Best powder for 44 mag 240gr LSWC target Loads

[BC38]

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.

OK, I will!
I got a killer deal on a 5 pound keg and two 1 pound cans for $112, so I couldn't pass it up with the scarcity and price of pistol powder these days...

The main trend I seem to be seeing in this thread AND the other poll I started http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/436447-best-powder-357-mag-158gr-plated-swc-target-loads.html is that the "old standbys" seem to be getting a lot of votes. Unique seems to be a lot of people's favorite, though in my (limited) experience it doesn't meter very consistently at all. Bullseye seems really popular too - and that's good 'cause it meters pretty well.

I'll try the AA#2 and report back.

 

[stillhere]

Two powders: 800x and IMR 4227. Love 'em both.

 

[BC38]

Two powders: 800x and IMR 4227. Love 'em both.

Sorry, not in the poll. But since they are both slower than Power Pistol (slowest thing I have) I'll count yours as a vote for it

 

[JBnTx]

That poll is telling you something, loud and clear.

 

[SLT223]

Sorry, not in the poll. But since they are both faster than Power Pistol (fastest thing I have) I'll count yours as a vote for it

4227 is pretty darn slow, and and doesnt burn well at the bottom end of the load spectrum, even with a heavy crimp. It makes extremely accurate supersonic loads, and I've become a very big fan of it. It's a single base powder, so it burns cooler than H110, and W296. So theoretically it's easier on the guns.

 

[sw282]

lts been 3 years since l have seen any Unique, Bullseye, or 231.

l have been using Power Pistol and TiteGroup in their place. The Power Pistol does quite nicely in place of Unique..TiteGroup for Bullseye/231

 

[TAROMAN]

A top competitor at my club shoots 240 LSWC over 5.2 Bullseye in magnum cases with CCI MAGNUM primers.

Sounds crazy, but I tried the load both ways, reg and magnums, and magnums win.

I believe the magnum primer ignites the powder better in that big case.

3/13/2015 LSWC 240 Bullseye 5.2 LO 703.0 HI 753.0 AVG 731.3 ES 50.00 SD 9.89

 

[petemacmahon]

I would go with 2400, but I guess you don't have any of that. I just landed 2 pounds two weekends ago!

 

[samnev]

I also use 10 grains of Unique with the hard cast 240 grain SWC for my target loads. Been using it for 35 years.

 

[gwpercle]

Around here the best powder is whatever you can find.
Two years ago I found a pound of Red Dot a few weeks ago I scored a pound of 700X....those were the ONLY handgun powders on the shelves. Most shops had NO powders at all.
The powder you want may not be the powder available . I carry a list of all the powders that will work for my needs and buy whatever I can find. So far the pickings have been real slim!
Gary....I long for the old days when 22 LR's and powders were in unlimited supply.

 

[Vortec MAX]

I also use 10 grains of Unique with the hard cast 240 grain SWC for my target loads. Been using it for 35 years.

I use 10.0 grains of Unique with a CCI 350 magnum primer under a Berry's 240 gr plated bullet. Great load. It clocks 1,120 FPS from a 5" 629 Classic and will ring a 10" gong all day at 100 yards (offhand).

Mike

 

[Nemo288]

I would classify that type of load (which works well for me too) as a full power target load.
Generally I use the expression "target" to mean paper punching at sub-sonic velocity.
That's just one of the many things that make reloading great:
everyone can get the load they want or need.

 

[yeti]

Already been mentioned, and I agree....
Unique is my favorite for moderate practice loads, but Bullseye has proven most accurate for me.

Gotta actually start to conserve my Unique. It is still bad out there for pistol/shotgun powders. Going to try out some BE-86 for some 850ish fps 240LSWC loads. Alliant only lists 1200fps+ magnum loads. We'll see how it burns. I did find a decent moderate 45acp BE-86 load, though...so it should work at lower pressure in the 44mag case.