Is .44 mag "difficult" to load down for?

[black mamba]

Most SWCs and RFN bullets can be seated deeper in the case, crimping over the shoulder of a SWC or over the ogive of a RN. Seating deeper like this in 44 magnum cases will be very close to the OAL and powder capacity of 44 special loads. Fast, bulky powders such as Red and Green Dot, American Select, 700X, V320 will all give good consistency and accuracy with light loads, no fillers needed. One of my favorites is a commercially available 200 gr. RNFP which is HiTek coated seated to 1.485" OAL in 44 magnum cases over 4.5 gr. of 700X with WLP primers. Gives about 865 fps from my 6½" 629 Classic and is very accurate and light recoiling.

[farmbif]

there are plenty of good published loads for 900-1000 fps 240 gr 44 mag loads using fast powders that are perfectly safe in all aspects. slower powders like h110, 4227, no9, 2400, 300mp are used in full power magnum loads.
on the 30-30 thing from what I understand about it. 30WCF/30-30 and the 25-35 which both came out at about the same time were the first cartridges designed for smokeless powder and can be downloaded very successfully, probably the most published download for it is with h4895 which can be reduced to just about 1/2 the powder than the max load for that powder.
and that sure is one beautiful rifle.

[M-Tecs]

Thanks for all the input amigos, I feel a bit better now. I wrote down all these recipes in my spreadsheet.

The reason I was asking is because I have never actually shot a 44 magnum, and I just ordered the rifle below. I have only shot 357, 30-30, 45-70 as the closest lever-gun calibers, but when I heard it was like 30-30 it stressed me out as I've been saving for this gun for awhile, and if it has the recoil of 30-30, OR, it could be loaded down but perhaps not so versatilely, then I would never get to shoot it. It all my research it seemed that it was only slightly more than 357 out of a lever gun, but in my experience 30-30 is absolutely nothing like that. The 30-30 I only want to shoot about 10 or so from a bench, standing isnt bad.

I also heard from someone that 44 mag was harder to load down for than 45LC was to load up for. After seeing your replies though I feel better. Based on what y'all have said it seems 44 magnum is quite versatile cartridge that will have no problems loading SMOOTHLY way down to very low plinking recoil, and way up to salty ball-slappin recoil.

That's a fine-looking rifle. Is it a Turnbull?

[Mint]

Yep you got it

[Moleman-]

Nice looking rifle, it is a work of art. 44mag is the cartridge that got me into reloading and there's 400 cleaned and primed cases in 100rnd MTM boxes sitting on my desk right now. It's easy to load plinking loads for so I've never bothered with 44 special. The one thing to be wary of as others have pointed out is to not download H110 or W296. Unique, W231, Green/red Dot, HS-6, bullseye ect are better choices for plinking loads. For top loads H110/W296, 2400, IMR4227, and blue dot are what I use.

[Mint]

Nice looking rifle, it is a work of art. 44mag is the cartridge that got me into reloading and there's 400 cleaned and primed cases in 100rnd MTM boxes sitting on my desk right now. It's easy to load plinking loads for so I've never bothered with 44 special. The one thing to be wary of as others have pointed out is to not download H110 or W296. Unique, W231, Green/red Dot, HS-6, bullseye ect are better choices for plinking loads. For top loads H110/W296, 2400, IMR4227, and blue dot are what I use.

Thank you tremendously, I am beyond excited

[Mint]

Nice looking rifle, it is a work of art. 44mag is the cartridge that got me into reloading and there's 400 cleaned and primed cases in 100rnd MTM boxes sitting on my desk right now. It's easy to load plinking loads for so I've never bothered with 44 special. The one thing to be wary of as others have pointed out is to not download H110 or W296. Unique, W231, Green/red Dot, HS-6, bullseye ect are better choices for plinking loads. For top loads H110/W296, 2400, IMR4227, and blue dot are what I use.

By the way I have read that I can reload light loaded 44 mag over 30 times... is this really true? That would be insane cost savings

[Moleman-]

I'm not sure how many reloadings you can get with light loads, but it's over 30. They'll last a long time if you don't overwork the casemouth with over expanding and over crimping to the point the case mouths crack or have an oversized chamber. I have some 44's and 45acp's that I've been reloading for over 30 years.

[Mint]

I'm not sure how many reloadings you can get with light loads, but it's over 30. They'll last a long time if you don't overwork the casemouth with over expanding and over crimping to the point the case mouths crack or have an oversized chamber. I have some 44's and 45acp's that I've been reloading for over 30 years.

Christ almighty...... that is insane.

do you have any advice for crimping 44 for a lever gun? If not it's fine, I am still waiting on some parts to reload for the first time using a Rock Chucker, maybe in another week, so I will figure it out eventually.

[Moleman-]

I would of never guessed how many times you can reload pistol brass. The case life will be drastically shortened if you're using max loads, but mild plinking loads are easy on brass. For expanding, crimping, just do the minimum needed. No need to bevel out the casemouth to look like a funnel to seat a bullet. I adjust the case mouth bevel so that when I plightly press a bullet in by hand the bullet stays and doesn't shave lead when seated. Crimping for a levergun should be a roll crimp (lee may say taper but it is short enough to act as a roll crimp). Use just enough to secure the bullet in the cannelure so that when you try to press the bullet into the case deeper by pressing it into your reloading bench or a scrap of wood using decent force the bullet stays put.

