.44 mag load recipes

[Blood Trail]

Can I pick y'all's brain for a sec? I plan on reloading 240 gr. XTP Hornady .44 mag. The powders I have are:

1. Longshot
2. Pro Reach
3. Clays
4. universal Clays
5. Red Dot
6. Herco

I'm looking for a good hunting load (magnum) if possible. What are y'all using?

[azrednek]

I can't comment on the condom clad XTP but I have had fairly decent results with the shot to shot accuracy using HERCO with milder cast boolit loads. I use HERCO with most my large bore cast revolver loads but tend to keep 44 mag loads about 80% of max as most are going to be simply punching holes in paper and not killing anything deadlier than a tin can.

[Artful]

starting at 6.5 to 8 grains of Red Dot would be the only powder of those listed I have played with.

[unclebill]

i use a pulled powder that acts like unique
my lyman says start 10.8 951fps max 12.0 1084fps

[jimbo1950]

winchester 296 for a bad a-- load with the Hornady 240 xtp!!

[bobthenailer]

I use surplus WW 820 , 296 or H-110 and sometimes Lilgun for my full loads .for the past few decades or so. i don't really have a favorite as all work well !

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I think it's time to visit the LGS's in your area and look for H110 or W296.
They are the GOTO powder for what you seek.
Good Luck
Jon

PS, to better answer your question, I wouldn't use any of the powders you list for a Magnum hunting load in 44

[chsparkman]

Universal is what I use the most in my .44 mag with 240 gr. 429421. The burn rate is very close to that of Unique.

[Old School Big Bore]

Of the powders you have listed, Red Dot is a very fast powder that's best used for low-end plinking & target loads, and Herco is a midrange powder that's best for .44 Special class loads but can APPROACH magnum loads, in other words the upper end of midrange, or .44 Spl +P. You need a slower powder, either some 2400 or W296/H110 or perhaps 4227 to get into that magnum level. What make and barrel length is your .44?

[Deep Six]

The longshot should work. Hodgdon has data for that shows velocities in the range of what you get with 2400.

[Blood Trail]

Of the powders you have listed, Red Dot is a very fast powder that's best used for low-end plinking & target loads, and Herco is a midrange powder that's best for .44 Special class loads but can APPROACH magnum loads, in other words the upper end of midrange, or .44 Spl +P. You need a slower powder, either some 2400 or W296/H110 or perhaps 4227 to get into that magnum level. What make and barrel length is your .44?

Ruger Red hawk, 7.5 inch barrel.

[EDG]

All I can recommend is W296/H110. They are the same powder.
I just use a starting load and never change it.
You might try Nosler bullets too.

[gwpercle]

The Hornady 8th Edition, 44 magnum, with the 240 gr. XTP , does not show any of the powders you listed in their load data. They show loads with:
VIHT N-110
2400
H-110
IMR 4227
Win 296

Speer #9 shows loads with Herco and their Speer 240 gr. jacketed Soft point bullet.
starting ...11.5 grs @ 1172 fps
max.........12.5 grs @1285 fps
both loads with CCI #350 magnum primer.

Not the exact same bullet but it was all the info I could find. Good luck.
Gary

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The powders that you have listed are simply too fast (burning) for developing hunting loads in the 44 Mag. In any sort of "substantial" loading you will be crowding the pressure limits which is not a good practice....and that has gotten quite a few people into trouble...some of it regrettable. Good advice in the post just before this and I would advise to follow the suggestions. I myself do not hunt with my 44's, but I do a lot of target work with them and use IMR 4227. (with a 250 grain bullet). From the Dupont factory spec tables I settled on 17 grains which is essentially a 44 special load. If you want full house performance you can go as high as 23 grains and you can believe it that, that load will satisfy any of your hunting requirements for anything found in the woods in North or South America. LLS

[Bayou52]

Have you referenced the Hogdgon reloading website for load recipes/data:

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

Bayou52

[MT Chambers]

The powders listed by the O.P. are for med. to light loads in the .44 Mag........for heavy loads there are alot of great powders....MP300, AA#9, 296, H-110, the 4227s, 2400, etc.

[1Shirt]

2400 for 44 and 357 Mag, and don't look back!
1Shirt!

[Hardcast416taylor]

That is why they print loading manuals and sell them to reloaders, or have a website that you can go on to see their recommendations.Robert

[Boyscout]

250 gn Lyman Devastor, 22.5 gn Win296, Primer LMP.

[44man]

240 gr XTP with 24 gr of 296 and a standard LP primer. Not a better powder made as good for the SBH and SRH then 296.

[Geraldo]

Even though there is some data for some of the powders you listed, I'd move on. My favorites in .44 Magnum judging by the quantity I've used: H110 (296) and AA9. After that 2400 and Unique.

I've seen H110, 2400, and Unique for sale recently.

[rintinglen]

Of the powders you list, only Herco and longshot are reasonably suitable for what you want--hunting loads.
Hogdon lists Longshot loads for a 240 grain jacketed bullet starting at 11.0 grains and topping out at 13.1. A 10th Edition Speer Manual lists 12.3-13.3 for 240 grain bullets using Herco. These will produce velocities around 1250 fps and should do the job on just about any deer you come across, provided you do your part.