Favorite 44 mag load

[Trappererick]

Here is my favorite load for my Ruger Blackhawk Hunter. The gun is topped by a Bushnell 2x6.

Hornady Brass with 21.2 gr H110
WLP and a 325 gr WLNGC Beartooth Bullet sized to .432

Don't have a chrono but it is fairly pleasant to shoot and penetrates like the dickens! I shot a buck with this load that was quartering towards me where the shoulder meets the neck and it exited in front of the opposite hip. He dropped like he was hit by Thors Hammer.

[Jack Stanley]

I'm sure he did drop that fast . I've hit deer with a lighter cast hollowpoint that went down faster than the flash of a charge of 2400 . Your load sounds like it's be murder on black bear too .

Good shooting !

Jack

[JesterGrin_1]

Sorry to say I have a few loads I use depending on what I am doing. I live and hunt in Deep South Texas so most of the time I carry a med load which is a 240Gr SWC with 5.5Gr of TightGroup in my .44 Mag in my S&W 629 or my Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley in the same .44 Mag.

If I expect things larger I may carry a load with the RD 265GR RNFP GC with 21.0Gr of H-110 or a more heavy load with the Keith 255Gr SWC GC with 23.oGr of H-110 or the Group Buy 300Gr RNHP GC with again 21.oGr of H-110 or the Lee 310Gr RNFP GC with 21.0Gr of H-110. They all work lol. But as of yet to kill anything large with them other than the little 6 foot or so Texas Rattle Snake lol. :)

Since I brought up Rattle Snakes I did something that confused me a bit lol. From about 15 feet I shot a rather large Rattle Snake in the center of the head with the Keith 255Gr and all it did was make a nice clean hole through its head. No splat or spatter or anything just a clean hole. Sorry we did not measure the snake but it hung off both ends of a full size pick up gate. So it was a bit large lol.

[waco]

lyman 429421 with either unique or universal
10gr, and 8gr, respectively

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Favorite load for what purpose??? If your talking hunting , the 250 Keith or 265 RD, for all else I like the 429215 with 21gr of 2400...works for me, 20 gr with the other two...keep it simple. IMHO

[Iowa Fox]

I cast some nice looking Lyman 429421 out of wheelweight with a slight pinch of tin. I sized to 431 and lubed with speed green.

I was trying all kinds of loads and one day I got lazy and and loaded some with a 1.0 cc Lee scoop of unique with the bullet seated pretty long. Holy smokes! Out of my 12" Encore bagged up off a rest it shoots small groups at 50 yd plus mild to shoot. Have only shot them out of the Encore nothing else. I hardly shoot the Smiths anymore as the cylinder blast just rattles my head and takes the fum out of things. Thats with good muffs on I might add.

I'm still playing looking for something that might shoot better but have yet to find it.

[Trappererick]

Slow Elk,

I should have said "my favorite load" this what Ilike to shoot from my gun for hunting both deer and bear.

Jester Grin,
I spent 3 years in SW Texas courtesy of the United States Army and I never did get use to those dam snakes, seems like everything down there either stings, bites or stabs you.

[JesterGrin_1]

Yep you have to look out for those pesky Rattle Snakes and while doing that do not step into some kind of cactus or a mesquite tree lol. Not to mention Bee's of all kinds.

[phaessler]

Sounds like everyone has a favorite, I like the Lyman 429640, in front of 18.0 gr 2400, R-P case, and a Federal Magnum LP primer. Works well out of my Redhawk and feeds slick thru my Marlin.
Also have been using the Lee 430-310 with deer season this year , I am astounded by the energy that round delivers, same powder charge out of my Marlin, but hits like a freight train.
Pete

[chaos]

Mine is a RCBS 44-240-SWC (GC) over a healthy dose of W296 stuffed in a starline case. WDWW, sized to .430 and greased with Javelina 50/50. Penetrates Multiple wild hogs in one sitting. Have recovered one slug that passed through Two grown Hogs and bounced off some plate steel behind them. Fired from either My SBH Hunter or a 5.5 inch SBH.


Rattlesnakes, I grew up catching them here in the great State of Texas. They dont bring enough to fool with these days so I just kill them. A 6 Foot Diamondback is a SUPER RARITY, They are found South and West with a smattering of them in the North. . Timberrattlers are taboo and illegal to touch in Texas found primarily in North Central and East Texas.

I used to sell the snakes every spring at the Rattlesnake Roundup in SweetWater
(which is the World's Largest type gathering) http://www.rattlesnakeroundup.net/main/modules/page/ . You can count the number of 6 footers brought in every year on one hand.
A Speer shot capsule with #9's over the recommended charge of Win 231 gets the snake Duty.


