.44 Mag target loads...

[medicstimpy]

Hi, All... Looking for a starting point to work up a nice wimpy target load for .44 Redhawk. I'll be using a RCBS flat based 245gr LSWC and Titegroup.

The Hodgdon site and most manuals say 4.7-10gr. So that is a pretty big range and tought I would see what others recommend.

BTW, i have my FUN full power H110 load, so just looking for a wimpy little paper punching load that doesn't take much powder. Titegroup is my main powder, so would prefer to use that.

[Sprue]

No help here... but my target/plinker load is 8gr Unique under LSWC. My hunting load is bumped up 3 grs w/same felix lubed boolit.

[JesterGrin_1]

I use 5.5Gr of Tightgroup with a 240Gr SWC and standard CCI Primer. They shoot very well in my S&W 629 :).

A word of CAUTION with TightGroup and that is the powder is designed for low to mid range loads. If you start to work up from there go slow as pressure builds fast with that powder. But I feel you will be very happy with the 5.5Gr of TightGroup as I am . :)

Please let us know how you like the load. :)

[medicstimpy]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try 5.5gr and see. I did load some up with 6.25gr and they did group ok. So maybe the little bit less will give better results.

Thanks for the tip on the pressure, too. I see the plated bullet load is 9.0-10gr so I'm not too worried about pressures at this range.

[flinchnjerk]

5.5 of Titegroup here, too (sparked by Fed.150). With Lee's .429-240-RN (drops at 245 grn., sized to .430) chrono's at 806 fps. avg. Store-bought 240 SWC avg. 836 fps. Second Jester's caution when approaching top listed load.

[okotoks]

6.0 to 6.5 gr 231 works fine in "44Mag", for paper punching,
and as a safety factor a double charge is only a heavy Magnum load,
not a gun destroyer.
nothing wrong with 8.0 Unique either.
BTW 11 gr of "U" is my favorite "real 44Mag" load too,
(easier to shoot than 20gr/2400 or 12.5gr/231)

Never could get H110 to load in my Dillon, probably for the best,
so I don't do any more damage my wrists...........

most modest loads of any fast powder will work in the 44,
not cloverleaf accurate but "good enough" to stay in the black at "pistol ranges".

As Trail Boss works so well in 45 Colt I may eventually use it to make 44 specials

well below zero this week. never this cold this early here in CO plains,
....damn global warming!

[Snapping Twig]

My go-to load in a magnum case is 7g W231 under a 240g Lyman 429421 cast from WW. I figure @ 900fps or what EK would have called a useful special.

[bobthenailer]

try 5.5 to 7.0 t.g. thats what i use in my 44 mags

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Using an H&G 250 grain Keith style bullet # 503, I have successfully used the following; 9 grains of IMR 4756 for the lighter loading--short range (25 yards) and 18 grains of IMR 4227 for the longer range (50 yards). The 4227 load is a little stiffer...Keith listed it for the 44 special. If you need more bang you can increase the 4227 to as high as 23 grains, but thats not a wimpy loading by any standard. Both loadings group well, don't beat the daylights out of you and you can enjoy your day behind your 44 magnanimous. Good shooting. LLS

[JesterGrin_1]

I am sure all of the loads everyone has been so kind to mention will help many. But this forum member asked for loadings with TIGHTGROUP. :)


Hi, All... Looking for a starting point to work up a nice wimpy target load for .44 Redhawk. I'll be using a RCBS flat based 245gr LSWC and Titegroup.
The Hodgdon site and most manuals say 4.7-10gr. So that is a pretty big range and tought I would see what others recommend.

BTW, i have my FUN full power H110 load, so just looking for a wimpy little paper punching load that doesn't take much powder. Titegroup is my main powder, so would prefer to use that.

[medicstimpy]

No, no... it's ok. I appreciate the other loads, too. I do have plenty of 231 (best so far for my .357 target load) and some IMR4227 and of course lots of H110.

Titegroup is my go to pistol powder so thought I would try it in the .44 wheel gun. :)

[flinchnjerk]

Since you brought up 231.... (all with Fed 150; from 8" Wesson)...240 grn. LSWC... 6.1 - 798 avg.; SD 15.9; 6.4 - 810; SD 10.3; 7.0 - 913; SD 12.0. I switched from 231 to Titegroup for my pop-gun loads because TG seems much less position-sensitive in that big hull.

[Three44s]

Most of my work with TG in the .44 mag is around 7 gr. ......

The big Redhawk is really good at soaking up recoil. ........ and the best way to get used to the .44 is to shoot it alot around the lighter (but not too light) loads.

You do have to be SUPER respective of DOUBLE CHARGES!!

If you are really new to pistol case recharging .... you might really study that to avoid it!

And in that instance ..... I would try Trail Boss for a while.

But mouse fart loads only get you about so far. And the regime I like the best is the MIDDLE!

And here ..... the KING of LEAD in big bore revolvers is .......

.......... UNIQUE!

8.0 - 8.5 gr. of unique ..... and if you want to clean it up ...... magnum primers.

Then my granddaddy ........ HS-6 with magnum primers ........ 11.8gr of it pushing the RCBS 250K slug ......

If you are using the factory woods on that Redhawk ........ kindly store them and install a pair of goodyears that fit you .........

