Load DataReloading EverythingTitan ReloadingRepackbox
Inline FabricationLee PrecisionMidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2
Wideners
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21

Thread: Powders for 228 to 310 Grain cast in 44 Mag

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    DonMountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Mid-Missouri
    Posts
    1,159

    Powders for 228 to 310 Grain cast in 44 Mag

    I have six different batches of sample cast projectiles ranging in weight from 228 to 310 grains and would like to put together some low to mid-level loads for these. Some of them are gas checked and the rest are plain based, including the 228 grain and 310 grain bullets. Mostly I have been shooting heavy 320 grain gas checked castings for deer hunting with heavy loads of H110 and W296, and don't seem to have listings for lesser loads with these other, lighter bullets. So, does anybody have any suggestions for powders and amounts?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Maven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    4,946
    DM, With CB's between 240gr. - 270gr., I've been using 8gr. Unique as my standard load with either a taper- or roll crimp. In fact, I just got back from the range shooting Ly. #429421 and a 270gr. B & M wadcutter with that load and was very pleased with its performance. 7.5gr. Unique is just as accurate + recoil is a bit less, if you'd like to minimize the pounding of an extended range session with the .44mag.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    kalif.
    Posts
    7,200
    I'm a 2400 guy myself. Yes H110/W296 or LilGun will get you a bit more vel, 2400 is more versatile, as it will down load quite a bit. Use 300gr lead data for your 310gr cast bullet loads, 240gr data for the 228gr. AA#9 is a likely good choice too, just haven't run any tests with it. If you want below midrange, then Unique, PP, BE86 will all work.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,158
    In a rifle 4198 or RL7.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    AZ Pete's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    542
    2400


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    NRA Endowment Life Member

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    LUCKYDAWG13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Posts
    3,386
    I have been using Unique and 2400
    kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Pleasant Hope MO
    Posts
    2,225
    I use AA#7 & AA#9 in my .44 Mag for cast bullets in this weight range.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    south western pennsylvina
    Posts
    3,412
    For the 44 mag with light loads & cast bullets I use 7.0 grs of Bullseye or Tightgroup powder @800 to 900 fps and excellent accuracy with several cast bullets and guns.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    DonMountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Mid-Missouri
    Posts
    1,159
    I appreciate all the suggestions on these light for 44 Mag loads. I have about 40 or 50 bullets of each size to try, so it will be just for some target shooting. And lucky for me, I have most all of the powders suggested. Maybe I will start with Unique because that old container of Hercules Unique in the cardboard tube might be getting pretty old and time to use it up. But wait! There is a cardboard tube of 2400 in the powder locker too?

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    AZ Pete's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    542
    Quote Originally Posted by DonMountain View Post
    I appreciate all the suggestions on these light for 44 Mag loads. I have about 40 or 50 bullets of each size to try, so it will be just for some target shooting. And lucky for me, I have most all of the powders suggested. Maybe I will start with Unique because that old container of Hercules Unique in the cardboard tube might be getting pretty old and time to use it up. But wait! There is a cardboard tube of 2400 in the powder locker too?
    I think you are on the right track, 2400 and Unique are great powders for a lot of applications.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    NRA Endowment Life Member

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Spokane, Wa.
    Posts
    2,636
    A great powder for light loads in the .44mag that gives good accurate results whether the boolit is plain base, gas checked or shot sans gas check is Trail Boss. 7g is what I use for 190 to 260g boolits. Velocity is in the 750 to 925 fps area depending on weight of boolit and bbl length.
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  12. #12
    Banned

    Blammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    10,427
    A man would be hard pressed to beat 2400 in your scenario.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    I don't know what you consider low level, but midrange with heavy bullets is a best case scenario for Blue dot. You can reduce too, but I would guess accuracy will fall off much below starting loads. Bluedot with a 330 grain SSK is a great load.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Nashville, Indiana
    Posts
    1,603
    I use Unique for "medium" loads, W296 for "hot" loads.

