.44 target load

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Jersey Doug

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A while back was here looking for a 38 special target load for my M-14 S&W (8 3/8). Thanks to the help I found now shoot the Hornady 148 wadcutter with 2.7 Bullseye (as recommenced) was as simple as that to get the accuracy looking for.

I'm hoping for advice again on a similar simple target combination for my M-29 in .44 special ? Looking to make tight groups a 25 yards.
 
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Low recoil, as well? 8-9 grains of Unique in .44 Magnum brass is moderate and accurate. Lately I've been toying with 5.0 grains of Titegroup (again, Magnum brass) under a 240-grain LSWC. It makes nice groups, and my double-action trigger-squeezer gets tired long before my recoil buffers do.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that, 25 yards and under, it's hard to impossible to come up with a .44 load that most would deem inaccurate, unless you literally tried to pick an unsuitable combination.
 
I wanted a target load...

... for .44 magnum. I was going to use Bullseye, but I thought how tiny the charge looked in a .44 case. I used Unique with a 230 gr coated Missouri SWC. I don't remember exactly what the load was but it was pretty light at about 800 fps. Something under 6 grains, I think.
 
Pretty much any bullet in the 180gr to 240gr weight range and 6.0gr to 6.5gr of clays.

My 25yd bullseye 44mag load.
Odat3uD.jpg


2.5gr of clays pushing a 148gr hbwc in the 38spl's will do the same thing, namely shoot bugholes.
 
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In my 29-3, I have had great results with commercially made hard cast 240 grain lead semi-wadcutter bullets over 9 grains of Unique ignited by a Winchester large pistol primer in 44 Magnum brass.
 
I used a Model 29 in bullseye for a couple of years. A 240 grain SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique, in a magnum case, won a lot of matches for me.
 
Had really good luck with .200 grain cast over 5.8 grains of 231 in .44 Special cases in my Model 29 and Triple Lock. Very mild and accurate.
 
ALL IN MAGNUM BRASS! 215 gr TFP and 8 gr. Unique is very accurate and mild! My 629 2" is too much for me to handle with factory 240's so I use 240 SWC and 10 gr Unique . Manageable and accurate Upper mid-range. Out of 8 3/8 29 or super 14 Contender the 8 gr load is super mild!

Ivan
 
Elmer Keiths " target load " (he called it his gallery load ) was 5.0 grs of Bullseye using his 245 gr swc , in a magnum case . That should work well with 240 gr commercial cast bullets as well . His " mid range " load for everyday carry was 8.5 grs of Unique . Hope this helps , Regards, Paul
 
Want to thank everyone for their input. Have the matching powder and primers mentioned, will have to order bullets. Will post results after get to the range.
 
7.0 of IMR 700X using a 240-250 gr bullet is another real nice everyday load in a magnum case . 6.0 in a 44 special case . I got those loads from an article that Mike Ventorino wrote in Hand Loader magazine . Red Dot will work well also , same 7.0 load in magnum case , 6.0 in a special case .
 
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Green Dot is what I've used for many years with my own cast boolits in .44 mag cases. That was after I had discussed it's use in the .44 mag with an Alliant(formerly Hercules) tech rep. He told me that "Green Dot is one of the best kept secrets in loading for the .44 mag". Of course we were talking loads in the 700 to 1100fps range, not magnum loads. Take any load listed for Unique, and drop it by approximately 1grain, and use Green Dot. The velocity will be very very close to the same, accuracy will be the same, but you will use less powder and thus it will be cheaper to load. During powder shortages that we have all experienced lately, Green Dot was always available here in the Pacific Northwest.
I load on a Dillon Square Deal B, and it's powder measure throws charges of Green Dot that are no more that .1g +-. YMMV.
 
Benchrest1 said:
Another vote for 8.5 grains of Unique in a mag case. That's been my go to load for over 30 years.
Click to expand...

Ditto!

Another 44 Mag case target load that's works well for me from my old Mag-Na-Ported 6" 629 is...

10.6 grains Accurate #7 under a quality hard cast 240 gr. LSWC

Chronographs an Average: 870 fps ES:18 SD:7
 
I have loaded several thousand rounds of 44 special brass with 5 grains of Bullseye under a 240 lswc coated bullet and have found that load to be WAY more accurate than I could ever be. And its mild enough for the wife to enjoy shooting my model 629.
 
Those over .40 revolver calibers are such that I now came to a conclusion that if you have a good quality bullet,you have to work hard to find a target load that doesn't group well.
In your .44 a WC,SWC or RNF of between 180 to 225 gr topping a small charge of any quick burning powder will give sub 2'' @25 yds without difficulty.
 
Five to six grains of Clays under a 200gr bullet in a 44 mag case will be very difficult to beat. The only issue you may have is running out of rear sight adjustment to zero elevation with the long tube and slow bullet. In other words, the rear sight not go low enough.
 
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I've been using 5.0g of Bullseye with a 240 grain SWC. I had a lot of Bullseye around during the big shortage so it became my go-to for light loads. I just switched out the lead swc's for plated. They both shoot into the same hole all day long.
 
Many years ago when the NRA used to publish load data which was not a rehash of manufacturers data the mild target load in 44 Special was a 185 gr. lead wadcutter cast bullet, 4.5 gr. Bullseye for 850 fps.
 
TSQUARED said:
Many years ago when the NRA used to publish load data which was not a rehash of manufacturers data the mild target load in 44 Special was a 185 gr. lead wadcutter cast bullet, 4.5 gr. Bullseye for 850 fps.
Click to expand...

Exactly. My go-to target load for my 696 is the Lyman 429348 over 4.5 grains Bullseye.
429438loaded-1_zpsa08a4275.jpg

Not my image, but they all look the same.
Mine goes 720 FPS in the 696.
Amazingly accurate in a 3" revolver.
Use this for my club's "short barrel" defender pistol matches.
Various targets from 10 to 25 yards, occasionally out to 50.
 
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Can't have enough wc's for the 44cal's. These are the main 5 that I cast/use. The 220gr bullet pictured below is actually a hbwc, the rest are wc's.
iMopAGs.jpg


A couple of years back I took a beater (truck gun) 629 classic with a 6 1/2" bbl and did testing with 5 different bullets with several different powders. I was looking for plinking loads that would do mogb (minute of golf ball) @ 25yds, or hold the 10-ring, 1 1/2" groups. Didn't take long with the 44mag brass/629 combo to come up with a couple "plinking" loads, 13 to be exact.
BAyAIIY.jpg


The 44cal's are extremely accurate, I consider these 25yd/44spl loads junk. Those wc bullets can do better.
XJcadre.jpg
 
If you want more of a " true " wadcutter load ? In a magnum case load 3.5 grs of Bullseye powder and load those 240 gr swc's " backwards " with the base of the bullet showing . Seat the bullets full depth till the base is even with the case mouth . I have shot these @ 20 yds with real accuracy . Makes a great target load . I suggest a bench rest or sand bags to really enjoy the accuracy . Regards, Paul
 
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