44 Mag

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  • jt2100r

    Active Member
    Aug 2, 2014
    217
    Huntingtown
    I am going to start reloading 44 mag with 240 gr Elmer keith style bullet. Anyone have good loads for them? I have a SBH 10 1/2" barrel.
    Thanks
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    " If you want pig killing ammo, use 20 grains of Alliant 2400 or 23 grains of H-110."

    What are you doing in my loading log books?

    I usually run 20.4 to 20.7 grains of 2400 with a hard cast bullet...it is whatever that cavity of the powder measure is throwing with that lot of powder.
    2400 is the best powder I have used for heavy loads using lead bullets. I save the other heavy load powders for jacketed ammo.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Duhhh.

    If you are going to load an authentic Elmer Keith bullet , the use THE Elmer Keith load. : 22gr 2400 , std primer .
     

    44man

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 19, 2013
    10,129
    southern md
    for plinking I use 2400 with 14 grains of powder with a 240 grain cast bullet that I cast. you can go with a lower charge but make sure you find some data so you don't go to low.

    for full power I use 20 grains of 2400, some books say 21 grains is full power but 20 is what I use with my same cast bullets.

    lube your bullets and put a HEAVY crimp on those you want to shoot at full power, and hang on
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    * True Keith Bullets * have several differences from generic 240 swc , typically from the Magma Engineering molds in the automated casting machines used by virtually all high volume commercial casters .

    One of them is a greater porportion of the bullet is in nose and front band , leaving more powder space in the case . This means that when crimped in the crimp groove , the COL is longer than SAAMI spec. Potential issues feeding in leverguns , but ideally porportioned for S&W N frame cylnders .

    And 22.0 wasn't Elmer's top load , rather his reduced load for pleasant recoil , while still completely penetrating anything that walks in North America.

    Also remember in it's developement , and most of its history , the pressure standard for .44Mag was 42k CUP , not the current watered down 35k psi .

    Added - Also take note of Elmer's use of Standard primers . Magnum primers will raise pressures, and have lower vels once powder charges are reduced to same level.


    And Elmer worshiping aside, for slightly less than full Elmer levels , I have gotten consistently accurate results , with minimal tweaking using 4227 . Default starting point 90-95% load density with particular bullet, std for cal bullet weight cast bullet , WLP . I have never had larger than 1.25in @ 25yd groups from magnum revolvers with that .

    Further added - I presume John from Md is referring to Unique. ? If so his 8.5gr load is essentially equivalent to the Iconic warm .44Spl load using 7.5gr .v I mentioned in Joe's thread I like 9.2gr with generic 240 swc . But pretty much anywhere between 8.0 and 10.0 , wherever gives acceptable accuracc6, and desired recoil level . Above about 10.0 you are getting above Unique's desired pressure envelope, and pressure curve starts shooting uo . If you want more power than 10.0 Unique , there are a metric crap load of medium-slow to slow powders .
     

    44man

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 19, 2013
    10,129
    southern md
    * True Keith Bullets * have several differences from generic 240 swc , typically from the Magma Engineering molds in the automated casting machines used by virtually all high volume commercial casters .

    One of them is a greater porportion of the bullet is in nose and front band , leaving more powder space in the case . This means that when crimped in the crimp groove , the COL is longer than SAAMI spec. Potential issues feeding in leverguns , but ideally porportioned for S&W N frame cylnders .

    And 22.0 wasn't Elmer's top load , rather his reduced load for pleasant recoil , while still completely penetrating anything that walks in North America.

    Also remember in it's developement , and most of its history , the pressure standard for .44Mag was 42k CUP , not the current watered down 35k psi .

    Added - Also take note of Elmer's use of Standard primers . Magnum primers will raise pressures, and have lower vels once powder charges are reduced to same level.


    And Elmer worshiping aside, for slightly less than full Elmer levels , I have gotten consistently accurate results , with minimal tweaking using 4227 . Default starting point 90-95% load density with particular bullet, std for cal bullet weight cast bullet , WLP . I have never had larger than 1.25in @ 25yd groups from magnum revolvers with that .

    it seems to me, if my memory is right since I haven't reloaded for several months, but 22 grains of 2400 id a LOT of powder to squish down on in a 44 mag casing, lol. plus 22 grains is quite the jolt, and a bit much for my battered right hand nowadays,lol.

    but I do love my 44's
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,729
    Socialist State of Maryland
    "Further added - I presume John from Md is referring to Unique. ? If so his 8.5gr load is essentially equivalent to the Iconic warm .44Spl load using 7.5gr .v I mentioned in Joe's thread I like 9.2gr with generic 240 swc . But pretty much anywhere between 8.0 and 10.0 , wherever gives acceptable accuracc6, and desired recoil level . Above about 10.0 you are getting above Unique's desired pressure envelope, and pressure curve starts shooting uo . If you want more power than 10.0 Unique , there are a metric crap load of medium-slow to slow powders ."

    Unique is correct. The 11.5 gn load I use is with Lyman 429215 bullets ( I checked my book:o) and is used in my '92 Rossi.

    For Kieth bullets (RCBS 250K is a real Kieth), I use them in .44 Special cases in front of 7.5 grains of Unique or 14 gns of 4227.

    IMHO, the .44 Mag is much more versatile than the .45 Colt. It is well documented that the .45 Colt does not like light loads as the case won't expand and pressures fluctuate. The .44 mag will run bullets from 205 through 310 grains (if your rifling will stabilize them) and just about all of them can be run light or hot and get good results.

    I still have both but shoot more of the .44's. ;)
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,590
    Glen Burnie
    Out of curiosity, why is it called the .44 Mag, and not the 43, or .429 Magnum, similar to how we describe the 357? Does anyone have a historical answer for that?

    Back to the subject, I like 9.0 grains of Unique under a 240 grain bullet - that seems to be very pleasant to shoot.
     

    BUFF7MM

    ☠Buff➐㎣☠
    Mar 4, 2009
    13,576
    Garrett County
    Out of curiosity, why is it called the .44 Mag, and not the 43, or .429 Magnum, similar to how we describe the 357? Does anyone have a historical answer for that?

    Back to the subject, I like 9.0 grains of Unique under a 240 grain bullet - that seems to be very pleasant to shoot.

    Not sure if this will help but from reading it it was a change of diameter around the 44 Russian start.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Russian
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,729
    Socialist State of Maryland
    The original .44 bullets were "heeled" bullets similar to the .22 Rimfire we shoot today. Most of it sat outside the case and they were .44 caliber. When they went to the type of bullets we used today, they had to make the diameter less as the bullet sat inside the case. At least that is how I remember it. The truth can be something else altogether. :rolleyes::lol:
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Started with .44 Russian, with a heeled, externally lubed bullet (like .22 LR).

    Went to an internally lubed bullet, which reduced diameter to .429. Case with lengthen for more powder capacity, making the .44 Special. Then lengthened again, mainly to avoid chambering in older, less strong pistols, to the .44 Magnum.
     

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