I use that exact same load with outstanding accuracy.
Need help with .44 Mag. load Data
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I use that exact same load with outstanding accuracy.
Jungle George
Member
Out of the powders mentioned by the OP I've had the best luck with Unique. i've tried Red Dot but didn't really like it, I got a fair a mount of leading from it and I wasn't really pushing the bullets very fast. The Unique on the other hand worked great and I had no leading issues.
goldenlight
Member
For target shooting, 7 to 8 gr. of Unique makes a nice mild load that is quite accurate, and won't beat up you or your revolver. I've loaded well over 100K of this load. I like it.
If you're shooting beyond 50 yards, you may want a bit more velocity, for flatter trajectory.
For 240 gr. bullets, I know you can safely go to 10.0 gr. of Unique.
If you're shooting beyond 50 yards, you may want a bit more velocity, for flatter trajectory.
For 240 gr. bullets, I know you can safely go to 10.0 gr. of Unique.
Thanks guys for all the input! I just got back from the range and tried 3 different loads all with 240 gr. JSP bullets!!
23.5 grs. of H110 (a friggin cannon with a muzzle flash that could blind a welder) This would be a great load for taking down a Dinosaur! Fun, but not what I was looking for!
9.5 grs. of Titegroup (manageable but a little snappy)
7.3 grs. of Red Dot (very comfortable to shoot, I liked it the best!)
Haven't tried the Unique yet!
23.5 grs. of H110 (a friggin cannon with a muzzle flash that could blind a welder) This would be a great load for taking down a Dinosaur! Fun, but not what I was looking for!
9.5 grs. of Titegroup (manageable but a little snappy)
7.3 grs. of Red Dot (very comfortable to shoot, I liked it the best!)
Haven't tried the Unique yet!
I,ve tried several different powders in looking for consistant mild loads
for my 4" 29-2 with a cast 250 gr SWC. I quickly gave up on Unique
and I believe 231 is great for loads a little hotter, at mid-range level.
In my gun with a 250 gr cast SWC 6.0 grs Red Dot = 834 fps, 6.2 grs
Bullseye = 829 fps,and 7.1 grs Titegroup = 954 fps. The Bullseye load
was more accurate in my gun.
for my 4" 29-2 with a cast 250 gr SWC. I quickly gave up on Unique
and I believe 231 is great for loads a little hotter, at mid-range level.
In my gun with a 250 gr cast SWC 6.0 grs Red Dot = 834 fps, 6.2 grs
Bullseye = 829 fps,and 7.1 grs Titegroup = 954 fps. The Bullseye load
was more accurate in my gun.
Are you using regular or Magnum primers? Those loads seem light......I am sure that they are great to shoot. I was worried about going too light. Again, I am shooting a 240 gr. JSP so I need a little more powder for the Jacketed as well as the slightly lower weight although, the weight is not that much different to effect the charge.
Glenn
Why don't you buy a 357mag or 44spl instead? I don't understand why somebody buys a 44mag and then only wants to shoot it at sub-44spl levels. Is is just for bragging rights?
Be careful with Titegroup - it hides in the case. And cross-check that 9.5gr load with Hodgdon as that is getting up there.
There are a lot of powders that will work for mid-range loads. Almost anything considered "high-performance" for 45acp/9mm/40S&W is "mid-range" for 44mag. If you glance at Hodgdon's load data you'll see what I mean.
biquer
Member
IMO 44 magnum is just that, magnum. My 30 year old RSBHB is the most accurate wheel gun I have with 240 or 310 grain cast, Federal 155 LPM and H 110 / W 296.
Plinking is for 38 Special and perhaps medium .357 with 158 grain and Unique.
Plinking is for 38 Special and perhaps medium .357 with 158 grain and Unique.
The thread didn't ask for opinions on what anyone thinks about shooting a light load in .44 Magnum! It asked about powder charge recommendations, for a variety of powders! Just because one may have a .44 wheel gun does not mean that you have to shoot high power cannon loads all the time. I load different "loads" for different applications, all the time, in (and for) different guns!
