Mid-Range loads for 44 Mag

[dale2242]

What powder are you using for your mid-range loads in your 44 Magnum revolvers with 240-250 gr bullets?

[pworley1]

Unique

[RKJ]

Unique

Yep, 10.0 grains is snappy enough but doesn't beat you up.

[djgoings]

I too prefer 10 grains of Unique, however 9 grains of BE-86 also works well.

[Targa]

The only powders I have used for my mid-range .44 mags are Win231 and Universal so I certainly can’t say they are better than another powder but they work well enough that I never felt the need to try a different powder.

I chronograph’d 240 grain SWC bullets with 10 grains of Win 231 at an average of 1164 fps and 9 grains of Universal at 1089 fps out of a 5.5” Ruger SBH.

[derek45]

10gr UNIQUE

9gr UNIVERSAL

win231/HP38
Power Pistol
HS-6

[ABJ]

I have used about every fast and medium burn pistol powder made. Like the guys above said the 10.0 Unique is around the top of what I consider a mid-range load but very accurate. It is actually my hunting load in the Ruger Redhawk.
For plinking steel and punching paper I have settled on Tightgroup around 800 fps in handguns and usually will pick up 200 fps in a levergun.
I have used to good accuracy Bullseye, Red and Green Dot, 700X, Clays, and some reduced Unique loads 6.5 to 8.0 depending on the what the gun likes. The only one I did not like was HP-38, never could find a sweet spot, but I never pushed it up "Targa's load of 10.0.
Just for clarification, Mid-range for me is 900/1100 give or take.
Tony

[Pereira]

9.0-10.0 grs unique has worked well.
Several years ago I took a small forkhorn with a 240 gr RFN over 10.0 grs. of Unique with my Vaquero.
What about Red dot? I've thought about it but haven't tried it though.
I've used it in 45 colt with 250 & 255 gr cast, 6.0 -6.5 is a very pleasant load.

RP

RP

[375supermag]

Hi...
As others have indicated, 10 gr of Unique with a 240gr LSWC.
That load has shot very well in all six of my .44Magnum revolvers and my Marlin lever action rifle.
Doesn't beat you up and enough power to make you realize you are shooting a powerful big bore handgun.

[HWooldridge]

I have used 15.0 grs of Blue Dot behind a 245 gr SAECO Keith style SWC for close to 40 years. It's on the hotter end of the "mid-range" spectrum but a tack driver in my M29.

[405grain]

Like others, 10 grains of Unique under a 245 grain SWC has been one of my staple 44 mag loads for decades. I've shot two hogs with that load. I also like 13.0 grains of HS-6 because it burns cleaner than Unique, and the performance is similar.

[Outpost75]

7.5 grains of Bullseye.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use Red Dot (data in Lyman manual), cuz I have a lifetime supply of it, due to a estate purchase many years ago.

[ABJ]

I use Red Dot (data in Lyman manual), cuz I have a lifetime supply of it, due to a estate purchase many years ago.

I thought I had a lifetime supply but it works in so many things now I don't. I did get quite a bit of 700X at a local gun auction so it is standing in for the RD. (for now)
Tony

[ShooterAZ]

I use 8.5 grains of Unique for 240-250 grain cast boolits. It's a decent mid range load, and very accurate in my Ruger Blackhawk.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

HS-6 works very well in my .44's

[Pereira]

I use Red Dot (data in Lyman manual), cuz I have a lifetime supply of it, due to a estate purchase many years ago.

I have a Lyman Cast bullet handbook 4th edition, and a Lyman load data Popular Revolver Calibers book, and
I've yet to see any published Red dot data in either.
Haven't looked on line, is that where you found it.

RP

[Ed_Shot]

I have a Lyman Cast bullet handbook 4th edition, and a Lyman load data Popular Revolver Calibers book, and
I've yet to see any published Red dot data in either.
Haven't looked on line, is that where you found it.

RP

Look at the Alliant web site under Product: Red Dot

[rintinglen]

6.0-7.5 grains of Red Dot with a 429-421. Somewhere in that range will be a load that will make you smile. My Redhawk likes 6.5 grains.

[Shuz]

Green Dot

[NObamain2012]

8 grains of red dot, or 11 grains of herco.

[Pereira]

Look at the Alliant web site under Product: Red DotLook, found nothing. Contacted Alliant. Their response.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220920/8bce01f3cb745529f19df69ab080bacf.jpg

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RP

[NObamain2012]

Look, found nothing. Contacted Alliant. Their response.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220920/8bce01f3cb745529f19df69ab080bacf.jpg

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RP
That tech from Alliant must not know his ear from his a##. The older Hercules manuals had plenty of data on red dot. And THEY refer to LYMAN for answers they don't know?

