Was checking on some loads for my S&W PC 44 magnum Light Hunter. I have some H110 and some Xtreme 240 grain plated bullets. Hogdon lists 23.0 grains of H110 up to 24.0 grains - has anyone used a bit more or less than this range?

Thanks!

I have used a lot of H110 in 44 mag. I use it mostly with 200 - 210 gr bullets as these are what shoots best in a couple of my guns. I did load some with 240s but couldn't get the accuracy out of them that I wanted. This was several decades ago and not with the bullet you are using. So, I don't see why you couldn't make it work so long as you are getting acceptable accuracy. I was/am using the 210s on Speed Goats and get all the penetration I need but if i was using it on bear of even pigs I might go bigger. I have no experience with either of those two critters.

I guess I am not fully understanding your question? Are you asking because you are using plated bullets? If so then read here. It is never recommended to go OVER the max load and with H110 you should also not go under. Although you will find data out there that is different than the Hodgdon data
They used a Nosler bullet which is a better bullet than any plated bullet.



Bullet/Load Info

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Still Running Against the Wind

In my experience, 23 to 24 grains is about right, but not with a plated bullet. I’m not sure a plated bullet is suitable for that velocity. Maybe others have tried it but I would look for a different powder/bullet combo.

A few years ago I loaded .44mag. cases with Hornady XTP 240 HP.
Powder was H110. I knew my Nephew would use them only from his Ruger SRH . So I maxed them to a 24.4 gr. charge. With no visible pressure signs/primer back out was nill.
We practiced , and got accurate and confidant enough to hunt with handguns only.
Went to an exotic game Ranch, where the Nephew bagged a Big Corsican Ram with the Ruger and my home rolled.
He hit that Ram after a slow stalk and Native American type crawl. Got about 45 yards, and let the power loose.
Ram never knew what hit him. Bang & Drop... Not a step.

(BTW. I bagged a feral Boar . 45-70 from my TC/Contender pistol ) .

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Dino in Pittsburgh's Rat Pack

Not a plated bullet, but with a Speer jacketed soft point (# 4457) in an 8 3/8" 29-3 I got 1375 fps with 25g of H-110, but noted it produced "sticky extraction".

In 2007 I added a note to reduce the load to 23 g of H-110 and noted "extraction clean". I also added a balistic chart from my Sierra Infinity Exterior Ballistics program based on 1300 fps, but can't find and notes from a cronagraph test to confirm how I arrived at 1300 fps. (I do have a cronograph.)

Also by 2007 I had added a 6" 29-3, and used both the 6" & 8" to hunt with. I can confirm both 29's with the 23grain load shoot completely through N.C. sized whitetail does on a broadside shot.

A going away shot through the ham stops under the front shoulder. (Wounded deer tracked and jumped.)

Not a plated bullet, but with a Speer jacketed soft point (#4457) in an 8 3/8" 29-3 I got 1375 fps with 25g of H-110, but noted it produced "sticky extraction".

In 2007 I added a note to reduce the load to 23 g of H-110 and noted "extraction clean". I also added a balistic chart from my Sierra Infinity Exterior Ballistics program based on 1300 fps, but can't find and notes from a cronagraph test to confirm how I arrived at 1300 fps. (I do have a cronograph.)

Also by 2007 I had added a 6" 29-3, and used both the 6" & 8" to hunt with. I can confirm both 29's with the 23grain load shoot completely through N.C. sized whitetail does on a broadside shot.

A going away shot through the ham stops under the front shoulder. (Wounded deer tracked and jumped.)

I liked H110 but with cast bullets, Keith SWC, 250 gr. I wouldn’t use plated bullets in H110 magnum level loads or in any magnum application. You need a firm roll crimp which would be better served using a cast bullet with a generous crimping groove.

I load my hunting rounds using XTP 240 grain over 23.5 H110. This is in my 629 Classic 8 3/8".