Chaos

[MT Gianni]

429421 over 7 gr Green Dot or a healthy load of WC820.

[LAH]

I settled on one 44 Magnum load and have shot nothing else for 18 years. My Dry Creek 44-250-K & 20 grains of 2400............


Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood

[Ekalb2000]

15gr of 2400 and the Lee 310.
They shoot real good in my SBH and Win 94.

[jlchucker]

Favorite load for what purpose??? ... for all else I like the 429215 with 21gr of 2400...works for me, 20 gr with the other two...keep it simple. IMHO

That's my favorite 44 boolet and load for my Winnie Trapper 94. About the same as the old 44-40 on steroids. Whatever game was shot back in the day with the 44-40 rifles ought to be able to be shot just as dead today with the 429215 and 21 gr of 2400 out of a Winnie or Marlin94, or a Rossi 92 clone (if you're not rich enough to buy an original Winnie 92).

[GP100man]

Another 429421 follower here 8grs HERCO or 20.0 grs 2400.

My 44 plinker is a deGCed 429215 with some fast powder under it.

[Lloyd Smale]

favorite light load is a 210-250 bullet and 10 grains of unique, power pistol. or herco depending on which powder the particular gun likes and a fed standard primer. I use only feds because a lot of these get used DA. midrange load is usually a 240-250 bullet and 19-21 grains of wc820/aa9 and a cci 350 primer. Heavy load is a 300 or larger and 18-19 grains of 820 or about 21 grains of 110/296 and a cci 350. I shoot a pile of 44s. Probably more 44 then all of the rest of the calibers combined.

[Leadforbrains]

Mine is the Mihec group buy Keith boolit sized at .431 and lubed with BAC lube sitting over 20 grains of 2400 and a Federal standard large pistol primer.
Very manageable and very accurate.

[Thumbcocker]

Three favs all with 421429 sized .431 lubed with 50/50 beeswax lithium.

6.5 red dot walking aroud load that still shoots preety good out to 100 yards

10.0 Unique good low end magnum load that shoots good.

Hunting load is 22 grns of IMR 4227. I think 4227 is an overlooked powder. Good accuracy and velocity at lower pressures and uses standard primers.

[Kskybroom]

Deer Hunting load is 18gr IMR 4227 RCBS 300gr gc swc,Knot even close to max Standerd primer,Accuracy is very good, Works good in the cold, needs a med to haevy crimp ,,,,,

[Shuz]

For my S&W 629 Classic DX 5 incher, it's 17.0g of WC820, CCI 350 primer and Lyman's 429421 at .431 and OAL of 1.710. Velocity is 1144 fps with an SD of 28. Last 5 shot group shot with it from a bench last Sept gave me a .701" group.

[healey55]

I like AA#5 for my 44 mag loads instead of unique. I think it is a little slower and cleaner in my guns. the pressure levels with this powder are not high but velocity is pretty good. I shoot lever guns too so use slugs with short COL when loaded.. the saeco 245 RNFP and an old lee SWC bullet that has a short nose. Also use a magma TC that comes out at about 290 grains in flat base form.

I run from 11.6 grains in the magma bullet to 13 grains in the 245-250 bullets.

I also use WW296 with 18.5 grains in the heavy slug and 22.5 in the lighter ones. Use standard federal primers in all loads.

[seabreeze133]

In my IHMSA days I used 24 gr IMR 4227 w/the Thompson gas check boolits in a 10" SBH. The 429215 chronographed at 1550 fps and the 429244 ...well never did check it. No unusual pressure signs. WW brass and primers.

The deer fell down REAL quick if I did my part.

Don

[Acorn1754]

I use a Montana gold bullet 240 JSP and 19.0 grains of AA No.9 for my magnum loads and I use 6.5 grains of Red Dot with a Sundance Lead Cast 240 grain RN for my plinking rounds. Both I use winchester large pistol primers.

[PacMan]

RCBS 44-300 over a healthy dose of Little Gun= 1720 fps and excellet accuracy out of my Marlin 1894.


Both my 357 and 44 mag marlins like heavier bulltes and Little Gun.

[Snapping Twig]

I use magnum cases for all loads so I don't have to reset my dies and no carbon ring to clean in the cylinder. Air cooled WW sized .429 and WLP in each as well.

429421 gets 7g W231/HP 38 for @ 900fps. That's my "useful special" load.

