44 mag powder charge advice

simple. try all three powders, or the ones that you have, or buy whatever strikes your fancy, and start at the bottom of the powder charge range, work your way up until the accuracy is obtained that suits you. don't exceed the max charges though.

those Rugers are built like tanks, and will more than handle max charges, but running max charges all the time still puts lots of stress and wear on a pistol, even the tough Ruger revolvers.

 

I ave never had much luck with light loads in the 44 magnum. And since I have this thing about not shooting specials out of magnum chambers, I just load a full charge of IMR4227 under a 240 grain JSP in magnum cases and call it a day. I shoot a Ruger SBH, my brother shoots that ole’ S&W Dirty Harry gun. His dosent like reduced loads either.

For reduced loads I shoot a Blackhawk 45 Colt with 200 grain cast pushed by TrailBoss.

 

Excellent results w 180 gr JHP in .44 mags. Accuracy was fantastic.
However, ball powders and light bullets will cut the topstrap some.
It only goes so far but that little mark tends to freak some folks.
Forcing cones will wear out over time. Eh, you do that you've blown enough $ on ammo that a rebarrel is no big deal.
They don't recommend ball powder for light bullets, as the crimp has to be hefty.
Plus blast and concussion is brutal.

AND.............you run compressed loads, not reduced loads.

So no, ball powder (H110, WW296, AA#9) is NOT for reduced loads.
But if you wanna crank that mother up and have some fun.........180s screaming is a hoot.
Kills deer dead too.

But outside, esp from longer bbls...........feels like somebody smacking you in the face with a cookie sheet. Hard on sinuses too.

Layne Simpson did an article on the .44 mag (pre 2000, was in reloader magazine IIRC).
Buddy printed it out. His loads are max. I copied them in 180, 200 and 240 gr and they all shot well.

Like the Nosler manual said, the hotter the .44 gets loaded the better it seems to shoot.
Having had four 629's, four SBH and using my dads SRH..........I agree.

 

I had to retighten my grip frame screws often. Kind of annoying.

 

Unique has always worked well for me in my Super Blackhawks. I find the 1/2 way point between min charge and max charge and start there.

 

Greg, as long as you clean your weapon, you can shoot specials out of magnum chambers 'til the cows come home.

 

Unique works well!!!!

 

I know you can, I just don’t.

 

Another vote for Unique

 

Unique ...I am good at 10.5 gr. Revolver is even better.
For H110 a charge of 24.4 gr. Was safely handled by my Ruger SBH. I wouldn't fire them again .cept at wild charging animals , tho.

 

I'd use the specials before I would load magnum cartridges "light".

All it takes is one to get stuck and then next one will ruin the gun.

And it is just a recipe for poor accuracy using light loads with cast bullets. It takes a certain amount of pressure to really get some lead to fill the bore and provide optimum accuracy.

 

I've shot a lot of shotgun powders out of my own 44's. Blue Dot for heavy loads.

 

Couldn't stand it, had to go look...

I've used some Unique with Semi Wadcutter commercial cast lead bullets. If those 4 - 12 grain loads are in the book, I wouldn't go lower than half way down. In the mid to upper ranges of the book loads. That would put it near what I've recorded and have it as printing to the same zero from my Redhawk as a pretty stout load of Blue Dot and copper jacketed hunting bullets in a 7.5" barrel @ 25 yards.

I used what I call a "straight" crimp and shot these in 1990 and again in 2011.
If you lay a scale along side the cartridge after they are loaded, the case wall is just straight when you hold it up to the light, not crimped heavy but all the "bell" is crimped out of it.

Chronograph mine at about 1050 fps.

Hornady Manual 3rd edition page 354
I never wrote down my bullet wt. but I'd bet if I look at that page number it will be about 240 grains. It's about all I use unless I pick up something different at a yard sale or auction.

 

From what I've got recorded, I'd go with Green Dot over Unique if I had both.

Recipes are in Speer Manual, 10th edition page 380 for 950fps. Use a heavy crimp.