What's your favorite 44 load?

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My deer load is 240 gr cast SWC and 20.5 gr 2400.
For plinking at the range I use the same bullet and 7.5 gr 231.
 
I have 2 that I use deer hunting alot. Speers 210 GD behind 27.5 gn of H110 and CCi 350. Also Hornadys' 200 Gn XTP behind 28.5 gn of H110. Both are capable of 2 inches at 50 yds if I do my part and are exceptional performers on Whitetails.
 
Love this cartridge!

To be honest I really like to load the 44Mag!

While I don't deer hunt, I load for several that do. In the last couple of years, between the 4 that I load for, I think there have been something in the neighborhood of 12 deer taken with my loads. They have been shot out of rifles though as within the last several years straight walled pistol calibers have been approved in them for deer hunting here in Indiana.

The consist of a 240gr JHP or JSP (Winchester or Remington) over 20gr of WC820 with a firm crimp and either a Wolf or Winchester large pistol primer. They develop right at 1800fps out of the 20" barrels. Accuracy is near 1" @ 100 yards with our scoped rifles.

I have been working on some loads with my H&G #503, 250gr Keith bullet but haven't hit on an exceptionally accurate load yet. Still working on it though! :D
 
250 grain Lyman 428421 over 19.5 grains of 2400. A nice stout load that works very well for me.
 
A homecast RCBS 44-250-K boolit and 6.5 or 7 grains of Bullseye. Both are VERY consistent loads, and shoot very well.

When I want to bump it up a notch, I go to 20 grains of 2400 and the same boolit.

Side note: The 20 grains of 2400 load was what I was carrying the day the pic of me was taken, above. I was in Middle Alabama watching deer too small to shoot run around me all weekend.
 
Now I've got the ITCH!

OK, sixpack, it's all your fault! ;)

This was about an hour at the casting pot with my H&G #503 mold. These should be pretty hard. I used 3 to 1 wheel weights to Linotype. They are a little frosty, they will work just fine though. The rougher surface helps the lube stay in place better! ;)

HG5031.jpg


HG5032closeup.jpg


Now I gotta go shoot some of these! I've got an appointment at 11:00 but after that I am going to sneak out to the range!

Think I'll call Hodgdon and find out if there is a load for this bullet with Lil' Gun. Low pressure and high velocity. I will also load up a bunch with 2400 and maybe some H110 or AA#9. All three are going to be real thumpers! :eek:

Can't wait!
 
Just got back!

I took the Marlin to the range then. Only one problem. As I was en route, it began to rain. Like, cats and dogs kind of rain! Guess what? I still went! Got soaked. Had a good time anyway as all I wanted to do was run 20 rounds over the chronograph. Mission accomplished!

10 each. AA#7 and SR4756. I don't want to post the loads just yet. Both were in the middle of a posted set of data points though. ;)

At any rate, I got 1450fps with the AA#7 and 1550fps with the SR4756. Both are quite respectable. Hopefully they will be more accurate at longer ranges using the rifle. We will have to wait to prove that out on another day! ;) One much drier!

No leading. A few flakes that came right out with Ed's Red and a couple of patches. No brush or chore boy needed.

It would seem that my earlier loads, 2400, AA#9, H110, Lil' Gun, may have been burning off some of the base of the bullet causing accuracy issues. The rifle shoots well with any jacketed bullets I load up. Just not too good with lead, YET!

Any way, you can blame this long-windedness on six pack.
 
Typically my 44 mag loads are of the "cat sneeze" variety. 240 Gr. hard cast lead bullet over 10.9 Gr of Unique.

Smith Crazy, don't want to hijack this thread but I'm very intereseted in your AA#7 load. I'm currently using it for 10MM and it seems to get the best accuracy. I was going to start working a load up in AA#7 for my Ruger Redhawk 4" and a lever action carbine 20". Please, when you're ready of course, let us know how that goes.

10 each. AA#7 and SR4756. I don't want to post the loads just yet. Both were in the middle of a posted set of data points though. ;)

At any rate, I got 1450fps with the AA#7 and 1550fps with the SR4756. Both are quite respectable. Hopefully they will be more accurate at longer ranges using the rifle. We will have to wait to prove that out on another day! ;) One much drier!

Best Regards,
Arkdweller
 
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AA#7 Data.

240 (L) SWC **

Powder Wt FPS Powder Wt FPS CUP
  • No.2 9.0 1126 No.2 10.0 1280 40,000 1.560" Bull-X
  • No.5 12.6 1235 No.5 14.0 1400 40,000​
  • No.7 15.8 1283 No.7 17.5 1458 39,700
  • No.9 19.5 1364 No.9 21.7 1550 39,600​
  • 5744 21.6 1272 5744 24.0 1446 34,500 Compressed​
This is from their OLD data book. I think it was the #2. Some of it is still available on the web if you dig deep enough.

My load was right in the middle of the N0. 7 data @ 16.5gr. My bullets weigh out right at 247gr. A might light for the mold. Had I run more lead in this alloy, they would have been heavier, but softer too.

True to form, No. 7 provided some good preliminary numbers. SD was in the teens. I think if I would raise the charge a tad those would straighten out a little more.

I'll save that for another day too! ;)
 
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Thanks for the post Smith Crazy, it is very much appreciated.
You have given me a great starting point.

Best Regards,
Arkdweller
 
I don't have a mag, so this is for specials...
240gr LSWC, 16.0gr 2400, Magtech Large Pistol.

It's ... uh ... "brisk" from a 21-4.
 
I also like that 23.5gr. of H-110 with 240gr. XTP's. My fav plinking load and probably one of my favorite handgun loads period is this one:

250gr. Keith(Lyman 429421) loaded over 13.8 gr. of BLUE DOT lit with a WLP primer. Clocks 1165 in my 629 MG........one ragged hole at 25 yds. By the way, these bullets are sized at .429. I used to always load 44Mag leads sized at the more common .430. The cylinder throats/barrels of my 629's shoot tighter groups with the smaller diameter bullet. Probably, a little less pressure in the barrel and cylinder to boot.
 
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