[Targa]

In reference to Red Dot. From Alliant’s website https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipePrint.aspx?gtypeid=1&weight=240&shellid=33&bulletid=52&bdid=155

[Rapier]

The 6.5-7gr load of 700x under a 240 grain cast SWC should print a clover leaf at 50 yards. Size to the groove diameter, taper crimp, separate station. Slug your barrel.

[Iwsbull]

I like HS6, Longshot and Unique for less than H110 or 2400 loads

[upnorthwis]

Just out of curiosity, what are you calling "Mid-range"? With Big Bore silhouette's out to 200 meters (218 yds.), mid-range for me would be over a 100.

[winelover]

Mid-range, in this case, refers to velocity not distance.

I don't do mid-range in 44 Magnum. That's what the 44 Special is for.

Winelover

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use Red Dot (data in Lyman manual), cuz I have a lifetime supply of it, due to a estate purchase many years ago.


I have a Lyman Cast bullet handbook 4th edition, and a Lyman load data Popular Revolver Calibers book, and
I've yet to see any published Red dot data in either.
Haven't looked on line, is that where you found it.

RP
RP,
Sorry, my memory failed me. While, I have 50+ reloading manuals, I refer mostly, to the half a dozen books I keep at my bench. A quick looksie and sure enough, nothing from Lyman. I got the data from Nick Harvey.

Cover
304733
44 Mag Header
304734
Data for 240 SWC
304735

[black mamba]

10.5 gr of Longshot or 12 grains of HS6 work beautifully with 240 SWCs at about 1100-1150 fps.

[44MAG#1]

I have started doing a lot of deep seating of my bullets in the 44 Mag.
Good results and being able to use less powder to get very close to the same velocity. With the 250 Keith I used an OAL no longer than 1.560". On some loads I use an OAL of 1.545"
I can not tell any negativity in doing it.
I can use the Skelton load of Unique and get in the mid 800's from a 2.75 inch 44 Mag.

[AlaskaMike]

I used to shoot a lot of the 10 gr Unique / 250 gr SWC load, but these days I prefer 10 grains of Power Pistol or BE-86 with any 240-250 grain bullet.

I've also gone a little lighter and used to load a lot of 7.5 grains of 231 with the same bullets as above and had very good results. That's essentially a .44 Special load but using Magnum brass.

[GhostHawk]

I have been shooting both .444marlin and .44mag with 6.5 grains of Red Dot and 220 to 240 grain boolits to very good effect in my single shot Handi rifles.

Easy on the shoulder, accurate, and pretty quiet.

[Pereira]

RP,
Sorry, my memory failed me. While, I have 50+ reloading manuals, I refer mostly, to the half a dozen books I keep at my bench. A quick looksie and sure enough, nothing from Lyman. I got the data from Nick Harvey.

Cover
304733
44 Mag Header
304734
Data for 240 SWC
304735

Appreciate that.

RP

[rockrat]

Put many thousands of rounds of 7.5gr 231 and the 429421 slug, thru my M29. Used 44 mag cases.

[SoonerEd]

I'm using Maxim CSB-1 as I got an 8lb jug of it several years ago for $100. It shoots similar to Universal. So far, I'm happy with it.

[kingrj]

8 grains of ww231 or HP38...

[44MAG#1]

I guess no one is interested in deep seating in 44 Mag cases.

[Larry Gibson]

I consider a "mid range" 44 Magnum load to be a 240 - 255 gr cast bullet at 900 - 1050 fps out of a revolver, depending on barrel length. Unique, at 8.5 gr has always served me well producing that velocity level with excellent accuracy. I've used in under a lot of commercial 240 cast bullets (relubed with LLA) and thousands of my own cast RCBS 440250-KTs, Lyman 429421s and Lee's TL430-240-SWCs.

This is a comfortable load to shoot a lot of, gives excellent accuracy and is formidable as it duplicates a heavy 44 SPL load.

[44MAG#1]

The Skelton load is a good load. A very good load. With the Keith bullet, or one of the so called Keith bullets seated deep to 44 Special length 7.5 give good velocity even from a 2.75 inch M69. Another load that I like that is milder is 4.8 gr Bullseye under the same bullet seated to 1.545 inch OAL that will break 700 fps from a 2.75 inch M69.
This is written assuming that people know that due to Lot to Lot differences in powder and primers plus the Keith Type bullet used and the individual firearm the velocities can and most likely will vary.
Always keep that in mind.

