44 Mag real life results?

[Michael J. Spangler]

HI Guys,

I just started loading for the wonderful 44 magnum. I'm casting boolits out of 50/50 COWW and Pure coated 3X with Hi-tek gold.
They come out at about 255 grains.
I don't like the idea of hot powders that cause flame cutting ( I know it only gets so bad and then stops, I just don't like the idea of damaging a pre lock S&W that can't have the frame replaced without having a lock) Or using super heavy doses of powder to gain a little velocity.
99% of my shooting is done at the range. I still want some bang, but don't see a need for 20+ grains of powder to do so. I like the idea of unique for all of my needs with cast lead.
I see the new Alliant manual lists 11 grains as a max with cast 250 @ about 1211 FPS, but my Lyman manual lists 13 grains as max with a 245 (429421 lino) at about 1147 FPS. They also list a 255 grain (429244 Lino) with a max of 12 Grains at about 1100 FPS.
Lyman used a universal receiver with a 4" barrel
Alliant doesn't list their firearm or barrel used for their data.

I'm wondering what all of you have found using unique and a 255 (429421 or similar) in your real world chorine results.
I'll be shooting a 6 1/2" 629-4
I'm really just looking for a nice Elmer load of 1200 FPS without burning the recommended (lyman) 22.2 grains of 2400 to get 1165 FPS. That seems a little wasteful in my book.

Thanks everyone!

[Wayne Dobbs]

If you're going to be just range shooting, why not use the classic 8.5 grains of Unique for about 900-950 fps and take it easy on the gun and you? 10 grains gets you about 1050-1100 (depending on barrel length, etc.) and will kill anything on four legs in the lower 48 states. John Linebaugh pointed out that anything above 900 is just flattening the trajectory, not really adding real effectiveness anyway. You can go much higher with the caliber, but you can do just about everything you need with a .44 Mag and Unique with those two loads.

[BNE]

If you're going to be just range shooting, why not use the classic 8.5 grains of Unique for about 900-950 fps and take it easy on the gun and you? 10 grains gets you about 1050-1100 (depending on barrel length, etc.) and will kill anything on four legs in the lower 48 states. John Linebaugh pointed out that anything above 900 is just flattening the trajectory, not really adding real effectiveness anyway. You can go much higher with the caliber, but you can do just about everything you need with a .44 Mag and Unique with those two loads.

Mr. Dobbs is correct. Try this, I think you will be pleased.

[Michael J. Spangler]

I know I can slow it down and have a nice light shooting load. That being said I'm looking for some thump on my end. I have a 625-3 that I use NOE 453423 with 6.5 grain of universal to get 900+ FPS
If i used that reasoning then I would make my 629 redundant. How would I tell my wife that the gun I just bought was going to do the same thing as one I already owned but less efficiently with more expensive brass and the need for new dies, conversion kits, moulds etc?
I do appreciate the suggestion guys, but I'm looking to experience the thump of 44 mag as god intended it to be ; )

[Blammer]

I like 8-10gr of unique with 250ish grain bullets.

Good accuracy (worked up for your gun, hence the load range), good bang, not too much recoil, easy on the gun and good for deer too!

[RKJ]

I use a load I that I found in American Handgunner from one of John Taffin's columns. 10.5 grains of Unique. It has enough authority to let you know you're shooting a 44 Mag but it doesn't beat you up either. I like it and I've gotten to where I really don't want to get beat to shoot my guns.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

What Wayne Dobbs said.

[376Steyr]

10 grs. of Unique and a 250+ Keith will hit plenty hard enough on both ends. The last time I did some load testing, 75 rounds in one session with a taper-barreled 4" M629, I got a patch of skin beaten off my trigger finger from the recoil.

[tygar]

10gr Unique was my go to load in 6.5 M29 with 240-255. It goes 1050 with 245s easily.

[timberhawk]

Unique is one of my favorite powders for everything. I don't use Unique for higher end loads. I use a slower powder for those.

I use 9.0 grs. of unique with a 250 Gr. Lyman Keith Style with excellent accuracy. Runs just under 1,000 fps and is probably more accurate than I can shot.

