I have loaded my 44 mags like this:
240g hornady xtp
win primer
23g win 296
These are really arse kickers and fun to 'feel 44 mag power'. Book says 22-24g, but now am loading all the way down to 17g for comfy shooting, and they still let you know that you are shooting magnum rounds. Anybody else load their mag rounds down below book specs for easy shooting?

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Loading down with powders like W296 and H110 is really not good of an idea. Handloading manuals are full of warnings about going below published with these powders.

For reduced loads you might consider going to a powder like Unique. Try 7.5-8 grains with a 240 or 250 bullet. Nice load. not hand on the hands.

WW296 works best at full to almost max loads. Dropping down that much could be asking for 'issues' with ignition or perhaps a hang fire.
check Hogdon's web page about loading this powder.

Yep I do the same thing with Lil gun powder. I think the range for 240 grain bullets is 18 to 20 so I load her up with about 17 grains. Just like you say its not full blast but good enough to know you are still lighting off a magnum. Of course mainly shooting 44spl most of the time(very mild Trail Boss powder) but got to bust out the Mag. loads every now and then.

If you want a light shooting load for the .44 Mag try 6.9 grains of Trail Boss. But I sure would not go too low on the W296

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USAF Retired/VN Vet

I am with you on the top loads. Hornady and 296 are super in 44 mag. I use 12 grains of 2400 with a good flat base bullet for light accurate loads. They dont feel light in a snubby. The XTP is the most accurate bullet for me with a warm load.

I guess I don't understand why you would down load a certain powder that is specifically only for " full " magnum loads knowing that it gets erratic below published levels ?
If you want nice mid range loads or slightly above , just switch to a faster burn rate powder . 8.0 grs of HP 38 / W231 is a real nice everyday carry load with 240 gr bullets . 8.5-9.0 grs of Unique makes real nice loads . The powder shortage is over , so Gentlemen , I suggest the proper powder for the performance level you are seeking . Let's keep it safe out there !

What is the danger in loading Winchester 296 lower?

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All the reload books say do not go below. I have a 70 Winchester manual that states <DO NOT REDUCE THESE LOADS> only on 296. IMR 4227 fills the case on 44 mag and does the same job and you can reduce that but use a mag primer.

Read and heed:

What are the facts on reduced H110 loads

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

The powders I use suggest min and max. I load to min for target shooting. Seems to easy.

From what data I have seen on the lower speed (magnum level) powders they recommend to not reduce more than 10%. I have tried using hp38 and universal up in 7 to 9 grain range and cases expand too much making for difficult extracting. Hence either trail boss for low velocity and most shooting and lower range mag. powder for occasional blast from the past! Been working just find now I wouldn't try to use half of a load of those slower powders that would be just asking for trouble. I spoke with and had a thread on here about Hodgdon Lil gun. The information directly from customer service is to use the Magnum level powders with heavier bullet combinations and there is (no free lunch) as you are going to get flame cutting and throat erosion using max loads all the time.

I do load off max, why beat the gun to poop. I would NOT download w296/h110 that low though. You do risk a misfire, especially in colder weather or if your crimp isn't right, been there done that. A medium burner like Unique, Universal, PP, etc will give you better midrange loads. Softer shooting, cleaner burning & cheaper too.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

HP38 makes WONDERFUL pleasure plinking loads for .44 mag/spl.
Please save the 296 for master blaster loads!
Nobody is sure why some light loads with 296 blew up some guns...but it did! (could even have been squibs followed by good ignition?)

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Science plus Art

For reduced loads in magnum cases, I load a 250g cast SWC over 7g W231/HP38. Duplicates a stout 44Spl.

My go-to magnum is a cast 265g SWC over 22g H110/W296. It does penetrate.

True Keith bullet and 8.8 gr. Power Pistol. Standard primer.

Dan

I load with unique. In a magnum case half way between special max and mag min.

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby

As you already see downloading W296/H110 is a bad idea. I curious as to why you would drop so low below the Starting charge weight? There are good reasons why they supply starting load data.

