.44 Special/Mag Load recommendations?

[russgentry]

Hello all,
I was wondering if anyone out there had any recommendations for .44 Special/Mag loads using Laser Cast 180gr FP boolit? Powders I have on hand are 2400 and 296. I realize 296 would be a no go but 2400 should be a good powder just wondering where to start grain wise.

[azrednek]

What kind of gun will you be shooting them in?

[russgentry]

Sorry, it's a Ruger Super Redhawk with a 4 inch barrel

[Russ in WY]

Personally I started with 2400 in the 44Mag/Spl some 40 yrs back. However there are many powders now that show up under 44 loads, including Bullseye, so 296 may still be an option. I never really got into Full-up loads in the 44. I carried it while in Alaska while fly fishing streams in the remote areas, always with Full power with the appropriate bullet, Commercial ammo. I cast the Kieth 429421 W/W+ abit of tin, 16 grs in Mag & 14 grs in the spl of 2400. Can shoot it all day long & was accurate for plinking. My 2¢. Russ.

[Hanzerik]

I only have .44 Mag lever guns, no pistols...yet.

I have been trying loads of Unique between 8-10 grs, under a 240gr LSWC. I think I am going to settle on 8.5-9grs of Unique. Don't know how fast they are going but they seem accurate enough.

I also have a brand new box of Hornady 240gr XTP bullets, but can't find the powder I want here in Cheyenne; 2400 or H110 or W-296. Went down to a local shop today and they have an order of powder coming in, but none of what I want, because their distributor doesn't have it.

[454PB]

Using 2400, you could start around 20 grains......but even at that level you may get leading.

I'd suggest you use a faster burning powder and hold velocity below 1100 fps.

I just recently loaded up some commercially cast 190 gr. SWC boolits that I bought cheap at a garage sale. I loaded them in .44 special brass that was made by trimming .44 magnum brass to proper length, and they were fired in my Taurus model 441 with 4" barrel. Powder was 6.5 grs. of Red Dot and Fiocchi LP primers. These chronographed 880 fps and grouped well. I was a little concerned they might lead the barrel, since they are VERY hard cast and slightly undersize for the Taurus, but there was none.

[smkummer]

Agree with the above. How about saving the 2400 for when you need it. Unigue and faster powders will give you 1100 or less FPS with 1/2 or less the amount of powder. I am shooting a load of 700X with a 200 FP bullet out of my 44 special getting about 850 FPS. Less recoil than the 7.5 grains unique and the Keith 245 bullet.

[Wally]

Agree with the above. How about saving the 2400 for when you need it. Unigue and faster powders will give you 1100 or less FPS with 1/2 or less the amount of powder. I am shooting a load of 700X with a 200 FP bullet out of my 44 special getting about 850 FPS. Less recoil than the 7.5 grains unique and the Keith 245 bullet.

Very wise words, I agree. Seems like so many feel they need max loads using copious quanties of slow burning powder to shoot...quite refreshing to read that others use more sensible loads and probably shoot their more because of them.

[mdi]

I would suggest you start with a Lyman's 49th Edition reloading Handbook. All the info you need in there. BTW, why not W296? In my .44s (5 of them) I have used W296, H110, 2400, Blue Dot, Unique, Universal, WC820 and even tried Bullseye (I was very cautious here!). All worked, but some better than others.

[russgentry]

Thanks for the info. I'm just looking for a light target load, hense the 180gr cast boolit, that my wife and daughter won't mind shooting. My wife hates my full up loads using 240gr JHP's.

[Snapping Twig]

W231 is a very versatile powder. Slower than BE, faster than Unique, excellent midrange powder.

In a magnum case I load 7g under either a 429421 or a 429244 for @ 900fps. Very sweet midrange load, or as EK used to say, "A useful special". :)

My magnum load is 22g of W296 or H110 (same powder - different container) under the same boolets. That's @ 1200fps - not maximum but enough to do the work.