i load 44 magnum for a 629. i used to load 2400 a lot and haven't loaded pistol stuff for a LONG time. last time i did i used titegroup and wasn't thrilled thinking it smoked and was dirty.

i was looking for a powder i could use for reduced loads and in the manuals noticed they don't seem to like reduced loads in win296 or imp 4227. the 2400 seems OK to use for both 44 special as well as 44 mag.

i thought i'd just think outloud here and check out what i think to make sure i don't miss something. right now i'm thinking i'll use the new can of 2400 i have for general target use and for magnum loads go to 4227 because i hear it's a very accurate load.

i load both reduced and magnum loads in 44 mag brass and use win large pistol primers which they say are for both regular and magnum loads. for paper and bowling pin punchin i shoot penn bullets 240 grain wadcutters.

thanks to people for making sure i don't miss something, and for favorite loads with 2400, imr4227 and win296 feel free to pass em on. for both light and hot loads. after all, shooting the hot stuff is part of the fun of having a magnum....

hope ya'all had a nice turkey day....

Is there a question?

Yes ,Win LPP are for regular and Mag loads.

2400 can be downloaded.

H110/296 are exactly the same and require a magnum primer and should not be downloaded more than 3%

Never used 4227 so can not help you there.

I like 2400 better than the others I load more 357 Mag than 44 Mag.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I actually like Blue Dot for my 44 mag Mod 29 8 3/8".
I have used the others but kept going back the Blue Dot...

16.2 grains of Blue Dot has been my mainstay load with 240 grain bullets jacketed and cast with gas checks. I have loaded down to 13.0 grains in 44mag and also 44Spl with the Blue Dot...

My latest test with the Lyman Devastator 260 Cast HP w/gas check over the 16.2 grain load adv. 1370 fps and are very accurate. The 20 yr old Speer 240gr cast Sil. w/gas check adv.1360 fps.

The very first loads I loaded with Dupont IMR4227 full loads busted the casings, but they were old cases and brittle.

I forgot to mention... One reason I used to use and like 2400 was 40 years ago was when I first started loading a pretty experienced reloader gave me the tip of using a powder that filled the case up pretty well and if if I made the mistake of over filling accidenly it would show up because the powder would overflow the case... A pretty good tip still. I still like it and stick with my old rock crusher single stage. It's slower, but it's trusty. I've stepped up to a chargemaster combo instead of my original set of lee powder scoops but still throw each load... but I like powders that fill the case up pretty well. One of the reasons I always was tentative about the tire group. I know it's a good powder and Economical but that visual check is something I like. And being able to use it for light loads is nice too.

I'm glad to hear that after 40 plus years and with all the good new powders there's still folks who use and like 2400. I had a long break from reloading and shooting because I got run over by an 18 wheeler, and after 48 operations to put me back together and over 10 years in a wheelchair I try hard to be safe. I basically broke every bone I have and don't want to break any of em again...

I use all three, and more.

For the 44 mag I find W296/H110 to be superior, but it can not be downloaded - magnum only.

4227 is OK, but not optimum and doesn't perform as well as W296 in terms of velocity.

2400 is the do-all be-all and I'd highly advise it for your purposes.

H110 / 296 don't cotton well to being reduced
2400 is far more forgiving but i suspect that it won't come down quite as far as you might like.
4227 .. never cared for the stuff as it never really burned all that well in the 44
I think what you might be looking for to build a medium warm round is good old unique.
44 magnum loads built on Unique and a 200 - 240 grain bullet makes for a something hotter than a 44 special, yet still quite pleasant to shoot.

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it just needs more voltage

I'll second the call for using Unique. The only thing I use IMR 4227 in, anymore, is 22 Hornet.

I have always liked h110 and w296 for full power 44 mag loads but they seem to cause more flame cutting than certain other powders. 2400 is a close second in performance.

They are 67, 72, and 76 in the burn rate charts, in that order, if it helps any. 2400 has worked well for a long time.

I've always had great luck with 2400 under hard-cast (quenched WW) Keith bullets in .357 and .44 loaded just short of max. I load 14.5 in the .357 using the Lyman 358429 and seat/crimp at the shoulder, it's too long for most cylinders when seated at the groove.
The 429421 over 18.5 of 2400 in a .44 mag case or 16-16.5 in the .44 special.

All three loads are wicked accurate from every Smith or Ruger I've tried them in. .44 mag revolvers have shot the .44 special or magnum cases equally well (I don't shoot stuff that hot in a .44 special.)

I used CCI magnum primers for anything approaching magnum loads most of my life, until switching to WLPs in the .44s. I haven't noticed any difference except the CCIs did not like reduced Wolf springs in a Redhawk.

I don't hunt much anymore, so I don't load all-out magnums, but for that I used H110. IIRC, 21.8 grains under the LBT 280 WFN gas check. I learned not to test my .44 mag hunting revolvers at less than 100 yards, and that load printed 5 rounds in 4" from a braced sitting position.

I never tried it, but I believe it would have penetrated a whitetail end-to-end.

My pet load for 629 is 18.5grs of 2400 250gr swc cast boolit. Off my pistol rest at 50yrs groups are 2 inches or under open sights.