If you want to load lighter load change to a medium burn speed powder. Powders like Longshot, AA#7, HS-6 and the like will deliver lighter loads safely.

My 3 favorite handgun powders are W231/HP-38, W540/HS-6 and W296/H110. I use all three in the .357 Magnum depending on the type of load I want to build.

Don't go below normal starting charge weights to produce lighter loads, change powders instead.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Not to mention, when you use the correct powders for light loads you are burning far less powder, which makes for better reloading economics

8.5 grs Universal and 240 gr SWC cast - was a fun plinking load - about 950 fps in my old Model 29 (sold, sadly)

I've used a load with a 240 SWC and 8.5 grains of Unique for over 30 years.

Many years ago, the late Hal Swigget convinced Federal to market a medium power load for the 44 Magnum. It was a 240 grain lead bullet @1000 fps. To develope the load he used a lead bullet and 8.8 grains Unique.

I miss his writings.

Dan

Most of what I shoot in the .44 Magnum are reduced loads. However, I use Unique or Blue Dot.

I put together some ammo with a 200 gr. double ended wadcutter and IMR 800X , and it was target pistol accurate in my Contender, with recoil like a .38 Special.

Like everyone else has stated, there are better powders for reduced loads than 296.

My 44mag range load for punching holes in paper

44 Magnum case(Hornady,R-P,Star-Line)
240gr Hard Cast Bullet(Summers Enterprises)
5.0gr Bullseye powder
S&B LPP
1.600" OAL

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Yup 5 grains of Bullseye is what I use as well. Shooting more than a couple cylinders of full on magnum loads out of my SBH just doesn't work for me anymore. Plus my wife can handle it as well and enjoys shooting it now.

I like a 240 grain SWC and 10 grains of Unique.

7.5 gr Universal with 200gr LRN. ~ 950fps from 6" ported Taurus M44

10.5 gr HS-6 with 240gr LSWC. ~ 1000fps from 7.5" Super Blackhawk Hunter

Both very accurate, very easy shooting. These are my standard everyday shooting loads.

My favorite "plinking" load:

Starline .44 magnum brass
Fed Lg Pistol primer
8 grains of HP-38
240 grain flat nose Berry's plated bullet.
Medium crimp

It's a mild magnum, accurate, and very clean shooting. The brass drops right out of the cylinder and is clean as it was when you slid them in. Just a nice fun load that wont beat up your hands, or your gun.

I think you will find few comrades in loading down 296 to that extent. I follow the advice to use Unique, which to me means that BE-86 is a candidate as well, with Alliant providing data for it, including lead. Using 44 Special data (in mag cases) toward the max end is an option too.

Okay, I am listening to the wisdom in this thread and I'm going to use Winchester 231 and load up some light Magnums with that. As far as what Steves reloading Pages say I can load anywhere from 5.5 grains all the way to 11.2 grains. I checked also other reloading pages and they all seem to agree with this load range. I think I will start at 8 grains and do a couple increments up to 10 grains and see how that works for me.


429p_3_240

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Yeah doesnt get much better than 8-9gr of unique, 240-250gr lswc for plinking.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

ok, I am setting aside the w296 for full loads only. I have plenty of w231 available, and some BE to use for more passive mag loads. Any preference between the two, from you folks?

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In reloading the bullet is usually the most expensive component and the powder the least expensive.That's not to say you shouldn't look for loads that meet your needs and use less powder than other choices.

The 5.0gr of Bullseye under a 240gr hard cast SWC bullet from Summers Enterprises and an S&B primer loading in the 44mag case is frugal,fun to shoot and accurate.I make them to the 1.600" OAL with a medium rolled crimp in the groove.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Start with 7 gr w231 and work up to maybe 8, 9. That is a fast burner and I would be very cautious loading 11.2 gr. in that. You may get peak pressure and not a fun plinking load. My books say you will be approaching 40K above 11 gr.