I've loaded 7-10 gr of unique under a 240 gr lswc in various guns for years with good accuracy and mild recoil.I've also shot thousands of full house 2400 loads through them. As far as " I only shoot 44 mag loads in a 44 mag". That's nice.
fredj338
Member
If you want good plinkers, Unique is tough to beat. More range htan the RedDot. I have moved away form H110/W296 but for max effort loads. 2400 has greater load range & only 50fps shy of the best H110 loads. TG, not ever in a case that large, never. With Unique, 7gr-10.5gr max w/ a 240gr LSWC does just about anything you want done w/ a 44mag.
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The great thing about handloading is that you can load mild or
max and anything in between. If you own several guns in the
same caliber you could work up a different load for each one of
them using the same tools and components. I have five .44
mag revolvers, a three screw Ruger SBH 7 1/2", a Ruger
Bisley 7 1/2", a Ruger stainless Red Hawk 5 1/2", a Ruger
Vaquero 4 5/8" and a S&W 29-2 4". The SBH and RH see
mostly full power loads with cast or jacketed bullets because
I use them for hunting, the Bisley will probably get mostly
mid range loads, 1050-1100 fps, because that beautiful low
hammer spur takes chunks of flesh out of my thumb with
full power loads, I like mid range, 1000 fps, in the Vaquero
and the 29-2 will see mostly 830-950 fps loads because I want it to last forever. The idea that one is compelled to
load to factory specs of what is written on the barrel of his
gun is nonsense. Anyway, I think you only have to worry
about going too light if you use jacketed bullets. I try a mild
or mid range load with a standard primer and if ES is not low
I switch to a mag primer. I find that 231 is more consistant
with most any load, even 38 spl, with mag primers. Don't
underestimate mid range loads in the .44 mag. Read what
Brian Pearce has to say on this subject in Handloader mag.
tappedandtagged
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I know what you mean here. I love my 44 mag. I can put some full loads in it when I'm in bear country, but that doesn't mean I want to shoot those bear loads all the time! It is hard on the joints and the gun itself. I'd rather shoot a million target loads and have a solid gun still than several thousand full loads and have a gun thats getting "loose." and, if I want a 44 spl.... Well, I do have one! Its the same gun as my 44 Mag. To make things easy on cleaning the cylinders, I just load mag cases to special pressures. That way I get the fun without the ouch and without the crudded up ring of lead build up in the cylinder thats common when shooting special cases in a magnum.
These loads are Old School, I have been using them in the 44 Mag since 1970.
With typical "store bought" hard cast 240gr SWC bullets, in 44 Mag brass, start with 7.5gr of Unique.
Then load some with 8, 8.5, 9, and 9.5 grains of Unique. Pick the load that has the recoil/accuracy you need.
I like 7.5gr of Unique for double action range use and practice.
The wife and I use 9.2gr of Unique for our general purpose and deer lease field loads, [I load on a progressive loader and I have a powder slide that just happens to throw 9.2gr of Unique.
If I want something hotter than 9.2gr of Unique I go to 2400.
For heavy loads in a 6+inch 44 Mag and especially with bullets over 250 grains I use H 110.
With typical "store bought" hard cast 240gr SWC bullets, in 44 Mag brass, start with 7.5gr of Unique.
Then load some with 8, 8.5, 9, and 9.5 grains of Unique. Pick the load that has the recoil/accuracy you need.
I like 7.5gr of Unique for double action range use and practice.
The wife and I use 9.2gr of Unique for our general purpose and deer lease field loads, [I load on a progressive loader and I have a powder slide that just happens to throw 9.2gr of Unique.
If I want something hotter than 9.2gr of Unique I go to 2400.
For heavy loads in a 6+inch 44 Mag and especially with bullets over 250 grains I use H 110.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
Not the first time either!
Not only that....if you shoot anything other than full power loads in the lightest 44mag revolver that Smith makes you are a wimp, well, at least according to some folks!
