What powder are you using for your mid-range loads in your 44 Magnum revolvers with 240-250 gr bullets?
What powder are you using for your mid-range loads in your 44 Magnum revolvers with 240-250 gr bullets?
Unique
NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle
I too prefer 10 grains of Unique, however 9 grains of BE-86 also works well.
The only powders I have used for my mid-range .44 mags are Win231 and Universal so I certainly can’t say they are better than another powder but they work well enough that I never felt the need to try a different powder.
I chronograph’d 240 grain SWC bullets with 10 grains of Win 231 at an average of 1164 fps and 9 grains of Universal at 1089 fps out of a 5.5” Ruger SBH.
10gr UNIQUE
9gr UNIVERSAL
win231/HP38
Power Pistol
HS-6
.
NRA LIFE Member
USPSA/IPSC
I have used about every fast and medium burn pistol powder made. Like the guys above said the 10.0 Unique is around the top of what I consider a mid-range load but very accurate. It is actually my hunting load in the Ruger Redhawk.
For plinking steel and punching paper I have settled on Tightgroup around 800 fps in handguns and usually will pick up 200 fps in a levergun.
I have used to good accuracy Bullseye, Red and Green Dot, 700X, Clays, and some reduced Unique loads 6.5 to 8.0 depending on the what the gun likes. The only one I did not like was HP-38, never could find a sweet spot, but I never pushed it up "Targa's load of 10.0.
Just for clarification, Mid-range for me is 900/1100 give or take.
Tony
9.0-10.0 grs unique has worked well.
Several years ago I took a small forkhorn with a 240 gr RFN over 10.0 grs. of Unique with my Vaquero.
What about Red dot? I've thought about it but haven't tried it though.
I've used it in 45 colt with 250 & 255 gr cast, 6.0 -6.5 is a very pleasant load.
RP
RP
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
Hi...
As others have indicated, 10 gr of Unique with a 240gr LSWC.
That load has shot very well in all six of my .44Magnum revolvers and my Marlin lever action rifle.
Doesn't beat you up and enough power to make you realize you are shooting a powerful big bore handgun.
I have used 15.0 grs of Blue Dot behind a 245 gr SAECO Keith style SWC for close to 40 years. It's on the hotter end of the "mid-range" spectrum but a tack driver in my M29.
Like others, 10 grains of Unique under a 245 grain SWC has been one of my staple 44 mag loads for decades. I've shot two hogs with that load. I also like 13.0 grains of HS-6 because it burns cleaner than Unique, and the performance is similar.
7.5 grains of Bullseye.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
I use Red Dot (data in Lyman manual), cuz I have a lifetime supply of it, due to a estate purchase many years ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
I use 8.5 grains of Unique for 240-250 grain cast boolits. It's a decent mid range load, and very accurate in my Ruger Blackhawk.
HS-6 works very well in my .44's
"If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"
"A rat became the unit of currency"
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
6.0-7.5 grains of Red Dot with a 429-421. Somewhere in that range will be a load that will make you smile. My Redhawk likes 6.5 grains.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Green Dot
It's all chicken, even the beak!
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |