My .44 Magnum Loads Suck.

There is usually a minimum pressure needed to expand the case in the cylinder and send the bullet to the forcing cone especially with thick magnum brass, too high pressure can cause leading with cast, or if plated are pushed too hard. A faster load doesn't neccesarily mean higher pressure, just that you have more powder to burn and keep pressure up over a longer time. There is also a LOT of unrifled freebore in a revolver compared to an auto that seems to make them less forgiving when loading, some may work well with some bullets and powders and not others. They aren't hard to load for, there are plenty of good loads around, but when you aren't getting results with what you are doing, do something else. I do load moderate loads with around 8-9gr of bullseye and 240gr Plated bullets, they are swaged, not cast, so they are softer than most any other type, and there isn't a huge range between too light to shoot well, and heavy enough to damage the bullet, heavier bullets work better.

august1410 said:

Excellent.

I have to say, the accuracy isn't bad, per se. The recoil is VERY light. I want the feel I get out of factory .44 magnum loads. What's the point, otherwise?

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Funny you spoke about accuracy. The 7.0 Unique load is really accurate. It's what I use for shooting pins. The 240 gr JHP over 23.5gr. of H110 were destroying the pins a little too quick. But, dang, it was awesome seeing then fly 5 or 6 feet!

That load doesn't "suck" , it is doing exactly what it is supposed to, namely giving .44spl vel from a magnum case , probably between 750-800fps depending on your actual gun. Simply not the resultant vels you were wishing for.

You've got lots of room to safely up the powder charge from there. Jump up directly to 7.0-7.5gr . WAG , should put you into 900's. Allowing for the weight of the gun , would seem like .38+P from a medimum frame .38 .if still more is wished with Bullseye work up from there. But eventually you will wish more/ different powders.

If we weren't in a powder shortage , the iconic load for * what I think you are looking for * is 10.0gr of Unique. If you want to retain versatility in your powder stable , get some of the slowest powder you can find locally , that has published data for .45acp. ( The .44 is very versatile in what it will burn , the .45acp is the limiting factor.)

For a dedicated .44mag powder , yet with high amount of versatility look for my fvorite of 4227 or AA9 .( Yeah, yeah 296/H110 will give highest vel, but can't be loaded meaningfuly down. 4227 and AA9 can be loded down to mid 20's pressures with good accuraccy , and still give decent top end vels .)

Lots of similar loads showing up, so good ball park recipes are for the using.

I've already mentioned my light load so I won't go there. For a good midrange load I use a good hard cast 240 grain SWC and 10.5 grains of Unique. This gives 1050 fps out of my 5.5" Redhawk and outstanding accuracy past 100 yards. I used this load for years shooting Hunters Pistol. If the bullet isn't a good one, though, forget any predictable performance past 50 yards. You won't go wrong with Laser Cast in this regard.

For standard Magnum class ammo, my favorite is 15.7 grains of Blue Dot behind a good
240 grain JHP. This load has for years clocked between 1275 and 1300 feet per second out of the same Redhawk. Out of my 7.5" Super Blackhawk to goes a squeak over 1400 fps, IIRC. With the Remington SJHP, using a scope on my Super, I have shot 1" to 1 1/4" groups (of the bench and bags) at 75 yards, back to back, month to month. One group of 7/8" inch once. Backed it up with a 1" group. Out of my Redhawk, it is 1.5" load at fifty yards. You can't drive the Blue Dot too fast, though, or you'll get LOTS of barrel breach and forcing cone erosion.

Another standard magnum load is 23.0 to 23.5 grains of H110 behind, yes again, a 240 grain JHP. A 240 grain jacketed silhouette bullet works well also. Not quite as tight as the Remington SJHP but still tight. Same velocity range.

One last load, using 2400 and again, a good 240 grain JHP. This is one quickly became a go to powder with H110 and Blue Dot. Similar good accuracy and essentially same velocities in the 5.5" gun. The Keith load proved erratic and uneventful, so my 2400 charge is 20.5 to 21.0 grains of 2400, depending what that lot of powder and measure is throwing that day. Similar good accuracy.

Out of the 7.5" Super Blackhawk the H110 loads and 2400 loads all run about 1440 fps with very good accuracy. Incidentally, the 2400 has proven, to me, to be the best powder for achieving magnum velocities with good cast bullets.

I've tried a few other powders but nothing to unseat these as my favorites.

Hmmm, they suck? Did you put the bullet in backwards?

I have about 300 pulled Berry's 240gr bullets now because accuracy was awful with them.
I now use a 240gr Hornady XTP, 240gr Nosler JSP, or a 255gr Keith cast bullet over 9.3-10gr of Unique for a plinking load.
Accuracy is great.

shaddydan said:

2400, W296, or H110 are slower burning and will allow the magnum pressure to develop. I do a light load with 7.0 gr of Unique so the ladies can feel tough shooting a "magnum."

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19.5 grains of Alliant (formerly Hercules) 2400, behind a 240 grain hardcast SWC will not only get your attention, it's VERY accurate from my Dan Wesson 44VH-4 and VH-8.

Unique is what you seek for milder 44 mag loads.

Around 10 gr with a 250 grain Keith SWC is excellent in all areas. Clean, accurate and mild to shoot in a full size 44 mag. I would guess next to 2400, unique would be historically the second the most popular powder for handloading the 44. More recent, 296/H110 may have bumped it to third

Thank you for all the input. While I have made serviceable loads with what I have on hand, the desired results are going to be achieved by changing powder and projectile.

Awesome advice, everyone! I can't thank you all enough.