The best way to find out what fits ..... is to peruse gun shops and try used Redhawks that are wearing them.

If wood is your only goto for grip material ...... then I would go custom .......

Barring that ..... wear gloves ....... the cheapest solution is to buy a pair of bicycling gloves .....

And the biggest bang for your buck and time ....... is to invest in a revolver as close to your big bore in actioin, grip etc. but in .22 LR ....... ammo has gone up all around .... and the lowly .22 LR is no exception .... but it's all proportional ......... .22 LR is the still the cheapest bang .........

And it all comes to the grip, sight allingment and trigger release ....... so you are not giving up anything with a .22 there.

Building your muscles and reflexes and honing the action of you Redhawk will also be greatly enhanced by DRY FIRE .......... not the .22's however ....... you'll peen your cylinder and probably break your firing pin.

My recipe: Change grips ......... Dry fire with basics instilled .......... buy a .22 revolver ......... load lighter loads in RH ........ work up the power ladder by using powders appropriate for that load ........... use reactionary targets ...... paper bores me to death with handgun.........

.......... my champ target ......... golf balls!

Enoy your BIG RED!!!

Truely a gun to last not for a generation ....... but for generations!

Three 44s

[medicstimpy]

Thanks everybody. I made up some loads ranging from 4.8gr to 6.25gr and the 5.45gr load did work the best. Now I'll have to see what it's like and how it feels because that was a benchrest test. So, 5.5 grains it is. :)

I would have to agree that the Redhawk's grips are something to be desired. They are small (actually the whole grip frame) and my thumb is uncomfortable. Nothing a set of Hogue's or custom sanding/filing a spare set of originals won't fix.

My best load is still my 231 load with a 180gr Shilouette bullet in .357M out of my 686 and GP100.

I don't know about .22LR being the best bang for the buck but it sure is fun! Can stay out all afternoon with a brick and my Taurus. :)

The most fun still has to be .45ACP in a wheel gun, though!

[JesterGrin_1]

I did try and save you from blowing lead lol. But you had to do it the hard way lol. 5.5Gr of TightGroup works well. I did a BUNCH of testing with that powder in my S&W 629 and 629 Classic. And even though for a .44 Mag this is a download still keep in mind that it is still better than the .45 ACP with a 230Gr Boolit. And we know how good of a stopper the .45ACP is. :)

[69daytona]

I have a Dan Wesson 44 pistol pac one of the first ones made and it shoots excellant, while I was in the USMC as a rifle and pistol instructor I use to take it up to the 200 yard line and shoot 6 rounds one handed and be able to keep them in a 6 inch circle. the load I use for this is a 240gr speer FMJ with 23 gr of H110. This load has enough to go 300 yard with no problem. I used the same load in my S&W 29 1st gen and it didnt last more than 200 rounds before the timing was shot, the Dan Wesson is still perfect after more than 12,000 full power loads.

[Thumbcocker]

It always amazed me that my 250 grn Keiths at 850-950 were "wimpy loads" in my .44's but a 230grn condomized boolit in a bottom feeder with a little horsey on the side, was the be all end all of handgun rounds. I just never could cypher that out. [smilie=1:

[Three44s]

69daytona,

I have a Monson gun in .41 mag .... blued with a 6" HV barrel. ...... and a .22 lr Monson also blued in 6 inch regular shroud.

With your .44 ..... what is your favorite barrel length?

(Sorry for the diversion Medicstimpy!!!)

Three 44s

[medicstimpy]

Thanks, Jester... but I had fun and it let me get used to the gun as it is still new to me. So, I didn't mind blowing the lead downrange. Besides, I had to see what was best with this gun.

What is my favorite barrel length? We can only get guns over 4.25" here so that kinda leaves us limited. I would have preferred a shorter (maybe 6") in the Redhawk for weight, as this thing is a little on the heavy side, even for me (and I do prefer heavier guns).

Now I got some LSWC loads done up as well as some fun H110 loads so I should have fun at the range tomorrow! :twisted:

[JesterGrin_1]

I think you will find that the loads with 5.5Gr of TightGroup will shoot to about the same point of impact as your heavy loads. That is the 5.5Gr loads will shoot the same at 25 yards as your heavy loads should shoot at 50 yards. :)

In the field I load the TightGroup rounds for short work and protection and they shoot well in that role. Throw Some Lead lol. :)

[Snapping Twig]

69Daytona - Probably just some crappy luck, your 29 going out of time with that load.

I shoot a 265g GCSWC (Lyman 429244) over 22g H110/W296 and have been doing so since 1983 in all 3 of my 29's. Literally thousands in each pistol over time. No problems whatsoever.

My load is smack in the middle of the loading data, neither hot nor mild. Like I said, a bit of poor fortune for you. I'll bet another 29 would behave differently for you and not go out of time with that load.

[Rodfac]

I like 7.5 gr of Win 231 for a chrono'd 975 fps from any quality 200 or 240 gr boolit. It's good in a standard M-29 and also my heavier 6.5" classic M-29; an honest inch and a half at 25 yds, all day long, sitting with the gun held between my knees. The same load works for my M-24 in .44 Spl (same boolits) and in the Colt 7.5" bbl'd Peacemaker with 250 gr SWC's. Regards, Rodfac