What’s y’all’s favorite 44 special loads?

[Bazoo]

I’ve been playing with different combos. Bullseye, unique, RCBS 44-240-swc, 44-250-k, and I have lees 429-200-rf to experiment with too but haven’t loaded any yet. I also have titegroup to try and wsf though I haven’t tried either in this caliber yet.

I have found 4.4 grains and 4.8 grains of bullseye and the 44-250-k to be good loads, one milder than the other. I’ve found 5.5 unique and the 44-240-swc to be nice as well. I’ve tried others but nothing spoke to me.

So what’s y’all’s go to loads? And please, something other than the skeeter load. It’s too stout for general use for me, not that it’s not a great load.

And if it matters, my gun is a Ruger 44 special Blackhawk.

I also have the lee 432-265-rf ranchdog. I’ve had good success with that and 4.6 bullseye. Though I haven’t tried many combos yet. I did have a gent over on THR run some of my choice powders through quickloads with this bullet so I have a baseline for going into up to 23k psi or so, should I choose.

[Iwsbull]

My favorite is the MP Devastator clone pushed by a +P load of Longshot probably in the Skeeter range.

[stubshaft]

7.5 grs. Unique behind a 240 gr. bullet is what I shoot out of my Lipsey (Skeeter Load).

[ABJ]

Ruger 4-5/8 is 5.0 Bullseye under a 240 swc. Hands down the best load ever tried. In my Uberti Bisley is the same bullet with 4.8 Tightgroup.
Tony

[Bazoo]

Preciate the replies. Interesting the difference in accuracy and feel .2 grains of bullseye can make. Yesterday I cut a cloverleaf group with a flyer to about 2” with the 44-250-k and 4.8 bullseye load, offhand at 15ish yards. So I know the load is good when I am. Or atleast good for near point blank range. I’m so out of practice though that anything under 4” at 25y I consider decent now. But I’m going to have to work on dry firing and get my grip consistency back and muscles holding still again. Fact is I rarely shoot anymore over the last 3 years so I’m in tune up mode.

[derek45]

ARSENAL #503 Keith

UNIVERSAL powder ( at work, unable to see my logbook for the amount

[derek45]

opps

iphone triple tap

[cwlongshot]

Inique and my custon 429421 mold with a very deep wide HP.

Shoots accurately and balls up and plows deep. When cast well with proper alloy.

CW

[HWooldridge]

Keith 250 and 6.0 gr W231 - my "go to" load in 44 Spc.

[Bazoo]

Keith 250 and 6.0 gr W231 - my "go to" load in 44 Spc.

Thanks for sharing. Any idea of what pressure that runs? Is the 250 Keith you run heavier? Mine is 262 grains.

[gunther]

Those Lee 200 grain bullets are where I'd go. Another thing that might help is to find a set of Pachmayr grips made for a colt single action. They'll be marked CSA. If you run out of grip length before you run out of hand, those will help. Remove the grip locator pin from your Ruger and those grips will be a very snug fit.

[HWooldridge]

Thanks for sharing. Any idea of what pressure that runs? Is the 250 Keith you run heavier? Mine is 262 grains.

No idea of pressure, but no signs of being excessive. Cases almost fall out of the cylinder, usually with just a touch of the ejector. I’m using an old SAECO mold that throws about 245 gr. in WW lead.

And this is from a 3rd gen Colt SAA.

[gc45]

Arsenal 250 K with either PP or 231 works great in my three 44-Sp revolvers. Non are Plus P loads. I follow what Brian P says concerning pressure levels, he gets it right!

[Kosh75287]

I've never chronographed 6.0/231/240 from anything, but it sounds like it might approach the Keith-Skelton 7.5/Unique/240-250 LSWC load. The latter load sometimes can be too much for some shooters and some revolvers, but in a .44 Special Blackhawk, I cannot imagine a problem.

[Black_Talon]

6.0 WW231 and a 250gr 429421 gives me 790 fps in my 5.5" Ruger Lipseys Bisley, with very low extreme spreads and single digit SDs. Shoots great too!

[Bazoo]

Lots of good info here. Thanks everyone for sharing.

My gun, I’ve replaced the grip frame with a stainless xr3red frame. But I ain’t looking for rubber grips regardless.

[alamogunr]

I've got 3 completely different .44 Special handguns and find all the loads I need to find what works in my guns. The gun I have had the longest is a S&W 696. It is also the least shot. I got guidance from an article by Glen Fryxell. The S&W Highway Patrolman conversion and the Freedom Arms 97 serve me well with a collection of loads from 2 articles in Handloader by Brian Pierce. I have no need of loads that push the envelope but like to get into the upper end occasionally. Brian's articles give me the information I need to stay out of trouble. I also found a few in Mr. Taffin's book of the .44

Not running down this thread since I've read every post and find that there is a lot of good information in almost every one.

[Bazoo]

Thanks all for sharing. I have a couple Pearce articles myself. I haven’t picked up a copy of the book of .44 yet.

[alamogunr]

Thanks all for sharing. I have a couple Pearce articles myself. I haven’t picked up a copy of the book of .44 yet.

Best one yet!

[JoeJames]

I got my Lipsey NM Ruger Blackhawk 41/2" in 44 Special about 8 years ago. I have tried different bullets and powder. This is my compilation after all that. Now I mostly shoot Lee .430 240 grain TL's non water quenched sitting on 6.8 grains of Unique. The sweet spot for my Lipsey seems to be around 894 fps and at least a .430" bullet.