.44 especial load needed

[sergeant69]

my 429 and my cast Lyman #429640 HP are deadly on deer and pigs. now I wanna use em in my Smith 24-3. its supposed to be a 250 grainer but weighs out at 266 grs. any load suggestions appreciated.

[Nobade]

What powder do you have? 44 spl. will digest a very wide range of them. Recently I have been shooting a lot of 10.0gr. 10B101 in mine. Tried 13gr. and it kicks too much, feels like a magnum. But at 10 gr. it is pleasant and extremely accurate. Pretty much anything from Bullseye to 2400 works, in appropriate amounts of course.

[44MAG#1]

You are going to get many answers and they depend on the mind set of the poster.
Some are so scared to go up on a SAAMI spec load (15500 psi) that I wonder if they even drive a motor vehicle or even go outside.
If you check for accuracy as you experiment you can run from SAAMI spec loads and go to 1150 or so from a 4 inch if you desire to go up on your loads with appropriate powders.
My 45/8's inch Ruger FT with 15.5 gr 2400, Fed 150 primers and Win cases and 250 Keith will get 1150 fps and your Smith should get close to that depending on your gun, barrel length, lot of powder, lot of primers and brass and the way you hold your mouth and how hard you squeeze the trigger.
Experiment in your gun, with your loads and your bullets.
Oh yes, I use 14.8 gr 2400 with a 275 Keith too.

[sergeant69]

well....i'm thinking either blue dot, bullseye, or unique.

[Mal Paso]

14g 2400 behind that '640 is one of my favorites.

[sergeant69]

14g 2400 behind that '640 is one of my favorites.

in a special or mag?

[44MAG#1]

One just needs 2 powders for the 44 special. Either 2400 and PowerPistol or 2400 and Unique.
As I stated I use 15.5 gr 2400 and a 250 Keith or 14.8 2400 with a 275 Keith also for a lower power load I use 9.0 gr Powerpistol with the 250 Keith.

[rintinglen]

Really can't argue with 44Mag#1. I have the 432-640 Mihec mold that throws a nominal 250 grain hollowpoint bullet. Mine run 255-260 grains depending on what is in the pot. I use 15.2 grains of 2400 or 7.5 grains of Unique, both shoot well and to about the same point of aim in my Ruger Flat top, though not in my S&W 21-4. My 544 S&W does not get to play with the big boys, so it gets a max of 6.9 grains Unique or 13.5 grains 2400.

[runfiverun]

if i put anything besides 7grs of unique behind a 240-250 gr boolit anymore.
the cases think i am on vacation and someone broke into the reloading room.
i'm sure my rugers will take more pressure, i'm not sure i can hang onto the little handles.

[Mal Paso]

in a special or mag?

Special. 14g (depending on the Lot) won't burn well in the 44 Mag case.

[NLS1]

if i put anything besides 7grs of unique behind a 240-250 gr boolit anymore.
the cases think i am on vacation and someone broke into the reloading room.
i'm sure my rugers will take more pressure, i'm not sure i can hang onto the little handles.

That is some funny stuff right there!
Unique + 44 = perfect
Dan

[bones37]

Seven grains of Unique behind my Accurate 43-250K IS my favorite 44 load.
if i put anything besides 7grs of unique behind a 240-250 gr boolit anymore.
the cases think i am on vacation and someone broke into the reloading room.
i'm sure my rugers will take more pressure, i'm not sure i can hang onto the little handles.

[stubshaft]

I use 9.5 of AA#5 behind a 265gr NEI Keith and shoot all day long. BTW it works great on hogs!

[NLS1]

I use 9.5 of AA#5 behind a 265gr NEI Keith and shoot all day long. BTW it works great on hogs!

Yeah man I can't wait to try my 44 on hogs!
And much agreed. A good boolit at sane speeds is a joy to shoot. For me I know that when the boolit goes right were I want it is worth way more than missing while I flinch with the hot factory stuff.
Dan

[45sixgun]

Only thing I've tried in my Ruger .44 Special is 7 gr. of Unique with a 250 gr. SWC. Haven't been motivated to try anything else. But I don't have the most experience, so the other guys are a better reference.

[TCLouis]

Nobade

Someone listed 11 grains of 10B101 to give 788 fps with a 250 grain boolit.

Did it seem that slow in your 10 grain loading?

Extrapolation (and some guessing) make it out to be 700 fps or so with 10 grains.

[1874Sharps]

Using a 245 grain Lyman boolit in my 44 Special with 6.7 grains of Unique has given my very good accuracy and pleasant recoil. That load is not as hot as it could be, especially in a strong, modern pistol, but if magnum performance is required I use a 44 Mag. Now there is another load that shoots outstandingly, also, that is sometimes not considered -- a full house black powder load. The aforementioned boolit with 22 grains of FFFG with SPG lube is very accurate out of my Colt SAA.

