Care to share some 44 Magnum shotshell successes

[bluejay75]

Fellow Snake/ Rat/ Feral Cat Busters,

Before I scrounge up the components for 44 magnum shotshells, I was wondering if any of you experts would post some links to some proven loads.

Any advice or tips welcome.

Bluejay

[725]

The best I've ever found came from one of our castbooliteer's. Cut a .303 Brit case down to your cylinder length (actually just a smidge shorter), 9 grains of unique, two cardboard wads, 150 / 160 grains of # 7 1/2 shot, two more cardboard wads & seal with some Elmer's glue. First firing will fire form the brass and to re-size it, run it through a .44 die and run the bottle necked area back with a .40 S&W (10 mm) die. Just a little experimentation is required to get the final product. It's easier than it may sound. Works good. If, by chance, you have an old revolver with recessed charge holes, I found that I had to trim the inside of the rim to make 'em fit flush. Work out your bugs with a couple of prototypes, and before you know it, you'll be off to the races. The large payload is welcome when dealing with snakes. Good luck.

[Outpost75]

Use Starline 5 in 1 blank cases. They will fit in a .44 Magnum, as well as in a .38-40, .44-40, .45 Colt, or .410

https://www.44winchestercenterfirecartridges.com/single-post/2018/01/13/Loading-44-Game-Getter-Shot-from-Starline-5-in-1-Blank-cases

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/team-44-40/496090-loading-44-game-getter-shot-starline-5-1-blank-cases.html

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[Mr_Sheesh]

They do only sell those in 1000 packs; I'd buy 100 or 200 but a whole 1000? Ow. Maybe we could do a combined buy through a Honcho though.

[CastingFool]

I made up some shot loads for my 45 colt rbh. Regular cases, with styrofoam wads. Got acceptable patterns at 5', 10', not so good. Worked on a chipmunk at 5'.

[starnbar]

I use regular cases with a plastic sleeve containing the shot like said before good for about 10 ft more or less.

[Outpost75]

They do only sell those in 1000 packs; I'd buy 100 or 200 but a whole 1000? Ow. Maybe we could do a combined buy through a Honcho though.

Midway sells the 5 in 1 blank cases in 100 bags, at least they used to. That is where I got mine.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Outpost75, great to know - Thanks! $48.99/100. I can adapt other cases, though right now I am fixing the issue of cutting them (Hacksaw was jamming automatically. Well, turns out if you measure those 36 TPI hacksaw blades, they are actually 24 TPI or so. No wonder they've been jamming - Manufacturer messed up. Going to swap those in for the right ones!)

[trapper9260]

Outpost75, great to know - Thanks! $48.99/100. I can adapt other cases, though right now I am fixing the issue of cutting them (Hacksaw was jamming automatically. Well, turns out if you measure those 36 TPI hacksaw blades, they are actually 24 TPI or so. No wonder they've been jamming - Manufacturer messed up. Going to swap those in for the right ones!)

Use a pipe cutter for copper pipe it will work on brass also.I done it that way to cut cases down.

[Mr_Sheesh]

trapper9260 I've done that; My cutter's hiding (apparently) right now. Once I move and get a shop I'll use a chop saw or something, maybe make a computer controlled brass cutter, can't do that in an apartment though. Hacksaw blades aren't impossibly costly :p TY!

bluejay75 - The loads I've seen for a regular .44 Mag shell were - Use 6 Grains of WW-231 or Bullseye; Drop an over powder gas check in, fill with #9 shot, add another C in the mouth of the case and crimp that in place. I haven't tried those yet; Bullseye is a bit faster than WW-231 so you "may" want to start a bit low and work up. I'm planning to try some of, cutting some of,
a .410 shotshell case to 1-3/4” and run the first 1/2” into a .44Mag die
a .303 British case to 1-3/4” and run the first 1/2” into a .44Mag die
a .444 Marlin case to 1-3/4” and run the first 1/2” into a .44Mag die
a .445 Super Mag case to 1-3/4” and run the first 1/2” into a .44Mag die
or a 30-40 Krag case to cyl. length, turn rim, run the first 1/2”? into a .44Mag die
Those will have a longer case (and it might take a .41 Mag die possibly, to size them to fit in the far end of the cylinder; I'll have to figure it out with calipers.) and more shot load so they'll have to use less powder and probably a slower powder than WW-231; I probably will try a .410 shot wad and a GC or cardboard card over the top and see if Unique is fast enough for those. I'll start testing with softer loads first so I'm fairly safe but sort of in unknown territory so I'll be careful :)

[Boogieman]

I cut down 303 British cases ,used a 41 mag. die to size the neck . had to trim & thin the rims. cut off 410 wads with a card over shot wad. they shot well but backed out and made the cylinder hard to turn. Any body else had this problem?

[Ed_Shot]

For 38/357, 10MM, 44 Mag, 45 LC I use standard brass and punch out over powder wads from paper plates; fill with #9 shot and crimp on an inverted gas check followed by a drop of Elmer's for sealing. I use BE 3.5 gr for 38/357 & 10MM and BE 4.0 gr for 44 and 45. Not trying to hunt ducks just want something cheap and easy that's effective out to @ 8 ft for snakes and small vermin.

[triggerhappy243]

my 303 brit cut down to 1.700, 9.5 gr unique and 150 gr. of #8 or 39 lead shot. Yes, you have to thin the shell head some. 3-5 thou.

[lksmith]

I use the speer capsules, with a small charge of HP38 since I have a lot of that. However instead of using the base wads I use a gas check, and fill it until OAL is just shy of cylinder length on my Super Blackhawk.
If memory serves correctly I used 8.0gr of HP38 and get about 200gr of shot in it. Will kill a snake up to 10steps and smoke the **** out of them at strike distance. Also took out an armadillo at 10steps yesterday with one.

[Slenk]

I make mine with 30-40 cases ,have to thin the case head and rim a little. Cut just short of the cylinder length , no need to run them into a die as they will fit . I load mine with 6gr. of unique or universal and 2 card wads of cardboard. Fill #6 or 7.5 shot about 150grs. and a card wad on top with Elmer's glue to seal them up. They work good on grouse. Aim dead on out to 15 -18 yards. don't use a 6:00 hold. To hot of a charge tends to blow a hole in the pattern.