[Three44s]

Unique at 8.5 in magnum cases, then HS6 at 12 gr for a upper mid-range and field carry.

For me, HS6 is the brass monkey!

Three44s

[nicholst55]

RP,
Sorry, my memory failed me. While, I have 50+ reloading manuals, I refer mostly, to the half a dozen books I keep at my bench. A quick looksie and sure enough, nothing from Lyman. I got the data from Nick Harvey.

Cover
304733
44 Mag Header
304734
Data for 240 SWC
304735

The Speer #10 and 12 manuals lists the same data for .44 Mag/240 SWC/Red Dot. The Speer #8 lists significantly hotter data for that combo. Some of the data in the Speer #8 is potentially dangerous, and I would double check **any** load from that manual against more recent data.

[Jack Stanley]

No doubt Unique works great for me .

Jack

[Mal Paso]

10g of 4756 for 980fps from a 6" Smith

10g of N350 for 1080fps from a 6" Smith

Just for variety.

[Kosh75287]

I've never owned and seldom reloaded for .44 Magnum, but I think I'D try to duplicate the Keith-Skelton .44 Special load (7.5/Unique/240-250 gr. LSWC), using any propellant with a burning rate between Green Dot and Herco. The use of a chronograph would be required, of course.
I saw that HS-6 was mentioned favorably for mid-range loads. I am not very familiar with it, but HS-6 may be a bit too slow-burning to ignite readily at the chamber pressures involved. Someone more experienced with that propellant would know better, and I'll happily defer to their judgement.
I'm somewhat familiar with Herco, and believe that 9.0/Herco/240-250 gr. LSWC would be a very close approximation. As always, start lower and work up. All other reloading precautions (including notacting on my recommendation without further research!) also apply.

[todd9.3x57]

unique

[Walks]

Unique
9.5grs
#429421

Seems that LOTS of folks have the same results with 9.0-10.0grs of Unique.

[Pereira]

9.0 grs. of Unique under a 240 gr rfn. 15 yds.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220927/9bd888c10bd8052bce05da40e08f4e3d.jpg

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[35 Rem]

10 grains of Unique with either an RCBS 245gr SWC or the Lee 310 gr Flatpoint.

I get 1,035ft/sec with the former and 990 ft/sec the later.

I've only started using this load - or any mid-range 44 mag load - about a year ago when i read about it on this site. Prior to that I used the 44 Mag as either a cowboy gun or full out H110 loads and jacketed bullets. The 10.0 gr Unique are a fun place in the middle. The heavy Lee bullets are my favorite for gong shooting. They give a nice shove to the hand and make the gong swing way back. Satisfying without being punishing.

[Chena]

Was given a few pounds of Herco and found it worked well with the RCBS 250 Keith. Have burned through a lot of it for practice loads.

[waco]

I use 8.5 grains of Unique for 240-250 grain cast boolits. It's a decent mid range load, and very accurate in my Ruger Blackhawk.

This...

[Krh1326]

I bought I decent amount of HP-38 ( Win 231 ) to be able to load all of my handguns. .45acp , 380, 9mm , .38/ .357 & .44 sp/mag

It does great in all the autos, but for the revolvers it only builds up to mid and slightly higher loads. Those rounds are pleasant shooters. I have to switch to H110 for full house in the mags.

[chunkin lead]

10 gr Unique under 240, 250 and 260 cast. Picked up some HP-38 and CFE Pistol, for a mid load in a 3" 44 mag.

[racepres]

10 gr Unique under 240, 250 and 260 cast. Picked up some HP-38 and CFE Pistol, for a mid load in a 3" 44 mag.
Sorry... IMO and in My Equipment...that aint Mild!!!
7.5 gr Unique under 255 Lee SWC.... what I call Fun!!!

Darn it!!!
Mid Range was the Question!!!! Yup 9 -10... just ignore Me...I'm hiding behind the Curtain!!!

[ulav8r]

Mid-range = 44 Special
Low-range = 44 Russian

[Kosh75287]

Just another thought. If Unique isn't in your powder magazine and you can find Alliant Herco, do not overlook it as a propellant for .44 Magnum. It is a slightly slower-burning, not quite as versatile propellant, that tends to give slightly higher velocities at the top end, than Unique will. If loading data is not available, use data for Unique, and expect to use 6 - 10% more, for the same velocities.

[kingrj]

WW231 or HP38

[double00]

I agree on green dot