Another load is 20.0 grs. of 296 with a magnum primer with a 280 GC LBT WFN is hard to beat. Gets the velocity you want, but is not a maximum load. I know this is not your bullet weight, but I wanted to be accurate in my representation of the load. Should work well with a 255 gr. bullet with a little tweaking.
Out of my scoped S&W 629 Classic Hunter, I have had all shots touching at 50 yards if I do my part (this gets harder as I get older). Just giving you another choice.

[Outpost75]

Agree on the 8.5 to 10.0 of Unique as being a "happy place".

I accomplish the same thing in my .44s using 7.2 to 8.4 grains of Bullseye, which also works well with any bullet which "fits" from 200-260 grains, and is better suited for machine loading than trying to meter Unique's larger particle size. Velocity and energy compare to full charge loads in the .44-40 and .45 Colt, which I find quite adequate for most field shooting.

[ebner glocken]

I shoot a kieth that weighs just about 260 grains cast and coated. With 7.5 grains of ww231 it shoots 950 FPS out of a 6" bbl and 1050 FPS out of a 18" carbine barrel. Accuracy is better than I can hold and will punch a hole through anything that I shall ever shoot at around here. Getting 933 rounds per pound of powder is a huge plus.

The heavy loads are with ww296 but I don't think these loads do a whole lot that the other won't. The lighter load just seems to work w/o all the drama.

Ebner

[Mal Paso]

I'm really just looking for a nice Elmer load of 1200 FPS without burning the recommended (lyman) 22.2 grains of 2400 to get 1165 FPS. That seems a little wasteful in my book.
Thanks everyone!

22g of 2400 gets me 1400-1600 fps in 4-6 inch guns depending on batch and is over all current listed maximum loads for a 255g bullet.

I get 1275 fps with 19-20g of 2400 with a 260g .431 boolit 6"bbl.

Try the powders before you stock up. My first purchases were made according to rounds per pound and I have a lifetime supply of fast powders.

Lyman also sized the bullets .429 in the last test (4"barrel). Better fit increases pressure which causes powders to burn more efficently which increases speed. Powders burn differently at different pressures.

Alliant uses an 8 1/4 inch barrel is I'm not mistaken.

[Thumbcocker]

9.0 of Power Pistol. Accuracy and plenty of thump for all but hunting.

[crabo]

I really like 12 grains of HS6 behind an H&G 53. 2" groups at 50 yards. IIRC, it goes about 1200 fps. Very nice load, controllable in a 3" 629 Trail Boss, but more pleasant in a heavier gun, if you want to shoot 50 or more.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I like 14.8gr of Blue Dot i can hit my 10" steel gong at 100 yards with that load

[454PB]

Me too. BlueDot is my go to powder for mid range to near full power loads.

[MtGun44]

Lino boolits ia a real waste of good alloy. 10 gr of Unique or 9 gr of Power
Pistol under a nice 12 BHN air cooled WWTs H&G 503 sized to throat diameter
and properly lubed works great. Either produces about 1050-1100, depending
on barrel length. Very accurate in most pistols.

[fatelk]

10 grains gets you about 1050-1100 (depending on barrel length, etc.) and will kill anything on four legs in the lower 48 states. John Linebaugh pointed out that anything above 900 is just flattening the trajectory, not really adding real effectiveness anyway.

I've heard this said before and have wondered about it. I'm not a hunter myself, so I have to wonder what's the point of the .44 Magnum anyway? I have a friend who hunts for a living (wildlife control) and shoots a lot of bears (no, not the big brown ones). He carries a .44 revolver and a .44 rifle and likes them loaded heavy. He has some scary stories about being way too close for comfort to an angry bear more than once. Would he really be just as well served with lighter loads. It's an academic question of course, since he's going to use what he uses now; I'm just curious.

[375supermag]

Hi...

I have been using 10.0 gr of Unique with a 240gr LSWC in a variety of .44Mag revolvers as a general-purpose load for years.
Provides a magnum recoil and power experience with excellent accuracy.

I still load heavier loads with 2400 and H110/W296(both cast and jacketed), but the vast majority of my handgun shooting has always been with LSWC at slightly above mid-range power levels for any given caliber.
I get excellent accuracy, more than adequate power and pretty good economy( as far as cost of powder per shot). And the wear and tear on the handgun is minimized. Seems like a win-win situation to me.

I don't own a chronograph, so no velocity data. I really need to get a chrongraph one of these days, just so I know what my loads are doing in my revolvers as compared to what is reported in some reloading manual.