I have an old manual, the Speer #8 and it lists a load at much higher data than other manuals for Unique than what is being suggested. One thing nice about Unique, it can be loaded down to the levels you state without danger. It will be dirtier than other powders but the reason you are doing it for, it won't matter!
I have a surplus version of Unique that I got really cheap. It is even fluffier than the Alliant stuff. Meters terrible, +/- .2gr but, it just seems to work well for plinking 44mag loads. It also works super in the 45 Colt but that is a subject you didn't ask about!
I have to agree 100% with Fred on one thing for sure, no Titegroup in these larger cases, NEVER, NO, NOT IN THIS LIFE, too dense, too little fill.
Of course, I will not use it in small cases either, just me though!
Not only that....if you shoot anything other than full power loads in the lightest 44mag revolver that Smith makes you are a wimp, well, at least according to some folks!
I have an old manual, the Speer #8 and it lists a load at much higher data than other manuals for Unique than what is being suggested. One thing nice about Unique, it can be loaded down to the levels you state without danger. It will be dirtier than other powders but the reason you are doing it for, it won't matter!
I have a surplus version of Unique that I got really cheap. It is even fluffier than the Alliant stuff. Meters terrible, +/- .2gr but, it just seems to work well for plinking 44mag loads. It also works super in the 45 Colt but that is a subject you didn't ask about!
I have to agree 100% with Fred on one thing for sure, no Titegroup in these larger cases, NEVER, NO, NOT IN THIS LIFE, too dense, too little fill.
Of course, I will not use it in small cases either, just me though!
coorslight
Member
I currently run my 629 using 6.0-8.0 gr. Titegroup with a 240gr JSP, it works for me nothing to harsh. Here it is, it's your gun shoot what you want in it, wether full house, or light loads it's your call and don't let anyone tell you different.Enjoy.
I can't help you with Red Dot. I have been using between 8.5 and 10.0 grains of Unique in the 44 for over forty years now (usually with an H&G #503). I agree with what everyone says about it being a bit dirtier than some newer powders, but I am still burning my way through the last 8# jug of it and it still works well enough.
Other choices that interest me have been 231/HP38 and HS6 (I frequently use those two in several other calibers). Both of those work well too, but really no better than Unique, as far as I am concerned, so I have continued to use it in the 44.
For some reason, none of these light loads will shoot as clean or, in my opinion, as accurately as the best loads you can put together with 2400 (when used in its proper operating range). But unless you are using your 44 for bullseye competition, the light loads are accurate enough.
I agree with most of the others on reduced 44 loads. I probably shoot 10 or 20 "plinking" level loads for every full-charge 44 that I fire. They're easier on my hand and wrist - and the gun. But I do admit it is still fun to shoot a half box or a box of the big blasters - especially at longer ranges. People who dismiss the light Unique load might give them a try on 200m rams. I was surprised to see they would knock them down pretty handily with any decent hit to the body.
Other choices that interest me have been 231/HP38 and HS6 (I frequently use those two in several other calibers). Both of those work well too, but really no better than Unique, as far as I am concerned, so I have continued to use it in the 44.
For some reason, none of these light loads will shoot as clean or, in my opinion, as accurately as the best loads you can put together with 2400 (when used in its proper operating range). But unless you are using your 44 for bullseye competition, the light loads are accurate enough.
I agree with most of the others on reduced 44 loads. I probably shoot 10 or 20 "plinking" level loads for every full-charge 44 that I fire. They're easier on my hand and wrist - and the gun. But I do admit it is still fun to shoot a half box or a box of the big blasters - especially at longer ranges. People who dismiss the light Unique load might give them a try on 200m rams. I was surprised to see they would knock them down pretty handily with any decent hit to the body.
Mule88
Member
One of my favorite midrange loads is 9 gn of Universal clays behind a 200-250 gn cast. Its very clean and accurate and depending on the bullet weight I get between 900-1000 fps out of a 6 1/2 inch bbl.
Hawker Man
Member
Lots of good info at M.D. Smiths reloading page.
Reloading Pages of M.D. Smith
Reloading Pages of M.D. Smith