Several people I've run across over the years figured low powered pistol brass was like high powered rifle brass and only good for a few shots. I'm sure you could ruin them if you tried, but just plinking loads the brass will last a very long time if taken care of.

[Milky Duck]

you do realise the .30/30 is just as easy to down load???? that long neck is made for cast projectiles and it was origonally a Black powder cartridge.....
funny I used a 30/30 as a teenager and there is no way I would have said heavy recoiling at all....


No ,it was never loaded with B/P as a factory round,smokeless and jacketed bullets from the very beginning to this very day.

really...so 30 calibre and 30 grains of black powder as its name implies/suggests is a faulsehood????
the 30/30 was one of if not the first cartridge of its time that WASNT dual purpose,as in it didnt also come in handgun,unlike the 44/40 44 calibre 40 grains black powder 32/20 32 calibre 20 grns black powder etc etc etc

still stand by statement it is a doddle to download and with its long neck it will "embrace" a lubed cast boolit well.

[Milky Duck]

Yes I'm aware you can load it down, also 30-30 started as CF, that's why it retired so many other cartridges.

I only started reloading about a week ago, so I have just fired factory 30-30.

I didn't say ALL recoil wasn't enjoyable. My 45-70 is one of the most fun guns to shoot.

My Winchester 94 26" in 30-30, in the context of a plinking gun, with a metal crescent butt and straight stock, and shooting it from a bench instead of standing... that would not be very enjoyable if I want to plink 50-100 rounds, that is what I was referring to "too much". This gun 'ere, the 44, just has an entirely different purpose so less noticeable recoil is a desire.

you can easily down load it a bit AND slip on a rubber recoil pad..... doesnt change the gun much,length of pull becomes longer but your shoulder will notice difference.

[Mint]

really...so 30 calibre and 30 grains of black powder as its name implies/suggests is a faulsehood????
the 30/30 was one of if not the first cartridge of its time that WASNT dual purpose,as in it didnt also come in handgun,unlike the 44/40 44 calibre 40 grains black powder 32/20 32 calibre 20 grns black powder etc etc etc

still stand by statement it is a doddle to download and with its long neck it will "embrace" a lubed cast boolit well.

Yes my milky friend, that's a falsehood. Right from wikipedia...

The added -30 stands for the standard load of 30 grains (1.9 g) of early smokeless powder and is based on late-19th century American naming conventions for black powder-filled cartridges.

The .30-30 (or "thirty-thirty"), as it is most commonly known, and the .25-35 were offered that year as the United States's first small-bore sporting rifle cartridges designed for smokeless powder

[JoeJames]

I'm not sure how many reloadings you can get with light loads, but it's over 30. They'll last a long time if you don't overwork the casemouth with over expanding and over crimping to the point the case mouths crack or have an oversized chamber. I have some 44's and 45acp's that I've been reloading for over 30 years.

Same here with 32S&W Longs, 38 Specials, and 44 Specials - they just keep on keeping on. I did actually have split case mouth occur though - it was a nickle plated 38 Special case. I had read some mutterings on here that they were more prone to split at the case mouth than regular brass, and sho nuff one did. I now try to keep the nickle ones separate and unused - primers being so scarce.

[Mint]

Same here with 32S&W Longs, 38 Specials, and 44 Specials - they just keep on keeping on. I did actually have split case mouth occur though - it was a nickle plated 38 Special case. I had read some mutterings on here that they were more prone to split at the case mouth than regular brass, and sho nuff one did. I now try to keep the nickle ones separate and unused - primers being so scarce.

Do you have to trim them after awhile or they just dont need to be trimmed forever?

[DougGuy]

For top loads H110/W296, 2400, IMR4227, and blue dot are what I use.

Don't leave out AA#9 it's right there with 2400.

Also LilGun! This burns on the hot side but unless you are driving Casull or Linebaugh level loads, nothing to worry about. It gets H110 velocities with less than H110 pressures.

[Mint]

Don't leave out AA#9 it's right there with 2400.

Also LilGun! This burns on the hot side but unless you are driving Casull or Linebaugh level loads, nothing to worry about. It gets H110 velocities with less than H110 pressures.

Just to make sure my simple beginner reloading brain has this correct... if something can attain higher velocity at less pressure, this means it is a slower burning powder correct? Can anything else effect that?

[racepres]

I too have been reloading the 44Mag for over 30 years...that and the 357 were my first reloaded rounds... with a Lee Loader!!!
The Lee Loader will Not over work the neck...and a Lyman M die, was my first "accessory" when I got a press, (after I got out of the Canoe Club).. The M die must not be overworking my brass...Because I still have some of the original 50!!!! The oners that split were probably due to a too heavy Crimp.. The Recoil of an Octagon, 10" TC in 44 told me a Crimp Must Be Necessary... But...Alas.. seems the 10" octagon TC is about the very Worst recoiling Handgun I have Ever Handled.. That crimp was unnecessary..
But I feel that the M die is a downright necessity!!!

[racepres]

Just to make sure my simple beginner reloading brain has this correct... if something can attain higher velocity at less pressure, this means it is a slower burning powder correct? Can anything else effect that?

Not possible.. Pressure equals FPS.. Period.. "peak" and pressure along with Time... have an Effect..
Think "slap" and "push".. For any Given Projectile...
Cast go faster with a given pressure applied...due to less Friction..
Use your Chronograph!!! Compare.. take Notes.. Remember, No Free lunch!!!

[Milky Duck]

Yes my milky friend, that's a falsehood. Right from wikipedia...

well buggamesideways....I learn something new every day.....