    I was on my way of using all my W296 up and going to A2400 when I bought another 8lbs of W296 at a great price... So.. 296 for a while.

    But I have a 240 grn cast boolit that I have loaded 16 grn 2400 as a "medium" load (was dirty, but accurate) and 21.5 grn as a load that was just as hot as W296.

    And I have a special place in my heart for Trailboss. You can shoot almost any boolit with that - you fill the case just under where the back of your boolit goes and you put your boolit on top (full, NOT compressed). And it makes a 44 mag feel like a 38 special.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Rainier's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Duvall, WA
    Posts
    294
    Sounds like you have the powders sorted out BUT... FWIW with the Lee 430-310-RF I've had good success with 18gr of 4227 out of my RedHawk for a moderate load. 6.5 to 8 grains of W231 works for a nice load with 240gr SWC's.
    "Truth is treason in the empire of lies" Ron Paul

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
    DonMountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Mid-Missouri
    Posts
    1,159
    I am shooting these out of a Ruger Redhawk with a 7.5" barrel and I do have a bunch of really old W231 to shoot up also. I have been using it for 9mm Luger and 380 ACP, but those don't use it up very fast. My brother gave me a bunch of these really old powders when he bought a shotshell reloader from the wife of a passed away member of his shooting club.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Rainier's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Duvall, WA
    Posts
    294
    Kinda sad circumstance with the powder but way better to use it up then let it go to waste or worse get thrown out. I talked with the good folks at Winchester Powder awhile back and they say you can safely go to 11.0 grains of W231 with 240 grain boolits in the Rugers. I loaded some of the 429421's (and some jwords I was given) with that 11gr load and it gets better velocity then the max load of 4227 in my 4.2 inch barrel version. I will confess I'm not super interested in shooting full snot loads all the time but its always good to have a handful made up.
    "Truth is treason in the empire of lies" Ron Paul

  18. #18
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Nashville, Indiana
    Posts
    1,603
    Quote Originally Posted by DonMountain View Post
    I am shooting these out of a Ruger Redhawk with a 7.5" barrel and I do have a bunch of really old W231 to shoot up also. I have been using it for 9mm Luger and 380 ACP, but those don't use it up very fast. My brother gave me a bunch of these really old powders when he bought a shotshell reloader from the wife of a passed away member of his shooting club.
    I've got a Redhawk with the 7 1/2" barrel. I love mine. It's my favorite gun. Mine is an older one - not quite sure how old. I picked it up at an estate sale. When I bought it, someone had put a scope on it. I took the scope off and put some nice fiber optic front and rear sights on it.

  19. #19
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872
    With 240-260 gr Keith style boolits 8.0 gr of W231 works well. Same boolits in a Special case 6.0 gr of W231

    These loads came from articles by Brian Pearce in Handloader Magazine. Look for "Loading the .44 Special" and "Mid Range Loads for .44 Magnum." Both articles have many loads for each boolit.

    You can get back issues of that magazine for $5 ea.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
    DonMountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Mid-Missouri
    Posts
    1,159
    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    With 240-260 gr Keith style boolits 8.0 gr of W231 works well. Same boolits in a Special case 6.0 gr of W231

    These loads came from articles by Brian Pearce in Handloader Magazine. Look for "Loading the .44 Special" and "Mid Range Loads for .44 Magnum." Both articles have many loads for each boolit.

    You can get back issues of that magazine for $5 ea.

    Randy
    What issue of Handloader is that article in? I have several years of handloader back before about 1999, but decided that they were heading in a direction that I wasn't interested in (high-pressure magnum rifle and pistol rounds with jacketed bullets), so I stopped getting it. Do they still sell Handloader magazine? And are they still obsessed with all the new magnum rounds becoming available? That I don't have? All of my guns and calibers are from the earlier part of the last century.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check