Last night I reloaded 100, 240 grain Keith style LSWCs in mixed brass with 9 grains of Unique and large pistol primers...basically a powder puff target load. I was shooting these in my S&W Model 29-5. Tonight I'm going to go up 1 grain to 10 grains.

These low powered loads are very accurate and clean and will probably handle anything I'm likely to run across here in the Ozarks.

I don't like shooting hot loads all the time, plus, I have lots of Unique and 240 grain cast bullets.

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USAF AMMO!

My standard load is a 240 grain Lead SWC over 10 grains of Unique. I shoot it out of my Ruger SBH.

If you have .44 Special cases, try the same bullet with 6 grains of Unique. That's my standard target load for the Ruger Flat Top Blackhawk.

I finally found some 44 Special brass and ordered it..I've been wanting to try them.

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USAF AMMO!

I have loaded many, many 429421s over 9.5 to 11.5 gr Unique for my 4, 44 Magnum handguns. Lower loads of Unique seem a bit dirtier but perform well. About 8 gr of Unique under a 240 gr. SWC in Special brass was a light, fun load...

In 44 Special cases the 6 grains of Unique is a classic load. Accurate easily out to 50 yards.

Thank you Sgt Rock, that was going to be my next question, if anyone had a favorite load for it..

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USAF AMMO!

Had a friend tell me one time that he understood the M29's would handle hot loads. But why beat up a Cadillac with the hot loads when a Chevy will do the same. He was referring to the Ruger Super Blackhawks. So I transitioned to moderate to lighter loads for my 29 and left the very robust loads to the SBH. The was well before the RedHawks were out.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I've been finding the older I get the more I'm into powder puffing. Plus like has been said why beat your guns up with full power stuff all the time?

I think that is true for many of us that have managed to live long enough that we no longer feel the need to prove anything.

Powder puff loads are anything 32 caliber.

In 44 Special 7.5 grains of Unique under a Keith 429421 at 250 grains is the classic load.

The .44 Special … The Perfect Load? - American Handgunner

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

I used to like shooting heavy magnum loads just for fun. The older I got and the more my hands hurt, the lighter loads seem to be much more to my liking...

I don't like getting old but ain't nuthin I can do about it...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

...a heavy bullet and a light load.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

My hands and wrist will not take the pounding for long anymore.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have a couple of lbs of Hodgdon's Titegroup powder and wondered about using it in the 44 magnum . Checking their website they listed a load of 5-10 grs with a 240 gr bullet . I have tried 10 in the past and felt it was too much boom-blast-recoil for what I got . This time I dropped down to 8 grs --- Bingo , we have a winner ! It could easily become my everyday carry load using H&G 503 ( Keith swc) . Very accurate , clean and enough power to let you know it can / will take of business if needed yet not over powerful . A real pleasure load . Regards Paul

One of my pet 44 mag loads is titegroup and 240 LSWC, mild. My H110/296 days are coming to an end.

Those are certainly not powder puff loads. Powder puffs would be more like 5 grains of Bullseye with the same bullet.

I think you would be surprised at how a 429421 will penetrate at the 6.5 to 7.5 gr speeds. I have never recovered one when I launched it at the 1000 fps threshold and I've killed quite a few white tails at some less than broadside angles. Faster launch speeds only make a deeper hole in the ground on the far side as long as the ranges are less than 100 yds.

I wouldn't consider 9.0 to 10.0 grains Unique behind a 240 grain cast LSWC bullet a "Powder Puff " load ... that bullet should be moving at around 900 to 1000 fps !
A 240 gr. bullet at 1000 fps ain't no powder puff ... let's call it a nice accurate mid-range load .
I totally agree with you ... they are accurate , less punishing to shooter and revolver , get the job done and much more enjoyable to shoot !
Unique and cast bullets go together like peanut butter and jelly .
Over the last 50 years I've worked up these kinds of loads in 357 magnum and 41 magnum with perfect satisfaction ... but lets not call them powder puff .
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

All mine have been eating that Skeeter load since way back when he was healthy.......My 696 and 720 get a little lighter dose.

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S&W Accumulator

I really never start with the goal of developing a load for target practice, but when developing something new and starting around or under a published starting load, I usually find something that works well before I get halfway to the max.

I have 2 favorite loads for my .44 spl N frames. The first is 7.5 gr of unique with the 240 gr lswc. This is good for 875 fps to 950 fps depending on barrel.

My absolute favorite is 15.0 gr of 2400 with that same bullet. This one gives 1000 fps to 1050fps.

In 44 Magnum with a 240 LSWC I would go 7 grains of Unique for a "powder puff" load.

9 grains of Unique with the same bullet is a true "mid-range" loading like the old Remington factory load.

I recently wanted to try a different load . I like the Skeeter load but didn't want to use special cases so I loaded the Keith swc over 7.5 grs of Unique in magnum cases . I seated the bullet over the front driving band to kind of / sort of duplicate the 44 special load . It was a real nice , accurate and comfortable load in my 4" 29-10 . Loading and shooting the 44 magnum using magnum cases , different powder loads just shows how versatile the 44 can be . Regards Paul

2 grains of Bullseye and a 100 grain boolit in the 380. Accurate. Doesn't cycle the action. Cases don't get lost in the grass.

Did I say it is accurate?

I don’t beat up any S&W with hot or heavy loads. What is the point of blowing excess lead & powder over the hill to punch paper at 50yds or less?
41-44-45s keep them right at 800-900fps. That ain’t powder puff, about Special level. Plenty good to take care of most needs. I do powder puff Target WC loads at 700-800fps. I still wouldn’t be afraid to shoot a deer at 50yds with these. Same goes for 357/38, cast WCs at low vel do well.

I use 5.6 grains of Bullseye with a 250 grain cast bullet, which gives 750 FPS of velocity. This is the the bullet and velocity required by the War Department when Colt was building the M1909 U.S.Army in 45 Colt. They considered it a good stopping round and it is accurate in my 1909 and my Model 25.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have to say - I do still like my real magnum loads in my 357 GP100.
That big chunk doesn't mind a bit. Doesn't hurt my hands either !!
As for the bigger calibers, no. No real mag loads these days. I have too
many miles on me !!

I'm with most you guys, mellow, accurate loads 90% of the time.
Every now and then I still get the urge to unleash the full house stuff. I load and shoot waaay more powder puff loads than full house stuff.

My standard load for more than 35 yrs. has been 7.5gr. of Unique with a 200gr. RNFP cowboy bullet, I shoot this load in both .44 Special and .44 Magnum.