Unique loads for 44 magnum

[LUCKYDAWG13]

looking for a window using Unique and a 265 gr Keith style boolit
thanks

[shoot-n-lead]

I use 10grs with 250gr Keith bullets...does a great job on the animals I hunt.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

thanks i was thinking about starting at about 8.5 and walking up to about that

[telebasher]

Deer can't tell the difference between 81/2 or 10 grains of Unique. The 8 1/2 gr load will shoot better I promise. Its where you place the shot that makes a difference.

[DougGuy]

Alliant's data lists 11.0gr as max under a 250gr Keith LSWC for 1200fps from a 7 1/2" barrel.

Personally, at risk of perpetuating a myth, it's more or less a given that Unique above 10.0gr in .45 Colt can be spiky and unpredictable. I have read this from more than one source over the years. How true it is I cannot say, nor can I call the articles that I read this. It's just something you keep in your own book of "do's and dont's" about reloading. Much like not downloading H110/W296. Call it old wives tales, but err on the side of caution.

With that in mind, I am not even sure I would go to 10.0gr of Unique in a case smaller than the .45 Colt, and with a boolit heavier than the 255gr LSWC that has been THE cast boolit of choice in this caliber since they invented dirt.

Got any 2400?

Edit: Just out of curiosity, I fired up QuickLoad and ran both Unique and 2400 to see what the results looked like. Granted QL is not super accurate with some of it's findings when it comes to straight wall pistol cases, and there is no variable to compensate for b/c gap but it's still a useful tool for nothing else than to see if a certain load is approaching the "hold my beer and watch this" realm of questionable loads.

The two photos illustrate the pressure curve, and even in this application you can see the more pronounced spike in the Unique load and the smoother curve of the 2400. A good comparison I think, as shooting in the real world will have recoil bearing witness, 2400 is not as sharp.

I used a NOE file for their 265gr Keith type SWC, 1.275" case length, .772" boolit length, .355" seating depth to the crimp groove for an overall COA of 1.692"

10.5gr Unique



17.0gr Alliant 2400



10.5gr Unique:



17.0gr Alliant 2400:

[SSGOldfart]

You should be fine,I shot 8.5gr. and 9gr.both with a 250gr Boolit yesterday did fine but I'm going to drop back a little next go round,just to see if I can get less muzzle blast,I'm also going to switch to X700. And try it seeing how I have way too much in storage.

[bangerjim]

For me, the 44mag is designed for H110 loads...........by the book. Period.

I shoot light loads of ETR7 and TiteGroup in 44SPL cases, but MAG loads are full house all the way, baby!!!!!!!

Don't whimp out on us!

banger

[fivefang]

Yes Banger that's how I fee about a.44 mag 21.5 gr. of WC 820 & a 300gr. Saeco Gc.gave a average of 1325fps on a Ohler chron. @Markham pk. outside of Ft.Laud. when I got my first flat top 6.5" .44 in '58, the 215gr. Thompson & 27.5 gr. 2400 was my standard load, love my Redhawk, 3 screw SBH & 3screw Flat top all are7.5"

[shoot-n-lead]

For me, the 44mag is designed for H110 loads...........by the book. Period.

I shoot light loads of ETR7 and TiteGroup in 44SPL cases, but MAG loads are full house all the way, baby!!!!!!!

Don't whimp out on us!

banger

Evidence that you don't hunt much with them.

Don't need full magnum loads...nor the abuse that goes along with it.

I shoot that 10gr load in a 14" Contender...shoots like a dream.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

DougGuy

yes i do have 2400 i just have more Unique on hand then 2400 also have H110 & 296 saving that for my 454 so not recoil shy banger just looking for a good 1000 / 1100 fps load for my SBH 7 1/2 shoot-n-lead that 10 gr load for your Contender what boolit or bullet you running with that would like to try in my 14" Contender
and DougGuy one of these day's i need to send you my cylinder to clean up
thank you all

[shoot-n-lead]

DougGuy
shoot-n-lead that 10 gr load for your Contender what boolit or bullet you running with that would like to try in my 14" Contender

The only bullet that I really shoot in my handguns, 44 Special or 44mag, is a 250gr 429421...works well for everything that I do.

