Best powder for 44 mag 240gr LSWC target Loads

[BC38]

I have 6 different powders in my cabinet to choose from. So I'd like to see what the consensus is on which is best for clean shooting moderate power target loads. Most will be shot from a 3" barrel.
Here's the list from fastest to slowest. Pick the one you've used and like the best.
See my similar poll for loading 357 mag

 

[Snapping Twig]

7g 231 in a magnum case = a useful 44Spl @ 850 ~ 900fps.

 

[lscocoa]

7.5 grs. Unique in a magnum case a nice mid range load .

 

[gboling]

None of the above!

 

[rwsmith]

TARGET load?

For a TARGET load, Bullseye all the way.

For mid range, I'd go with Unique.

 

[BC38]

None of the above!

Care to elaborate? I don't plan on adding another powder to my bench, but I'm still curious.

 

[SLT223]

Care to elaborate? I don't plan on adding another powder to my bench, but I'm still curious.

I suspect he's thinking "Magnum" because of the title of your thread. None of the powders you listed are appropriate for "Magnums" because they burn too fast.

With the powders you listed, you can make some extremely accurate, all day shooting, .44 target loads.

Bullseye, Unique, and 231 will all work quite well. For target shooting, why not back down to 200gr slugs in your .44 Mag cases?

One issue I've run into with longer barrel 44's is that you can't get the rear site low enough to shoot 240gr slugs point of aim-point of impact in the low velocity target loads. Going to 200gr solves this problem...and saves some money on bullets as they cost less.

On Friday I brought 600 rounds to the range. 300 .357 (really .38 target loads in .357 brass), and 300 .44 Mags (really .44 Special in .44 MAgnum brass)

The powders I ran were Bullseye, 231, and Unique. I used 5.5gr, 7.0gr, and 7.5gr respectively under Xtreme 200gr plated slugs. All worked very well. I was most pleased with the Bullseye loads. Very light recoil in a 4" 629-1...felt like a .38. At 10 yards the group of 100 rounds was slightly larger than a gold ball.

You're on the right track for target loads. I would suggest trying some different bullet weights. Xtreme has free shipping going on right now, which kinda makes them the best deal at this moment.

 

[BC38]

I suspect he's thinking "Magnum" because of the title of your thread. None of the powders you listed are appropriate for "Magnums" because they burn too fast.

With the powders you listed, you can make some extremely accurate, all day shooting, .44 target loads.

Interesting. So even Power Pistol is too fast for good Magnums - even in a 3 inch barrel?

Bullseye, Unique, and 231 will all work quite well. For target shooting, why not back down to 200gr slugs in your .44 Mag cases?

One issue I've run into with longer barrel 44's is that you can't get the rear site low enough to shoot 240gr slugs point of aim-point of impact in the low velocity target loads. Going to 200gr solves this problem...and saves some money on bullets as they cost less.

On Friday I brought 600 rounds to the range. 300 .357 (really .38 target loads in .357 brass), and 300 .44 Mags (really .44 Special in .44 MAgnum brass)

The powders I ran were Bullseye, 231, and Unique. I used 5.5gr, 7.0gr, and 7.5gr respectively under Xtreme 200gr plated slugs. All worked very well. I was most pleased with the Bullseye loads. Very light recoil in a 4" 629-1...felt like a .38. At 10 yards the group of 100 rounds was slightly larger than a gold ball.

You're on the right track for target loads. I would suggest trying some different bullet weights. Xtreme has free shipping going on right now, which kinda makes them the best deal at this moment.

Well, I already have 300 of the 240gr LWSC. I've been looking at the Xtreme plateds, and that's what I use for all my other calibers. The 200gr are just a tad cheaper than the 240gr, but only about 8% cheaper. Maybe I'll buy a box of 250 or so and give them a try. Thanks for the advice.

 

[JBnTx]

None of the above!

Yea, we're going to need more info on that claim?

His post was for a 240gr LSWC target load.
You can't beat Unique for that application.

 

[SLT223]

Interesting. So even Power Pistol is too fast for good Magnums - even in a 3 inch barrel?

