44 mag

[machinegunjohn]

Im new to reloading, I bought (from a friend) 1 pound 2400, 1 pound h110, 1 pound herco
I also bought 500 245gr cast lswc bullets.

I want to load medium strength loads for my 629-4
I cant find alot of info for these 3 powders with the bullets I have. Is it unsafe to use 240g load data or 250g load data? When I work up these loads, how do I know when enough is enough? thanks

 

[valkyriekl]

From reading my reloading data, generally, for the same bullet type and differing weights, the higher the weight of the bullet, the lower the charge of powder, because the heavier bullet has more mass and therefore more inertia, and so takes more time to get moving than a lighter bullet, and therefore the pressure will be maintained with a heavier bullet.

For example, I load my 240gr LSWC bullets with 18.5gr of 2400 powder, and that's the lowest listed in my Lyman 49th manual--it's definitely a magnum load, but not near as atomic as some I've shot. If I were to go with a 250gr LSWC bullet, I'd probably start a little lower. I don't know how much lower, but I'm certain that 18.5gr behind the 250 would still be a medium-strength magnum load.

As for the other powders you've listed, I don't have any experience with them...

When enough is enough? When the bullet does what you want it to do. For me, the 18.5gr 2400 is plenty; I don't hunt, I just like punch paper and to beat up my hands occasionally. I'll bet it could do a good amount of damage against an animal, but maybe not as much as a heavier charge of that powder, or perhaps a different powder with different burn characteristics (the H110 you have listed is supposed to be slower than the 2400, and so requires the use of a magnum primer to light it off...it burns longer and develops more pressure and so more velocity), or perhaps with a different bullet (I might be looking at a heavier bullet for more penetration...not really applicable against a paper target). If you stay within load specs in the manual (especially a modern one that's been lawyer-ized), you should be OK.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

The original Keith load was 22 grains of 2400 under a 250 Lyman 429421 cast swc, with standard primers. It gave approx 1400 fps.
Today 2400 will do the same thing with 21 grains, so it is a little faster than it once was. There is debate on that, but the original load was checked by more than one powder company or gun manufacturer for velocity, so it wasn't just a guess on Keith's part.

18.5 grains under the 240-250 grain cast swc in the magnum case is a mid-range load. It is a top end load though, when used in the .44 special case.

John Taffin lists 8.5 grains of Herco under a 240 grain Oregon Trail cast swc,for 931 fps from a 6.5" M-29, in his book Big Bore Handguns, in the chart on page 83. That is a nice mid-range load.

24.5 grains of H-110 is generally listed as a max load under the 240 jhp, so it will work as well under the 240-250 grain cast swc. It will give a little higher velocity from the lead bullet, due to less resistance going down the bore, and will also do it with lower pressure than when using a jhp.

I have used all of these loads many times except for the Herco load. I can tell you that they perform as advertised across the chrono when used in guns with 6"-6.5" barrels.

 

[OKFC05]

24.5 grains of H-110 is generally listed as a max load under the 240 jhp, so it will work as well under the 240-250 grain cast swc. It will give a little higher velocity from the lead bullet, due to less resistance going down the bore, and will also do it with lower pressure than when using a jhp.

The old data I have shows this as max with a 240gr lead bullet at 38,000PSI.
Not saying it won't work, just saying data differs and assumptions with H110/296 are not always safe.
Added:
H110/296 is not a good powder to start low and work up or experiment with. Much less than a full load can give a stuck bullet and erratic performance in general. This powder is good for max or near-max magnum loads, and not much else.

 

[sonny]

I want to load medium strength loads for my 629-4

What do you want to do with these loads? Paper target work @ 10-50 yards? Or shoot whitetail deer? Or bear? Black or grizzly?
Let us know these things and we'll be happy to help you as best we can.
Sonny

 

[sonny]

Is it unsafe to use 240g load data or 250g load data?

You have 245 grain bullets. The 240 or 250 grain data is fine, particularly when you are using mid-range and not full-power loads. As a beginning reloader, I would suggest you stay away from full power until you've loaded and fired 500 rounds or so. By then you'll know what you want. And don't just sit and load 100 rounds of one recipe. What is it's too hot or hurts your hands? Load maybe 5 or 10 using this powder charge, and maybe another 5 or 10 rounds using a slightly hotter powder charge, maybe 5% hotter. Then, when you get there, where you have a comfortable recoiling load that performs to your satisfaction, then you can load 50 or 100 at a time if you like. But since you have multiple brands of powder, it may be quite a while before you load a bunch of any one recipe. Remember, start at the low end of a recipe.
For mid-range, you'll probably be loading recipes that show 1000-1100 feet per second for your weight bullet. This is plenty hot enough to do most hunting, including black bear. For target and familiarization purposes, I would suggest loads of 850-950 feet per second.
Sonny

 

[Skip Sackett]

Im new to reloading, I bought (from a friend) 1 pound 2400, 1 pound h110, 1 pound herco
I also bought 500 245gr cast lswc bullets.