240 XTP 23.8 grains H110 629-3 hunter 6 inch

also used a 240 Speer Mag soft point with the same

load my 3 inch 629-6 with 23 grains H110 Speer 240 soft point or also HTP {chronographed at 1218 av 5 shot string}

I've never used plated bullets, so not sure about the viability with such a load.

Good Luck

I should have been more specific in my question - I'll be using this (H110 and Xtreme 240 grain plated flat point) for target work at the range. Is H110 a powder I can use a reduced load in for range use - example use 22.0 grains versus the minimum listed of 23.0? I've since read that H110 is not a good powder to try and use for reduced loads? It has a pretty tight range for it to operate properly?

Thanks

look at using 2400 or Unique . then you can reduce away and dial it in for comfort if that is your aim.

You could possibly back off to 22 grains, but you stand a chance of having erratic results too. There are better powders out there for reduced velocity range fodder, plus they would be more economical to load. There are many powders that will give good midrange results with 44 Mag.

cladd1 , you talk about using a " full " magnum powder for just target practice . Are you wanting to get used to shooting full magnum loads so will be shooting targets to get in the groove for accuracy ? If so then H-110 will definitely give you what you want . But if you are just wanting to get in some mid range target loads , or lower then H-110 is not your powder . Always use the proper powder for the velocity / power that you are wanting . Unique is a good place to start for mid range loads . If you want more power but not quite full magnum then I would look at Blue Dot , HS-6 and 2400 , if that was the only other powder I had . HS-6 really needs a " full " magnum primer for a more complete burn . I only use CCI-350 when needing a " full " magnum primer and not those " in between " primers like Winchester or Remington . Regards, Paul

OK....so I no way condone this load data, use this at your own risk.

With that said, I've loaded some Missouri Hi-Tek "44 Keith" projectiles to some serious heat with H110. Out of my 7.5" Super Redhawk, 24.5g of H110 produced an ave of 1508 fps, 24g and ave of 1458 fps. Both of those are rather miserable to shoot.

They are some serious hand slappers though.

For reference, 240g Hornady XTP over 24g of H110 came in at an ave of 1448 fps. The recoil from these is also massive.

Thanks so much for the great advice!

I've used 296 / H110 in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum loads, almost exclusively with cast bullets. Accuracy is virtually identical with #2400 powder, though you might give up a little velocity with the latter. There is considerably more leeway in varying the charge weight with #2400 and you can use a standard or magnum primer with #2400. I realize standard primers are usually recommended for #2400 loads and they generally work fine, but on occasion I've found magnum primers to provide slightly better accuracy.

With 296/ H110, I think magnum primers are always recommended. I've used standard primers and they work fine, but I'm not recommending that since the books (real paper kind, not YouTube or Internet) don't.

Also, with #2400, you don't have to deal with the horrendous blast and fireball produced by 296 / H110, unless you like that and some do.

H110 and W296 had a disclaimer to only use published loads and as a further check the start load should be the max load - no more than 3%.

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Front sight and squeeze

Many years ago I loaded the .30 Carbine with H110, and since all the loading manuals listed it for the .44 Magnum, I gave it a try.

My results were so positive, that ever since then for full-power loads H110 is all I use in the .44 Magnum.

For truly reduced loads, than NO it is not a good powder. But yes, you can use the Published start load which is not much of a reduction.
To further complicate things, the old 3% reduction is confusing. If you check all the different manuals and Hodgdon online line you will find MORE than a 3% reduction. Depends on what bullet, when it was tested etc etc.
For target work range use, No, H110 is not a good powder to start with unless you are young and have an iron grip Even the start load will get old after a while.

You can pick another powder and use half as much, enjoy shooting more and still have a fairly potent load.

Example Speer starts at 22gr
Hornady starts at 20.7
Lyman 22.5 or 23.5 depending on what bullet

Plus your bullet is not any of them.


Do you have any other powders???????????