429244 gets 22g W296/H110 for @ 1200fps.

429215... well, it's been a while since I cast any of those, but that was the hot load and I'll be making some of them again soon. Massive charge of W296/H110 as I recall (within SAAMI) for a flat shooting round.

I've got 3 S&W's to use these in and of late a Marlin 1894 which shot them like a laser, much to my surprise! I'd heard the Marlin would prefer a .432 boolit, but this is an old one (1978) and apparently it never got the memo.

[Three44s]

The RCBS 250K, Federal 155 primer ...........

.......... and 11.8 gr. of HS-6.


Sublime!


Three 44s

[Mal Paso]

I was Wayward, Ran with Fast Powders and Cowboy Bullets. Lead down the wrong path.
Then I found Elmer, the 429421, and 2400
14g is a Magnum Load but needs to be in a Special Case to burn right and makes 936 fps out of my 4" Redhawk, won't bend steel.
18g seems to be minimum for good solid ignition in the Magnum Case and makes a nice 3/4 load.
22g Is Not a Listed Load Anymore, But I have no overpressure signs, cases extract easier than Listed TiteGroup Loads, and it beats 24g of H110/296 by 75 fps at 1405 fps. BLT's 5" S&W 629. This Is Not for Lite Weight Guns. I will admit H110 has better flame.

Mal

[Tightline]

I've been loading cast loads for 5years. 240gr round nose lee mold and 20grains imr 4227. 2 to 3 inch group@ 100yds out of my newengland single shot. And fraight train without a horn on deer.:castmine::castmine:

[MtGun44]

LAH and I have found, like many others, that Elmer was pretty close to right on.

RCBS 44-250-K is one of the best Keith clones, altho I have great results with some other
slight variations, too. 20 gr 2400 works just fine for hunting loads. Avoid mag primers,
can cause fliers.

Fun plinking and kids loads -- a small charge (I forget and am far away from home) of Clays
is nice under a 180 gr TC commercial cast is friendly and accurate.

The most common load for me is either 10 Unique or 9 Power Pistol under any of the
REAL Keith 240-260 gr clones (429421, H&G 503, RCBS above #, etc) is just accurate
and runs a nice 1050 or so from my pistols. Sized to .430 or .431 and the work in almost
any of my .44s. Avoid mag primers here, too. I only use mag primers in .44 mag with
WC820 and H110/W296.

Bill

[LAH]

The most common load for me is either 10 Unique or 9 Power Pistol under any of the
REAL Keith 240-260 gr clones (429421, H&G 503, RCBS above #, etc) is just accurate
and runs a nice 1050 or so from my pistols.
Bill

Bill you're in good company as John Taffin loves 10 grains of Unique.........Creeker

[MtGun44]

We agree on the powder charge but diverge on the boolits, IIRC.

Seems like I remember that Taffin prefers GCs like 429244 and 429215 which have
given me mediocre performance at best and have made me quite sick of GCs when
I find plain base Keith designs working so well in .38, .44 and .45 calibers all the way
up to full magnum loads. I bought a 429244 after reading Taffin's praise of the
"431244" and had poor results. So I searched long and hard for a 431244 which
gave identically poor results. This was MANY years ago and I was just learning to feed
revolvers, probably had them sized too small or too hard or both. In any case, I got
a 429421 and it worked great. I got a 44-250-K and it worked slightly better.
I started sizing .430 instead of .429 and got even better results. Slowly the
fog began to lift. Reading Brian Pierce helped a whole lot, too. So did lurking
here for quite a while before posting. I have found that going back and rereading
Sixguns by Kieth and another book on pistols he wrote is often useful.

I'm sure that Mr. Taffin has put a lot more .44 rounds down range than I have,
so I have no doubt that there must be some good for those molds and GCs, but
I haven't found the need for them myself.

For pistols, I have pretty much stopped even considering GCs when buying a mold.
I still use them for rifles, but I probably shoot 500 rounds of cast pistol for every
round of cast rifle, so am very much still learning in that portion of the hobby.

Bill

[gon2shoot]

I have shot 23gr of 2400 under a (252 cast weight) Keith type for a long time (since '71).

As I age, I have dropped to 19 1/2 gr of 2400 under a 240gr RFN and can still miss just as regularly.

Find out what your gun likes, and use it.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Small game, target & plinking load: 225gr RNFP (Catshooter GB) + 7.5grs W231 + WLP. (I also use this load with Speer's 225gr HJ-SWC-HP, the Speer shot capsule, and two-round-balls.)