I want to load medium strength loads for my 629-4
I cant find alot of info for these 3 powders with the bullets I have. Is it unsafe to use 240g load data or 250g load data? When I work up these loads, how do I know when enough is enough? thanks

Hey John,
Welcome to the forum!
The three powders you have are great for loads in the 44Mag. They are just for different type of loads.

My first caution is this: "I'm new to reloading" means one thing, there is a lot to learn. Nothing wrong with that, all of us are still learning. First thing is this, stay within published data. Get a Lyman #49 and use the loads listed. Start at the bottom of the data for the bullet you have and work toward the maximum load in even increments, you pick. Stop if the report is unusually loud or soft, the cases won't come out of the cylinder or the primers are especially flattened or pierced.

For the loads you want to make, Herco is going to be your best bet. None of them are going to give you "cream puff" loads and still work consistently. Powders have preferred pressure ranges they like to work best in.

Do not go below the starting loads on any of the powders you have. H110/W296 loaded too light will not give you enough pressure to push the bullet out of the barrel. If you chase a stuck bullet with a live one, bad things happen!

For Herco and 2400 loads go here: Alliant Powder - Home

For H110 data go here: http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Using data for the 250gr LSWC or the 240gr LSWC will work.

This isn't the place nor the person to have a discussion about 2400 being the same or not. He is trying to get his first loads figured out so he can go shooting.

John,
Until you get some time loading under your belt, stick with new published data. Or at least data from the same time frame your powder is from.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

The old data I have shows this as max with a 240gr lead bullet at 38,000PSI.
Not saying it won't work, just saying data differs and assumptions with H110/296 are not always safe.
Added:
H110/296 is not a good powder to start low and work up or experiment with. Much less than a full load can give a stuck bullet and erratic performance in general. This powder is good for max or near-max magnum loads, and not much else.

I took that from the average of three different manuals spanning approx 15 years time frame.

Hornady IV shows 24.9 max with 240 jacketed/H-110
Hodgdon #26 shows24.0 max 240 jacketed/H-110
Speer #10 shows 24.4 max 240 jacketed/H-110

John Taffin, in his book Big Bore Handguns, shows 24.5 grains od 296 (which we all know is the exact same powder) with the 240 jacketed bullet on page 83.

I agree that using these powders ( H-110/296) for less than near max to max loads is not a good idea.

 

[machinegunjohn]

thanks for all the help guys, really appreciate it.
Im glad i joined the forum!

 

[sonny]

Gun 4 Fun and SmithCrazy have both posted concerning the dangers of "too-light" loads with H110 powder. As those fellows mentioned, H110 is used for powerful loadings, with similar recoil, and I don't think this is where you want to be at this stage of your learning curve.
In my earlier post, I cautioned you to start at the low end of the recipe. This advice fits those proven commercial sites or recent loading manuals that include both "starting" and "maximum" load recipes for the same powder, bullet, primer, where the powder grains is the only variable. In any case, here it is from the horse's mouth: i.e. from the Hodgdon site.
"Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%."
I did, on one occasion, get too light of a H-110 load and stuck a bullet in my barrel. It was easily removed, as the primer only pushed it into the barrel's forcing cone, without igniting the powder charge at all. The real danger lies in someone then trying to fire the gun again without removing the stuck bullet from the barrel. This then results in a large problem for the gun, and possibly the shooter as well.
DO NOT make this mistake.
Sonny

 

[canoe on the yukon]

I don't believe there is a powder that is more misunderstood than H110/W296.

It is not versatile and it's not meant to be.It operates best when used within a certain volume and pressure range.Most of the problems associated with it occur when someone tries to make it "versatile" by reducing loads in order to have mild loads with it.

Can loads be reduced?...Yes.......Can they be reduced a lot?....No

How much?.....Hodgdon says no more than 3% while Winchester says none at all.Speer says no more than 10%.Sierra and Hornady list starting loads far below that.

Personally,I would not use less than 22 grains behind the 240 jacketed bullet in the 44 magnum and then work up from there (and then not pass 24 grains).Hodgdon says 3% and yet the 23 grains they suggest is closer to 6% below their suggested max.

Attempting to make mild loads with it is foolish but if one wants full or near full power,it's wonderful.The proper use of it is not rocket science and should not be the subject of so much myth and hoopla.

 

[fredj338]

Im new to reloading, I bought (from a friend) 1 pound 2400, 1 pound h110, 1 pound herco
I also bought 500 245gr cast lswc bullets.

I want to load medium strength loads for my 629-4
I cant find alot of info for these 3 powders with the bullets I have. Is it unsafe to use 240g load data or 250g load data? When I work up these loads, how do I know when enough is enough? thanks

As the other guys noted, H11o is not the powder of choice for medium loads, it's full power or nothing. It's one reason I like 2400 a bit better. Yes, I can't get quite as much vel. as H110, but 2400 is more flexible. Herco will do a great job as well w/ lighter to med. lead bullet loads. It's slightly slower burning than Unique. THe current Speer goe sto 11gr under a 250grLSWC. I would use that as the max. for Herco as well & there should be a small margin of safety.