[DougGuy]

DougGuy one of these day's i need to send you my cylinder to clean up
thank you all

Heh mine was all over the place. 2 throats already at .4325+" two at .430" and two more at .429+" and I laugh when I think back on hunting with that SBH and I *thought* it shot pretty good. I didn't miss any neck shots with it but boy did it ever get it's act together after throating the cylinder and getting them all even then cleaning up the forcing cone.

[376Steyr]

10.0 grs Unique +250 SWC = All the fun I can stand in a tapered-barrel 4" S&W. I'm confident it will be adequate for anything I should be shooting at with a 44.

[bangerjim]

Evidence that you don't hunt much with them.

Don't need full magnum loads...nor the abuse that goes along with it.

I shoot that 10gr load in a 14" Contender...shoots like a dream.

Only things I hunt are parking spots at the mall and rib eye steaks on the menus!

Most of my 44MAG full-house loads are just to impress/scare people at the range! Most I run into have never shot one and I let them dislocate a few joints!

I prefer 44SPL loads in my long barrel S&W. About like a shooting a stout 45 colt load.

banger

[Iowa Fox]

For me its 9.0 gr of Unique under a 429421, or a 429244 with check on, or a LBT LFN checked. I've been up and down on charge weights and tried all the powders you can think of. I get pinpoint accuracy and the recoil doesn't make me flinch after 50 rounds. The 429244 is the most accurate of the three bullets, but not by much. I still shoot a few with 23 gr of H110 but by the third round I'm not squeezing the trigger like I should anticipating the recoil. At 100 yards or less the Unique loads kills just like the H110 loads plus it seems I can thread the bullets in better, maybe because I shoot thousands of them. In Verals book he comments about a slower moving bullet killing better than a fast moving bullet. I made that comment to my boys one day first hand long before we read it in Verals book, the deer around here are as big as they come. I'm sure that every firearm is going to be different but for me it sure works. Size um fat.

[farmersamm]

I suppose it's all about what you want out of your shooting experience.

The hot loads are impressive........lotta noise, muzzle flash...........

But....when your groups start to open up after about 12 shots, you gotta ask yourself just what you're doing. Are you shooting for impact, or are you shooting for pleasure, and accuracy.

I prefer hitting what I'm aiming at, time after time. Not watching my results fall off after a few cylinders full, mainly because I'm starting to anticipate the recoil, and muzzle blast.

I guess I'm not an internet hero, just a regular guy.

[farmersamm]

Cows are out on pasture as we speak, just North of the house. Kills any range time I'd like to have. My range points North, and I'd hate to hit one of them. K'kins (Kelly) would kill me.

Speaking of K'kins............She does very well with mid range 38spl loads in a snubnose. It's the loaded gun in the house. She has grown comfortable with it, and like me, she enjoys shooting it. When I leave on a road trip, I like to think there's something in the house that she's familiar with, and can reliably hit with. Don't need power, just need a hit.

[farmersamm]

I think we forget how destructive this stuff is. It was made for a purpose, and it works well.

I hear the talk about knockdown power......etc.......... Hit someone, and it works.....no matter if it isn't moving at 3x the speed of sound...........period. Stand in front of what comes out of your muzzle, I dare ya Cut your finger, or get a splinter, and the howls are amazing.....coulda thought someone was dying. Try the same scenario with a reasonable velocity chunk of lead. Gotta get real folks.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

well i made a few rounds up using 8.5 gr of Unique under my 265gr boolit will see how they shoot next weekend if i can get up to my range

[farmersamm]

Good luck, and I hope it's a good day.

I tend to forget where I live. My range is about 10 steps outside my front door, but I can remember living where it was a goodly drive to get to a safe place to shoot. Best to you, and enjoy the day.