bullet at 1.710"oal, at 1248fps from 4-inch barrel universal receiver.
I like H-110 but it only works well for full-house loads in my 7.5" Ruger. It's full-house or nothing.
2400 is much, much more flexible for me, and more accurate than I am.
Elmer Keith's 44 mag load for Alliant 2400 powder:
"44 MAGNUM: Keith early settled on 22.0 grains of #2400 with his #429421 bullet for 1225 fps. out of a 4" Smith, 1400+ fps out of a 6 1/2" Smith or 7 1/2" Ruger. These are hunting handloads pure and simple, with this load taking big game all over the world."
Lyman Pistol & Revolver list 18.5 to 20.6 grains max for 2400 under that same bullet at 1.710"oal, at 1248fps from 4-inch barrel universal receiver.
I like H-110 but it only works well for full-house loads in my 7.5" Ruger. It's full-house or nothing.
2400 is much, much more flexible for me, and more accurate than I am.
bluetopper
Member
I just got a good deal on some 800X. Has anybody tried it with cast 240gr bullets?
High Desert Hunter
Member
H110 for full house, and Unique for mid-range stuff, I have other calibers for plinking.
Dave
Dave
rockhound758
Member
I started with 2400 and still like it, but I DIG H110!
evan price
Member
Titegroup for poppers.
Accurate #9 for thumpers.
Winchester JSP 240-gr, moderate to firm roll crimp on range brass, CCI Mag LP primer, and 24.0 grains of #9... this is over max, usual warnings apply, try it in a Super Ruger or T/C only!
Accurate #9 for thumpers.
Winchester JSP 240-gr, moderate to firm roll crimp on range brass, CCI Mag LP primer, and 24.0 grains of #9... this is over max, usual warnings apply, try it in a Super Ruger or T/C only!
MADDOG
Member
Red Dot---6.5grs. pushing an OT laser cast 200gr. RNFP right at 1000fps. Very accurate.
pbearperry
Member
I like 231 for all handgun cartridges.
243winxb
Member
W296
atlanticfire
Member
H110
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