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Still Running Against the Wind

Plated bullet and H110. Bad recipe. Go to 2400 and be happy. Usu 18 - 20.5 grains for a power target load.

I use Winchester mag/non mag primers with H110 (and some times 2400), they work fine. Sometimes I'll use CCI 300 primers with 2400, it also works just fine.

You're right on with the whole "H110 vs 2400" thing. H110 will more than likely get the bullet moving faster, but it comes with a price. Through my "hand dyno", H110 produces a sharp recoil impulse, with a large muzzle blast and high pitch report.

2400 is more of a hard thumper with a smaller muzzle flash and lower tone report, kind of a "ka-boom".

(again, load data disclaimer...this is my data).

Same Missouri 44 Keith Hi-Tec, 22.4g of 2400 produced a whopping 1614 fps average. WAY too fast for a lead projectile with no gas check (in my opinion)...but I lived to tell the tale as did my SRH. Like the others, those were a serious handful to shoot. I was flinching big time after just finishing 6 of those.


Exactly. I noted 19g of 2400 with that same projectile to be very good shooting and far more comfortable load.

Personally, I love 2400 and 44 magnum. My current favorite boomer is a 180g Hornady XTP over 25g of 2400. 26g gave me 1675 fps...not as fast I can push it along with H110, but it is very accurate and will turn heads at the range when you fire them off.

I used 29 grains with a 180 grain Sierra hollow cavity in my 8 3/8”
29-2. Accurate, no pressure signs. Only animate objects I ever shot were a woodchuck and a deer. It didn’t require a second shot.
HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD WORK UP TO THIS LOAD SLOWLY.

H110 is my favorite in all 3 Magnums(many .357s,a .41 and 2 of 3 .44s).Only one that goes otherwise,My 629 8 3/8 bbl(800X and Power Pistol).
I shoot 255 and 265gr cast(only)and they will be pushed with 22.3gr without any pressure sign.
I've shot a few 240gr cast with 23.0gr and the thing was halfway between my 265gr full loads(a little above 1300fps) and my 212gr medium loads(1200fps),pleasent almost soft shooting.
I got there from experimenting within what the books said;22gr H110 for a 240 is,according to some books a little less than what's recommended and from others at the bottom line.If you choose to try it,I'd say have somebody with reloading experience monitor the experience and make sure you use Magnum primers.Also doing your experiment in warm temp conditions will help as H110/W296 is a little temp sensitive.
Personnaly,I'd keep it at 23gr since you won't feel much of a recoil reduction between 22 and 23gr.

I know the OP mentioned H110. However, take those same plated bullets and seat them over about 8 grains of Unique, and you will have a target load that you can enjoy all day long.

Exactly, in magnum brass, I've been loading some Missouri Cowboy #3, which is a 240g in 12 hardness over 8-8.5g of Unique (Whatever my Dillon wants to throw that day, it sucks with Unique). It's a very nice shooting, accurate load that is a real *****cat in my SRH.

8.5g of Unique with a 240 SWC is what I use.

I've used 23.5grs of H110 behind a Hornady 240XTP for years on deer!

This gun has bagged a lot of deer since the mid 80s! The longest was 142yds.

This is two guys, two days, & two 44 Silhouettes using H110/240 XTP!
Use Mag primers ONLY and no reduced loads for practice! ! ! Pick another powder for practice and fun with your plated bullets.
jcelect

For target loads in the 44 magnum , using a 240 gr cast / plated bullet it's. hard to beat Elmer Keiths " everyday load " , 8.5 grs of Unique . If using fast powders , 6.5-7.0 of 700X , Red Dot , Titegroup etc works well . If I was using Green Dot , I would probably start with 7.5 grs . The 44 magnum case using a 240 gr bullet is an easy combo to reload for , fast or slower velocity . Regards Paul

I've gone down to 22gr under a 250lswc. The top end is up to your given revo, but 24gr is pretty much tip end for me. I prefer 2400, has more leeway & only gives up 50fps or so at the top end.

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