It's slower than 231 but quite a bit faster than 2400, 110, or 296. You can make a stout load with it using lighter slugs, but I think something slower would be my first choice for a fire breather with full weight plus slugs.

I'm sitting on 5lbs of it, but haven't played with it in .44 yet. In .357 Mag it couldn't hold a candle to even IMR4227 driving a 158gr.

 

[BC38]

I'm actually kind of disappointed that nobody seems to have any good feedback on the AA#2. I picked up 7 pounds of it at a bargain price recently.

 

[Nemo288]

For nice target loads in the 44 cases, Universal is hard to beat.
Wide range of accurate loads possible and it meters way better than Unique.
Burns a little cleaner too.
Now if it was actually sold these days.....

 

[Biggfoot44]

Any of them ? It also depends on your specific interpetation of "Target load" , it could concievably be anywhere between 650-950fps .

Power Pistol not the best choice for the very bottom of that range. Unique has been. Fovorite for loads of this type since cars staarted with hand cranks. But in recent yers , some disparage the metering thru powder measures and "dirty" . Not a big deal to me , YMMV.

Likewise , 7gr , or a bit more of 231 ia well regrded.

But any listed will be suitble. Flip a coin which to start with , and see which *in your gun* gives best accuraccy/ sufficient accurccy for your needs nd expectations.

 

[MichiganScott]

10 grains of Unique produces a nice 1000 FPS mid-range load. 8.5 grains makes for nice, soft shooting target load.

 

[Duster340]

I always seem to come back to Unique. My pet load is 9.6gr behind 240 SWC , or 214 gr SWC or 208gr WC or 200 gr RFN .......lol

Be well folks

 

[RobertJ.]

Out of the powders you listed, I went with Unique. I've been loading that in a .44 Magnum for a long time now. If the question had been for a .38, I'd have picked BE.

Last year, when the powder shortage was near its worst, I found some 800X. I had never tried it, but loaded up some 200 gr. DEWC from Rim Rock Bullets, at a really modest velocity. I got such good results 800X is now my "target load powder" for the .44 Mag, and I've bought more since.

 

[at_liberty]

I think Unique may be the best case filler (easiest charge to see and verify) of those listed. I know about Clays, but who has any?

 

[Nemo288]

That brings up a good point.
The ever elusive case filling of big cylindrical cases with mild(er) charges.
This problem isn't limited to revolver cartridges either.
Most of the former black powder and cordite rounds have struggled to find a proper case fill
with nitro powder that also comes in under the rated pressures and gives desired performance.
I have played with my share of inert case fillers in just the limited rounds I shoot.
Although not listed, I am leaning more and more to the new cowboy powders for this reason.
Case fillers add another sometimes dangerous (now) unnecessary variable to the equation.

As an example; a favorite 44 special target load was 4.5 gr. PB with the case filled with 9.5 gr Grex under a 240 SWC.
This gives about 650 fps and blows the case out to a full seal.
I can easily duplicate this with Tin Star or Trail Boss without the filler.
Still working on the fine details for the various guns.
I obviously don't mind heading to the range with the chrono and spending a couple 3 hours shooting some tests.
Another main objective when I shoot is to create empties so I can reload some more

 

[rwsmith]

I found some Red Dot....

I'm actually kind of disappointed that nobody seems to have any good feedback on the AA#2. I picked up 7 pounds of it at a bargain price recently.

I'd LOVE to use Acc 2, 5, 7, and 9. But like everything else, it hasn't been available. In the last 2 1/2 years, I've found a few pounds of RD, 2400, 1# of Acc #7, 1# of PB and few pounds of Titegroup. If you've got 7 pounds please give US some feedback.

 

[rwsmith]

This shortage has forced us....

Last year, when the powder shortage was near its worst, I found some 800X. I had never tried it, but loaded up some 200 gr. DEWC from Rim Rock Bullets, at a really modest velocity. I got such good results 800X is now my "target load powder" for the .44 Mag, and I've bought more since.

This shortage has forced us to try about everything except what we are used to buying. I found out that I really like Red Dot and Acc 7 and I wouldn't have tried them if not for this mess.