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Thread: New to me Redhawk .44mag. Lets talk about loads

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    Boolit Man 415m3's Avatar
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    New to me Redhawk .44mag. Lets talk about loads

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    I just put this Redhawk in jail, and couldn't be happier with the condition and price. Anyone else here have 7.5" Redhawk, and if so...what profile casts are working for you? Similarly, what loads do you like for punching paper and steel? I have H110, Unique, W231, and Trail Boss handy.

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    5.5" loaded to 44 levels with the 429421. I really like 6.5 gr Red Dot as a plinker. I have pushed it hard with WC 820/AA9 but find it heavy to pack in the woods and usually revert to a 45 or 44 special.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

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    Boolit Buddy 458mag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 415m3 View Post
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    I just put this Redhawk in jail, and couldn't be happier with the condition and price. Anyone else here have 7.5" Redhawk, and if so...what profile casts are working for you? Similarly, what loads do you like for punching paper and steel? I have H110, Unique, W231, and Trail Boss handy.
    I think I bought its twin brother. Right down to the pacmeyer grips. Have shot it with 240 gr jaxted with 21 grs 2400. I have recently cast some 240gr lee tumble lube loaded with 16grs vectan 7.5 but have not tested any at the range yet. I expect it will be an upper medium load. The size and weight of the pistol sure helps with recoil. Hav'nt done any real load development yet but working on it.
    Most folks see a firearm as rifle, pistol, shotgun, ect.... I see a canvas.

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    Boolit Man 415m3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 458mag View Post
    I think I bought its twin brother. Right down to the pacmeyer grips.
    Serial number on this one says it's a 1989. Yours?

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    I like a heavy charge of H110 and a 310 gr. Lee, or a 245 gr RCBS an 21 gr. of 2400. Both very accurate with iron sights out to 165 yards on sillouette steel with a rest, and very good closer in. I just tried them again last Saturday at the sheriff's department range. Poor thing hasn't been outside in six months or so and was starting to whimper.

    But mine is a SRH.
    Tom
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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy 458mag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 415m3 View Post
    Serial number on this one says it's a 1989. Yours?
    ser# 501-70303. Don't know where to check for year of make.
    Most folks see a firearm as rifle, pistol, shotgun, ect.... I see a canvas.

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    I like the 429421 or similar weight (240-250 gr) with 8.5 gr of Unique for a nice accurate plinking/target load, and 18.5 of 2400 for a mid-range load. I also like the Lee C430-300-RF with a stiff charge of W296 for a heavy load. I have to say that 2400 is my favorite all around powder for the 44Mag.

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    Boolit Man 415m3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 458mag View Post
    ser# 501-70303. Don't know where to check for year of make.
    That would be a late 1985.

    Lots of people using 429421 molds for pistol I see. I was curious about the Lee 200 RnFP or the 240 2r as I hear these feed better in lever actions ( next purchase).

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    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShooterAZ View Post
    I like the 429421 or similar weight (240-250 gr) with 8.5 gr of Unique for a nice accurate plinking/target load, and 18.5 of 2400 for a mid-range load. I also like the Lee C430-300-RF with a stiff charge of W296 for a heavy load. I have to say that 2400 is my favorite all around powder for the 44Mag.
    I have to agree on boolits and powder. Only difference is I had Tom at Accurate cut me a copy of the Lee 310 in a plain base mold.
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    I bought a SS Red Hawk soon after they hit the market. It has been my "bad weather" hunting revolver for big game ever since ("big game" around here meaning whitetail deer):



    I have a 2 power Leupold on mine. I have taken several deer with this. I did a much needed trigger job on this right after I got it. Using a near full load of 24.0 grs. of H110 behind a 250 gr. Keith, I get 1300 fps. (25.0 grs. of H110 gives me 1400 fps.). My heavy load is the Lee C430-310-RF ahead of 21.5 grs. of H110. This is a SERIOUS load and shoots exceptionally well at 100 yards.

    FWIW
    Dale53

    P.S. I carried this in a Bianchi accross the chest holster in very rough country without issue. rdm
    Last edited by Dale53; 04-21-2019 at 04:07 PM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master Ozark mike's Avatar
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    I run a full charge of 296 in my bh 5.5 with 310 gr
    Those who would trade freedom for safety deserves neither and will lose both

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    Try 8grs Unique for fun and max load of H110 for hunting (240gr SWC) I sure like the old blued Redhawks, good score.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

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    Boolit Man 415m3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Try 8grs Unique for fun and max load of H110 for hunting (240gr SWC) I sure like the old blued Redhawks, good score.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
    Thanks, it cost me $400 for the pistol, a second set of sights, and a bunch of Wolff springs. I’m pretty excited ��

  14. #14
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    I use 5 or 6 grains Trail Boss under a MP 44/444-300 boolit. Fun to shoot and doesn’t beat you hands up.
    8500' Wet Mountain Valley, Colorado

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    I have had very good results with heat treated 429-421's over a bunch of 2400. My load is the old Keith load which is over max for the 21st century load books, but the Ruger can take it. These days though, the Magnum version of the "Skeeter" load, 8.0 grains of Unique under the same boolit, gets most of the duty. My wrists don't like the heavy loads.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 415m3 View Post
    Thanks, it cost me $400 for the pistol, a second set of sights, and a bunch of Wolff springs. I’m pretty excited ��
    I think you got a helluva deal.


    I use a SS SRH 7-1/2"bbl I bought new in around '87 for about $350. IIRC. I primarily use 2400 with it, occasionally AA#9, neither of which was on your list, but I did get a fistful of H110 from a buddy to try before I bought any & I have not yet bought any for myself as I still have enough of the other two right now. I have only used 21gr. -23gr. of the H110 for a 240gr. boolit & I thought it was OK. Not enough shooting with H110 to give ya much for suggestion though.

    G'Luck!
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  17. #17
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    My RH is the twin to Dale53’s.

    My SRH that I traded for my SRH in 480 Ruger was a 9 1/2” in 44 Mag. The 480 is a 7 1/2” I have now.

    A S&W Mountain Gun rounds out my 44’s.

    The powders I like most are Titegroup and clays at the lighter end, Unique at the Skeeter Skelton level, HS6 at the level God and Hodgdon’s intended in their #26 manual, Alliant 2400 from 17.5 to 21 gr., and H110 for the most obtuse of targets!

    The bullet I favor most is the RCBS 250K.

    I do the Lee 310 FN GC dual crimp groove but just in the RH and crimped forward to take advantage of the added boiler room it affords. I only recognize one powder for that slug .... H110

    Three44s
    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207

    “There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”

  18. #18
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    I am a real fan of h110 in my black hawk very clean and performs great. Another fan of the lee 310 also like lyman 429422 a 235 gr swc and h110. Unique works good as lighter loads but nowhere near as clean.

  19. #19
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    One more that likes 8gr of Unique under a 240 / 250 gr boolit also a fan of 17.5gr of 2400 the days of me shooting 23gr of H110 under a 240gr bullet are gone for the most part for me I just do not see the need for it
    kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies

  20. #20
    Boolit Man 415m3's Avatar
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    I assume you guys are all using LPP with Unique and MLPP for H110, but what about the 2400?

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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