[9.3X62AL]

About 90% of my 44 Special shooting gets done with "Skeeter's Load" in my S&W M-624 x 6.5". The recipe isn't complex at all--Lyman #429421 atop 7.5 grains of Unique sparked by CCI 300 primers. 950 FPS, accurate as can be, and all-day recoil levels. Some things are just meant to work. The remaining 10% get run with a warmish load of Lyman #429244 atop 15.0 grains of 2400 and the CCI cap. These get right on the edge of 1200 FPS, and are about as much recoil as I want in that light, whip-barrelled N-frame. I have a S&W 657 x 6" and a Redhawk x 5.5" on staff for occasions when I want to dispatch mastodons or Kenworths efficiently. I'm not above grabbing a rifle at times, either.

As noted above, there will be lots of folks chiming in with their favored 44 Special concoctions. The caliber has a STRONG following here and throughout the firearms hobby world, as do the 32 caliber revolvers. None of these have the black-rifle tacticool panache, but shooters enjoy them immensely.

[358wcf]

+1 on what 9.3x62AL said- we boolit casters are all searching for that level of success and accomplishment that comes with mastering the 44 Special revolver handgun today. Anybody can go down to the sports store and purchase a stock 44Mag revolver, a box of factory jacketed rounds, and make a whole lot of inaccurate noise, scaring off most of the game in the county, but what have they learned, or truly accomplished? No, we do it the right way, searching for that elusive, high-quality American-made handgun of limited production from another time, turning over our savings only after we are sure the gem meets our expectations, and get together components to actually manufacture ammunition to suit the firearm and its requirements, to unleash every bit of accuracy and power needed for the job at hand, while enjoying every moment of the process- This, my friend, is what it is all about! We share our successes with each other freely, as here, and encourage others along the way--
And then, you will find yet another group of shooters within the larger group- a smaller, quieter few fellows who don't often make much noise or cry aloud- These few are most often a bit older than the rest, more experienced by far, and seem quite satisfied with their lot- they are happy just to cast a few more rounds, shoot them quietly and accurately afield and at the range. They don't need the noise and bluster of the big guns, and seem to shy away from the limelight at gatherings. These, my friends, are those fine gentlemen that have found their own inner peace and security, and frequently are seen at the range with a quiet smile, as they shoot X after X after X on the target, most often standing, one-handed, peering over the sights of an aged 32 caliber target revolver. These gents don't do this to show off to anybody at all- they don't need to!
There are many many groups within the boolit casting society, and none are exclusive of another. That is a fabulous part of this group of fellows that we call "the forum"- Enjoy!

Chuck
358wcf

[NLS1]

+1 on what 9.3x62AL said- we boolit casters are all searching for that level of success and accomplishment that comes with mastering the 44 Special revolver handgun today. Anybody can go down to the sports store and purchase a stock 44Mag revolver, a box of factory jacketed rounds, and make a whole lot of inaccurate noise, scaring off most of the game in the county, but what have they learned, or truly accomplished? No, we do it the right way, searching for that elusive, high-quality American-made handgun of limited production from another time, turning over our savings only after we are sure the gem meets our expectations, and get together components to actually manufacture ammunition to suit the firearm and its requirements, to unleash every bit of accuracy and power needed for the job at hand, while enjoying every moment of the process- This, my friend, is what it is all about! We share our successes with each other freely, as here, and encourage others along the way--
And then, you will find yet another group of shooters within the larger group- a smaller, quieter few fellows who don't often make much noise or cry aloud- These few are most often a bit older than the rest, more experienced by far, and seem quite satisfied with their lot- they are happy just to cast a few more rounds, shoot them quietly and accurately afield and at the range. They don't need the noise and bluster of the big guns, and seem to shy away from the limelight at gatherings. These, my friends, are those fine gentlemen that have found their own inner peace and security, and frequently are seen at the range with a quiet smile, as they shoot X after X after X on the target, most often standing, one-handed, peering over the sights of an aged 32 caliber target revolver. These gents don't do this to show off to anybody at all- they don't need to!
There are many many groups within the boolit casting society, and none are exclusive of another. That is a fabulous part of this group of fellows that we call "the forum"- Enjoy!

Chuck
358wcf

Chuck, that was a fine reply. Well said, and full of wisdom.
Dan

[x101airborne]

If you like to hunt with it.... try 8.5 grains of Enforcer. I just love it out of my redhawk 44 mag in a special case. It just goes "thump"! Right where I aim it. Enforcer is a little slower than Blue Dot, if I remember correctly.

[44magLeo]

I have found that 7.5 grs Unique under a Lyman 429421 in a Special case shoots very well. A simular load 8.5 grs in a mag case shoots well to.
Have shot untold thousands of these loads over the years.
Leo

[9.3X62AL]

What Leo said, for adapting the 44 Magnum to Special "+P" intensities using Magnum brass. These run about 900=925 FPS in my Redhawk x 5.5". Docile as can be in that big-azzed tanker anchor.