Field Load: 267gr Keith SWC (my GB) + 18.5grs AA#9 + WLP (For the carbine I often substitue the 280gr 432640 (BoomerMikey's GB) for the Keith, or when I'm feeling extra viscious, I'll substitute the 270gr Lyman Devastator HP.)

Both of these loads are safe with any/all bullet/projectile combinations, and most combos fit, feed, and function in 5 out of my 6 44 Mags (2 S&W 629s, 1 Flattop Blkhwk, 1 Marlin 1894 & 1 Win 94 Trapper).

Only in my Ruger 44 semi-auto carbine, I am forced to shoot jacketed, for the gas system. But even then, I also use 18.5grs AA#9 with WLPs pushing either Rem. 210gr SJHPs or Win. 240gr JHSPs. The light load tends to not function the gas system.

[Lloyd Smale]

thats odd as those two bullets have given me great results for accuracy in all my 44s. About the only bullet id could possibly say is more consistantly accurate is the rcbs 240swcgc.
We agree on the powder charge but diverge on the boolits, IIRC.

Seems like I remember that Taffin prefers GCs like 429244 and 429215 which have
given me mediocre performance at best and have made me quite sick of GCs when
I find plain base Keith designs working so well in .38, .44 and .45 calibers all the way
up to full magnum loads. I bought a 429244 after reading Taffin's praise of the
"431244" and had poor results. So I searched long and hard for a 431244 which
gave identically poor results. This was MANY years ago and I was just learning to feed
revolvers, probably had them sized too small or too hard or both. In any case, I got
a 429421 and it worked great. I got a 44-250-K and it worked slightly better.
I started sizing .430 instead of .429 and got even better results. Slowly the
fog began to lift. Reading Brian Pierce helped a whole lot, too. So did lurking
here for quite a while before posting. I have found that going back and rereading
Sixguns by Kieth and another book on pistols he wrote is often useful.

I'm sure that Mr. Taffin has put a lot more .44 rounds down range than I have,
so I have no doubt that there must be some good for those molds and GCs, but
I haven't found the need for them myself.

For pistols, I have pretty much stopped even considering GCs when buying a mold.
I still use them for rifles, but I probably shoot 500 rounds of cast pistol for every
round of cast rifle, so am very much still learning in that portion of the hobby.

Bill

[MakeMineA10mm]

When I first started with the 44 Mag 25 years ago, I only shot the 429244 Thompson 250gr GC SWC, because that's what my mentor liked. He liked Keith's writing and loads, but he liked the idea of a GC even more. Not only did he not care about Keith's objection that it would raise pressures, he also added more powder than Keith suggested. Now, I was younger then, but two S&W 29s and one S&W 629 handled the loads just fine, although they all eventually developed end-shake, and the 629 has the bolt-unlocking problem. (It's a 629-1, before S&W did the endurance package.) Those hot loads w/ GCs shot very excellently out to 200 yards (the longest range we had access to), I might add. Now that I'm older (and hopefully a little wiser), I'm loading down, not up... ;)

Re-read most of this thread, went back and read some more Sixguns by Keith and some of his Gun Notes columns, and re-read some stuff from Skeeter. Even re-thought what I posted above.

I've decided that I really only need two bullets for the 44 Mag, and the jacketed one is because of the Ruger Carbine's gas system. Still like the two powder charges I listed above, but I've gotten to a point where I want to have some consistency in my load. I like what Creeker said above about having one load. It helps you get a feel for the gun/load combo that makes it more instinctive to shoot accurately. But, I also like the arguments that Skeeter made about a moderate-load, and I support the idea that a heavy bullet, started out at high-subsonic speed does not shed velocity very fast. So, here's my two loads:

270gr Heavy Keith SWC (my group buy from a year or two ago) is the basis for both loads; however, I can substitute my 430640 Devastator HP (270 grs) or my BT Sniper One-Step swaged JHP bullets (267grs), because of the similarity of their weights. This also means that, other than the powder charge/velocity differences, all of these bullets have about the same trajectory. Practicing with one transfers over to shooting another.

Both loads are primed with Winchester LP primers, which are hotter than a standard LP but gentler than a Magnum LP primer. This is ideal ignition for both powders and loads, and I've had no problems in cold temps with these. They are an ideal primer for the 44, IMO.

Nickle-plated cases get 18.5grs of AA#9 powder.
Brass cases get 7.5grs of W231 powder.