I like Trail Boss at 90% fill and find better consistency with magnum primers.

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Foster Positivity.

For steel targets at close range, 180 gr. DEWC with 5.5 gr. AA#2. Pulverizes the bullet except for a little bit of the base that's squashed flat as shimstock.
For a load that's a step above SAAMI compliant 44 Sp or 45 ACP but doesn't have magnum kick or blast, 7.5 gr of AA 2 with 240 cast bullet. Good for about 1000 fps.

NOTE: 9.0 gr of AA 2 is a MAX load with the 240 gr bullet so all precautions must be taken to prevent double charging.

Are you sure that the terms "44 mag" and "pleasure" belong in the same sentence?

I've never shot a 44 magnum, but it is nice to know that it can be loaded down to a manageable state.

I have loaded many rounds in a 44 magnum case in the 44 special load categories and don't have a problem finding the formulas to do it. What I am looking for is sort of a magnum feel in power but not quite as hefty as loading it with Winchester 296 at 23 grains. My manual say that using Winchester 231 to go anywhere between 8 and 11 grains. But 11 grains is too much feet per second for my plated bullet. But I think 8 - 10 grains we'll keep it below 1250 feet per second. I think I will try 10 rounds at each 9 grains, 10 grains, 11 grains.

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7gr WW 231 gets the nod for me with a 240 gr hard cast SWC.
Runs around 850 fps and is fun in a 6 1/2" 629 Classic.
Just finished loading a batch.

FWIW, I load 200gr plated or coated RNFPs over AA#2.

For light loadings I use around 5.3gr - which is in the middle of the 44spl range (5.1gr-5.6gr).

For "almost magnums" I've used up to 6.2gr - about 10% over the upper end of the 44spl load range. But I worked my way up to that level. It works well in my 44 magnums, but YMMV.

I don't down-load W296 or H110. Too many good sources recommend against it. There are plenty of other powders better suited to light loads.

BE is really only for light loads, w231 is a bit better but if you want 240-250gr at 1000fps, you want a medium burner, unique up to HS6 or so.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

2400 is another one which has a wide range, suitable to load below max and suitable for mag as well as spcl. What you are describing sounds like 12 - 14 gr. 2400 to me under a 240 gr bullet.

titegroup is another fine powder for reduced loads.

I've shot thousand of 44 mag. loads with 10 grains of Unique and Elmer's bullet. Very accurate in all of my 44 mag. revolvers and a pleasure to shoot.

You might take a look at Alliants Power Pistol . It has received great reviews from magazine writers like Brian Pierce ( Handloader mag) . It is just a tad slower in burn rate than Unique . Supposedly works well in many calibers , specials up to magnums .

6.5 gr Red Dot gives me 975 fps out of a 6" gun with the 429421.

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Front sight and squeeze

Elmer Keith opined his favorite bullet (429421) and loads, "So loaded this bullet is superbly accurate with any load, from a light target load of 5 grains Bullseye, to a heavier target load of 8.5 grains of Unique"

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Like Oysterer I have reduced 2400 and been happy. Not as low as he has. It seems very tolerant.

I found these in 44 special recipes. Maybe hornady or my favorite Sierra book.

Also Taffin wrote an interesting article on 41 special. Almost same cartridge as 44 spc. He said 12 gr 2400 was best and that happens to work really well in 44 spc cases es well.

This weekend I went with Carrier's suggestion of 5gr bullseye under a 240 jsp. I had low expectation and thought that would be a little light but wow. Loved that load. So accurate. Thanks! Will experiment some more w Bullseye and very light plinking loads.

Took my brand new 29-2 out for the first time with some 44 spc: obligatory 2400, some nice HS-6 loads, W231.

I love Bullseye for the 38 spc and made some up.

But that
5 gr. Bullseye under Nosler 0.429 240gr JSP
Wow, that worked- most accurate by far.

The 29-2 has large throats, I will go get some hard cast 0.432 and take it from there. But will experiment w Bullseye some more for sure.