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

[Bazoo]

I appreciate all the replies. Interesting to see all the loads other than the skeeter loads folks use.

[Noah Zark]

6.7 gr Unique over either a 240 gr cast RNFP or SWC. Accurate in the S&W 24s, 624s, 696s, Charters, NM Blackhawk flat top, and the Marlin 94, Ruger 96, Winchester 94, and two Cimarrons, rifles all chambered for 44 Mag, with respective boolits. Gradually phasing out the SWCs for the RNFPs for "one load" for all the guns.

Noah

[racepres]

I appreciate all the replies. Interesting to see all the loads other than the skeeter loads folks use.

Amazing how many folks use the Special in a Magnum Gun...
I do Not have all that much .44 Special Brass...and since all of the Special Arms, are Gone...Except an Old Charter Bulldog.. I do Not need More.
I have plenty of Mag. Brass etc for the magnums around here... so
6.0 gr of Unique under an RCBS...Swaged (throw all the rocks you like, it works in My Charter) chronos right at 650-655 FPS
Yea...Mild.. But, again if I want to get serious... that aint the Tool...
BTW, Since I am kinda gettin Old.. and do Not pay as much attention as I once did.. I can Identify Most of my .44 Loads by the projectile.. If it is That Swaged Speer, it is For the Charter.. If it has the 200 Lee FP, it is Best suited for the 4-5/8 SBH, If it is the 310FP... I have it loaded for the Contender... or at minimum a Heavier Arm.. Only the 255 Lee CSWC is kind of a Mystery ...so I need to check the Label on the Box, as to what it was developed for.. But it will work just fine.. Odd Maybe... But... Workin for Me..

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing racepres. An interesting idea, using specific bullets for specific guns.

[DDRanch]

Lots of good info. Once it stops snowing will have to do a little casting.
Also does any one have a good recipe for a 200gr RN FP lead bullet in either 44mag or 44spec? Looking for a lite load for grandkids.

[Bazoo]

I’m interested in some 200 grain RNFP suggestions also. If I get my lee 429-200-RF straightened out I think it’ll be my favorite.

[Fauquier]

Two light loads that have worked well with the 200gr. RNFP bullet:

44 Special : 5.0-5.2 grains of Trail Boss (Very mild).

44 Magnum : 10 grains of Unique

[DDRanch]

Two light loads that have worked well with the 200gr. RNFP bullet:

44 Special : 5.0-5.2 grains of Trail Boss (Very mild).

44 Magnum : 10 grains of Unique

Thanks, just what I was looking for.

[Krag 1901]

While reading this site, I read that the boolet dia should fit the chamber mouths. I bought some 200 gr .44/40 boolets that measure .430" but my .44's are all larger than .430" at the mouths? Not by much but enough that the boolets will drop right through the mouths. I've been looking for a load for my 624 at around 850-900 fps that I can shoot thru my 29 and 629 as well. I loaded some Unique and 700X loads that might work out but haven't tried them yet.

Is the dia of these .430" boolets going to be a problem?

[racepres]

Lots of good info. Once it stops snowing will have to do a little casting.
Also does any one have a good recipe for a 200gr RN FP lead bullet in either 44mag or 44spec? Looking for a lite load for grandkids.

I have some with 7.0 gr of Red Dot.. can chrono later after hunting season... but.. I wrote it down for a reason...and have a Handfull left..

[Kosh75287]

Just a respectful cautionary note & suggestion:Avoid the Keith-Skelton load in CA Bulldogs.

The Keith-Skelton load, 7.5/Unique/245 gr. LSWC, is probably THE PERFECT general purpose load for N-frame S&Ws, Blackhawks, and similar, strongly built .44 Specials. The last time I shot factory 246 gr. LRN from Remington, it produced ~760 f/s from a 6" M624. The Keith-Skelton load clocks 25% faster, from a 4" barrel. I would NOT enjoy firing the load from a CA Bulldog for any length of time. I'm BETTING that the Bulldog will show signs that it does not like it, either.
The load developed an honest 950 f/s from a 4& 5/8" Ruger BH, and 1075 f/s from a friend's 6" S&W M624. So it is by no means mild.
I DID shoot this load in a 3" Taurus M431 (in effect, a steel-framed Bulldog), and found it similar to +P ammo in a .45 ACP (tolerable and usable, but not pleasant), with a bit more muzzle whip than an automatic. If you make up 500 rounds of this load, your hand will quit before the Bulldog will, but neither of you will enjoy finding out who/which has the greater durability.

If one acquires a steel Taurus or Rossi 5-shot revolver and wants to use the Keith-Skelton load, they'll likely never have a problem, but I predict that less than one box of these will convince their owners to look to "lower & slower" fodder with all due alacrity.

[racepres]

Never been over 6
I own .44 Magnums...

[JoeJames]

Just a respectful cautionary note & suggestion:Avoid the Keith-Skelton load in CA Bulldogs.

The Keith-Skelton load, 7.5/Unique/245 gr. LSWC, is probably THE PERFECT general purpose load for N-frame S&Ws, Blackhawks, and similar, strongly built .44 Specials. The last time I shot factory 246 gr. LRN from Remington, it produced ~760 f/s from a 6" M624. The Keith-Skelton load clocks 25% faster, from a 4" barrel. I would NOT enjoy firing the load from a CA Bulldog for any length of time. I'm BETTING that the Bulldog will show signs that it does not like it, either.
The load developed an honest 950 f/s from a 4& 5/8" Ruger BH, and 1075 f/s from a friend's 6" S&W M624. So it is by no means mild.
I DID shoot this load in a 3" Taurus M431 (in effect, a steel-framed Bulldog), and found it similar to +P ammo in a .45 ACP (tolerable and usable, but not pleasant), with a bit more muzzle whip than an automatic. If you make up 500 rounds of this load, your hand will quit before the Bulldog will, but neither of you will enjoy finding out who/which has the greater durability.

If one acquires a steel Taurus or Rossi 5-shot revolver and wants to use the Keith-Skelton load, they'll likely never have a problem, but I predict that less than one box of these will convince their owners to look to "lower & slower" fodder with all due alacrity.

I agree 100%. My pet loads with cast .430 240 grain SWC's consistently clock out at 894 fps, with 6.8 grains of Unique with c.o.w.w. alloy and 6.5 grains for the same speed with commercial hard cast SWC's. I could shoot them all day long.

[Bazoo]

While reading this site, I read that the boolet dia should fit the chamber mouths. I bought some 200 gr .44/40 boolets that measure .430" but my .44's are all larger than .430" at the mouths? Not by much but enough that the boolets will drop right through the mouths. I've been looking for a load for my 624 at around 850-900 fps that I can shoot thru my 29 and 629 as well. I loaded some Unique and 700X loads that might work out but haven't tried them yet.

Is the dia of these .430" boolets going to be a problem?

I say try it. My 44special Blackhawk has throats varying .431-.432 but I size to .430. I get better accuracy it seems. Though I haven’t tested extensively yet. Larry Gibson and a few others also have experienced better accuracy when sizing closer to groove diameter as opposed to throat diameter. But it’s not popular so everyone sizes to throat dimensions.

[deltaenterprizes]

I just loaded some with a Magma 180gr FP and 5.6gr of WW231!
About the same thing as a 40 S&W, 180gr boolit going 950 fps.