44Mag Rossi for Cowboy action.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm after a load for my 44MAG Rossi which will zero at about 50 yards and I can shoot out of my Vaquero and NM Blackhawk 44 Mag pistola.

Have Bullseye and 231 and Aussie ADI powders (Clays and universal equivalent). I can easily get Winchester and Alliant ppowders and the ADI powders are Hodgsons befor being repackaged, so any suggestions for thes ethree brands would be appreciated.

[Four Fingers of Death]

White wineitus. Dropped the wife off at hospital earlier tonight with pnuenomia and cleaned up the house and scoffed a few wines before I got on the net. Seems to have bowled me over a bit.

[Scrounger]

I had very good accuracy out of my Marlin with the Winchester #231 and also Blue Dot. I don't have the loads available but the #231 was about 1400 FPS and the Blue Dot about 1600. You can find loads in the manuals for revolvers, just add about 200 FPS for your rifle velocity.

[MT Gianni]

I use wc820 [AA #9 equivelent] for a heavy hunting load over 429421 and a 429244 HP [Thanks Buckshot]. If this powder is available I can PM some loads. Heavy bullets like the lee 310 kick like a mule in this gun when pushed fast. I bought a leather lace up recoil pad. Gianni.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I use wc820 [AA #9 equivelent] for a heavy hunting load over 429421 and a 429244 HP [Thanks Buckshot]. If this powder is available I can PM some loads. Heavy bullets like the lee 310 kick like a mule in this gun when pushed fast. I bought a leather lace up recoil pad. Gianni.

Sounds like a good hunting load. I won't be doing much hunting with this on, buy am mainly intereste in Cowboy Action loads.

[Rrusse11]

Mick,
I'm a big fan of Blue Dot in the 44 and the 357 for mid velocity, up to 1500fps, loads. For lighter plinking try some Green Dot, 5 grains or so is very economical. Full house loads I go with Lil Gun or Alliant 410 these days. I'm very impressed with the 2 Rossi SS Saddle Ring Carbines I picked up recently. The 357Mag is a real shooter, and offhand is a blast at claybirds at 50yds. I have been known to hit 'em at 200 off a sandbag, purty good I reckin for a little rifle. Slicked up the action some, and got the trigger lightened up a lot. Very handy! Fit and finish better than expected, and now I've got to get the 45Colt to shoot as well. Certainly lighter loads are a lot easier on the shoulder with that steel butt plate.
Cheers,
R*2

[DOUBLEJK]

My Rossi .44 loves AA#5 fer midrange loads from 1100-1300 er so with 240-265gr. cast.....accuracy is good n ES's er some a the lowest I've ever seen.....sometimes only 20fps er so...

[leverfan]

When I had to make up loads for an orientation meeting, and blackpowder wasn't allowed for visibility reasons, I used a 200 grain bullet over 5.5 grains of Hodgdon Titegroup in my 44 Russian Extra Long (aka 44 Remington mag). If you can find it, the IMR/Hodgdon powder Trailboss may be the ultimate smokeless cowboy action powder. I've heard good reports from other shooters. There's load data at imrpowder.com.

My normal 44 load is 32 or so grains of Goex FFFg under a 200 grain Mav Dutchman. I'm thinking of trying Swiss black powder, since I've heard it burns cleaner than Goex, but I can't find a source close enough to justify the drive. A local shooting buddy may go in with me on an order to Powder Inc. for that.

For other folks suggesting loads, remember that the handgun velocity must be no more than 1000 fps, and the rifle is limited to 1400 fps. Some cowboy action shooters think less is more, and their loads barely clear the muzzle with enough oomph to reach the target.

[Bear4570]

Winchester 231:

6.5 grains to 7.5 grains , between 850 and 925 out of your handguns
11.0 grains should up it to around 1200. Add a bit speed out of the long gun.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Winchester 231:

6.5 grains to 7.5 grains , between 850 and 925 out of your handguns
11.0 grains should up it to around 1200. Add a bit speed out of the long gun.


Do you load different loads for your pistolas and levers?

This no problem as I have a thousand RNFPs and a few thousand SWCs. I wouldn't mix them up, use the SWCs in the pistols.

I will use 44Special cases in the pistols eventually when I get a bullet seat die that will seat on the special. I can only load the magnum with my dies at this stage. I suppose I could grind a bit off the end of the seat die.

If it don't bang a good bit what's the point of shooting them? Popguns, grew out of them a long while ago.

[Bear4570]

Do you load different loads for your pistolas and levers?

If it don't bang a good bit what's the point of shooting them? Popguns, grew out of them a long while ago.

Sorry thought you were talking about cowboy action shooting, I like to keep them fairly moderate to help decrease recovery time.

If they shoot well out of both at 800-850 I use the same load for Cowboy Action Type shooting. Otherwise I taylor my loads for the gun. Favorite load for .44 mag is a 250 grain Keith Bullet and 20 Grains of 2400 or a 300 gr LBT WFN with 21.5 of H110 in both my Blackhawks and Lever Guns. It give you a good bang.

Out of my Smith & Wesson 29, I like to keep it a bit milder..same 240 grain SWC and 10 grains of Unique for right at 1000 fps or a 250 gr Lyman 429244 GC Ray Thompson Bullet under 16.5 of 2400 for 1150-1200 fps.