Here's some chrono data I shot this morning:
S&W 629-4 w/ 5" barrel: W231 load: 891 fps (avg) AA#9 load: 1248 fps (avg)
S&W 629-1 w/ 6" barrel: W231 load: 923 fps (avg) AA#9 load: (did not test)
Ruger Flattop 6.5" bbl.: W231 load: 938 fps (avg) AA#9 load: 1297 fps (avg)
Win. Trapper 16" barrel: W231 load: 1070 fps (avg) AA#9 load: 1540 fps (avg)
Marlin 94 20" Micro bbl.: W231 load: 1095 fps (avg) AA#9 load: 1581 fps (avg)

I don't have a 4" 44 Mag at the moment, but I'm betting the 231 load would be going about 850 fps from one. As you can see, it just barely broke supersonic in the 20" carbine. It is a very pleasant, easy-shooting load, yet it is nothing I'd want to get hit by, and I'm confident it would handle any field task short of a long-range shot or very big game. But, finishing a wounded deer, or even a target of opportunity situation at reasonable range (where the trajectory doesn't make it horribly difficult, such as inside 75 yards), it would work fine. Like Skeeter's load, this moderate-load is my primary/favorite load.

The AA#9 load is for when you expect to be needing a heavier load, such as hiking out West, or handgun hunting (more for the flatter trajectory than the need for more power, but with a SWC, the velocity won't hurt penetration either, in case larger critters are being hunted). As you can see, even from my 5" barrel, it's going 1250, which is kind of a threshold velocity in my opinion for decent expansion of JHPs (or LHPs at longer range when velocity has bled off) as well as a real trajectory improvement over the lighter load. This load also squeezes the most from the longer carbine barrels while managing to stay below the 1600 fps velocity in the carbines as recommended by Lyman. Not that boolits can't be made to work above that velocity, but I load the 44 as a combo-round, where the ammo can be loaded in any of my rifles and handguns in this caliber. So, if I cast it hard enough to go faster in the rifles, it's too hard for the lower velocities in my pistols. As OCD as I am, I can't keep track of multiple hardnesses in my castings, and if I cast up a bunch of boolits, I want the flexibility to be able to use them in anything I've got, which with these two loads works fine.

Anyhow, that's what works for me. Two loads and one bullet (weight) which run the full range from reasonable recoil to heavy field work, with very little sight-changes needed. I've got a plan to address that as well, but I haven't gotten it underway yet, so more on that later.

[ironhead7544]

The Keith bullet with a load of IMR4227. Its easy on the revolver with less leading. For plinking the same bullet with WW231. Work up from the start loads for best accuracy.

[MtGun44]

Lloyd,

Remember, I was learning about revolvers and my guess now (it was 20 - 25 yrs ago) is that
I had them way too small. I believe I was sizing to .429 in those days. I was shooting them
in a SBH that has .433 throats. Now, with a .434 mold (GB Fat Keith) that gun is very accurate,
but it did pretty well with .430 Kieths, probably bumping up to the throats.

In any case, I am very aware that everybody else has great results with 429244 and 429215
but both have been between poor and fair for me in the old days and I have not bothered
to go back and even try them in the last 5-6 yrs. Maybe today, given that I know a whole
lot more about what I am doing, I could probably make them work just fine. However, I have
excellent results without the cost and fiddling of GCs so I have zero desire to go back to them.

I'm going to put my 358156, 429244, 431244 and 429215 on sale one of these days and
permanently solve that 'problem'. Never had much use for 358156 either, mediocre performer
for me, everybody else loves it. I have had consistently excellent results with the RCBS 150 KT,
358477 and 358429 and clones. Again - why use the GCs when this trio ALWAYS delivers
excellent accy - Oh, yeah - the Lee 358-158 RF is a real winner, too.

May not be smart enough to use GCs in pistols successfully. ;-)

Bill

[LAH]

I have had consistently excellent results with the RCBS 150 KT
Bill

This is a great bullet..........Creeker

[WickedGoodOutdoors]

If you lighten the bullett wieght ie: going from a 240 grain down to a 180 grain or even lighter Boolit with the same 16 grain powder charge it makes scence that the velocity will increase.

are there any drawbacks to doing this with really light cast wadcutters no gas checks for target loads?

[white eagle]

my deer load for tomorrow(opening day general gun season) is a 21 gr/h110 w cci 350
I will use a 300 gr cup point hp made by Erik in my Mountain man Dan mold
if I need a back up I will use a 320 gr g/c lfn by Tom @ Accurate Molds

[bbailey7821]

Lyman 429244 GC with 25grn WW296. Blows right through them nasty wild pigs. Haven't recovered one yet!

:Fire: