.44 Rem Mag

[mr surveyor]

anyone load them?

[Bawanna]

Use to load them a lot. Not so much lately but from time to time.

Easy cartridge to load.

[Replay13]

anyone load them?
I've loaded several thousand rounds of 44 mag, but its been along time ago. I had a old flat top ruger blackhawk 7 and 1/2 inch barrel. I also had a S&W model 29 for a while.

My favorite loads was a 240 gr Elmer Keith bullet molded out of Linotype and a full charge of 2400. Also I used 240 gr Hornady XPT with a full load of 2400. I had to back off the model 29 just a bit with the jacketed bullets. It ejects all 6 cases at one time.

They was my favorite pistols to pack in the woods hiking way back then. Now its XDm in a .40 S&W. Its a lot lighter and the 17 rounds is a lot more fire power.

Interesting to note that the XDm .40 with the 4 and 1/2 inch barrel shoots a 155 gr bullet just as fast as my ruger security six in .357 with 158 gr bullets and a 2 and 3/8 in inch barrel. and its still a lot lighter even with 17 rounds instead of 6 rounds.

OK, I'm getting a little off track now, but I love the 44 mag... its a great round and really accurate.

[Dirt doc]

I'll second the 2400 with 240XTP's. That load shoots a very nice group in my SBH hunter. I have taken several deer with that combination

[CJB]

2400 is very consistant with the 44mag..... Dont load down too much or it gers dirty and poor consistancy creeps in.
+1 on hard cast swc 240g.

[wlc]

I used to load .44's. I read everything Elmer Keith wrote about loading and followed it as close as I could. 2400 with a 240 gr. bullet is a great load if you can handle the recoil. I realized a few years ago that I enjoy shooting .38's and 9mm's much more than full charge .44 magnums. I still have a 629 and a 29 but I only shoot .44 specials or better yet, reduced .44 magnum loads.

[Bawanna]

I used to load .44's. I read everything Elmer Keith wrote about loading and followed it as close as I could. 2400 with a 240 gr. bullet is a great load if you can handle the recoil. I realized a few years ago that I enjoy shooting .38's and 9mm's much more than full charge .44 magnums. I still have a 629 and a 29 but I only shoot .44 specials or better yet, reduced .44 magnum loads.

Do you think that's a sign of age. I used to be really into the fire breathing, heavy recoil stuff too. Not so much anymore. I still have 4 44's but they rarely get out anymore. Not quite ready for a 380 yet but the big boom's appeal has dwindled.

[wlc]

Do you think that's a sign of age. I used to be really into the fire breathing, heavy recoil stuff too. Not so much anymore. I still have 4 44's but they rarely get out anymore. Not quite ready for a 380 yet but the big boom's appeal has dwindled.

I've been telling myself that I had become smarter, but OK, it might be age.

[JFootin]

Do you think that's a sign of age. I used to be really into the fire breathing, heavy recoil stuff too. Not so much anymore. I still have 4 44's but they rarely get out anymore. Not quite ready for a 380 yet but the big boom's appeal has dwindled.

Well, the 380 can be a handfull to shoot in a 10 oz pocket gun, almost painful. Though I imagine they would be a pleasure to shoot in a larger, heavier gun such as the Beretta 84 or the Bersa.

[Bawanna]

I've been telling myself that I had become smarter, but OK, it might be age.

Lets go with smarter, has a more appealing sound to it.

[mr surveyor]

to start, I'm planning to order 500 of the 240 gr swc's from bulletsdirect.com and load over 9.2 gr of Unique, or 17.5 gr of 2400, with standard LPP's. I'll see how those shoot in my recently acquired SRH before fooling with jacketed bullets. At some point in time, I'll either have a .44 lever gun, or .357 lever gun added to the mix (or both) and will want to design rounds that work effectively in both revolver and rifle. Delicate balancing act there, I know, but it would be much simpler to have one pocket full of bullets to work adequately in both.

[Bill K]

My brother loads .44 mag for me. Bullets are generally a hard cast 240 grain truncated cone. I can check but I think for target my brother loads them light @ something like 10 grains of varius powders. For hunting and to let folks feel what shooting a real .44 mag feels like he'll give me a hotter load. Here I'm guessing even more, maybe something like 28 grains but I can be all wet with that guess.

When someone new to magnums is shooting my Super Blackhawk I'll start them with .44 specials, then the light mag loads and finally the full house loads.

My brother has been doing reloads for 40+ years; are there some specific questions you have that I can ask and get answers for you?

[Bawanna]

The key thing is if your gonna shoot lead, don't push em too fast. There are some hard lead bullets that you can push right along but go too fast and you'll get leading.

I know Keith liked 24 grains of 2400 which as I recall is about as hot as you'd want to go but better check a reloading manual and approach that in steps.

I like the idea of a lever gun and a revolver with the same loads and that should not be too difficult. Myself I would probably use jacketed bullets to find a good match for both.

[TheTman]

I use to load .44 mag, with 240 gr semi wad cutter cast bullets, but used HS6 powder as it was suitable for .45 too. I developed a very accurate target load, that was fairly mild to shoot, but I lost my notebook. It's been a few years since I reloaded any.

[DKD]

I shyed away from 2400 ball powders because like others here previously stated full charges are the rule, cause lighter loads with ball powder causes inconsistancies and extremes in pressures...go figure? I have sucessfully loaded heavy loads using Blue Dot powder with jacketed bullets with good results. Now for every day loads for the range and plinking I have always used good old (sometimes dirty) Unique powder with eccellent results in reduced loads using 240 grain hard cast Kieth style bullets over 10-10.5 grains of Unique powder. Dirty yes... but accurate, consistant, and easier on the recoil. In fact I use this powder almost all of my calibers with equal results. Hell you can even load shootgun shell with it to good effect in Field loads & heavy field loads in 12 gauge. I would strongly suggest you get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook for cast lead bullets and any good name brand manual like Speer, Hornady, Nosler or even Lee for current loading table. Many of these can also be found on line free.

[DKD]

I forgot to mention taht although pistol and liked chambered rifles are practical, I would mention that not all rifles so chambered like cast bullet loads. An example of such a rifle is the Marlyn 44 mag and I wouls also presume their .357 lever action guns...the ones with Micro Groove barrels. They don't like cast bullets worth a damn. Now their new Cowboy Rifles which have the Ballard sytle rifiling shoot them really well and can also digest the jacketed bulletrs as well.

[mr surveyor]

one of my good buddies dropped by today with a "gun warming present". He stopped loading .44 mag several years ago when he got into IDPA matches and long range prairie dog hunting. He had a baggie full of brass, an unopened 100 count box of 240 gr swc's, and an almost full box of magnum LP primers to donate to my new obsession. I'll save the magnum primers for the proper load some day, but for now it's gonna be Unique. I've gone through a pound of Unique loading .357's in the last year, as well as a half pound of AA#7 (for jacketed rounds), and have been very pleased. The only time I've ever had the "dirty Unique" experience was with a small batch where I reduced the crimp a bit while experimenting with the Lee FCD.

I have no plans to use 110/296 for any of my loads, although I know they both are excellent "magnum" powders. I'll stick to the powders that can safely be reduced. Heck.... just for fun, my son and I are thinking about buying a can of Trail Boss for .38/.357 (now .44). My goal is to stay around, or below 1200 fps with the non-gas checked lead in the SRH, then if I score the Marlin lever gun I'm looking for will go to gas checked lead. And, there will certainly be some jacketed rounds developed for the pair as well.

I'm ordering dies tomorrow..... just hate the thought of getting old and having a "Bucket List".

surv

[CJB]

Do you think that's a sign of age. I used to be really into the fire breathing, heavy recoil stuff too. Not so much anymore.

I dunno Bawanna.... I pretty much quit with the firebreathers when I was not even 35 or so. Big 44's, even 357's... no appeal any more. I'd rather have a 45LC than a 44mag. The 45acp is just fine - its got enough to do the job.

Maybe if I was goin' for something really big, really ornery... something that might spoil my lunch plans... sure, the .44 or bigger. But then again, I'd rather have a rifle in those instances, or a handy 12gauge pump.

[Bawanna]

one of my good buddies dropped by today with a "gun warming present". He stopped loading .44 mag several years ago when he got into IDPA matches and long range prairie dog hunting. He had a baggie full of brass, an unopened 100 count box of 240 gr swc's, and an almost full box of magnum LP primers to donate to my new obsession. I'll save the magnum primers for the proper load some day, but for now it's gonna be Unique. I've gone through a pound of Unique loading .357's in the last year, as well as a half pound of AA#7 (for jacketed rounds), and have been very pleased. The only time I've ever had the "dirty Unique" experience was with a small batch where I reduced the crimp a bit while experimenting with the Lee FCD.

I have no plans to use 110/296 for any of my loads, although I know they both are excellent "magnum" powders. I'll stick to the powders that can safely be reduced. Heck.... just for fun, my son and I are thinking about buying a can of Trail Boss for .38/.357 (now .44). My goal is to stay around, or below 1200 fps with the non-gas checked lead in the SRH, then if I score the Marlin lever gun I'm looking for will go to gas checked lead. And, there will certainly be some jacketed rounds developed for the pair as well.

I'm ordering dies tomorrow..... just hate the thought of getting old and having a "Bucket List".

surv

Dang, I thought I had a spare set of 44 dies I could send ya for the cause but I just looked and I don't see em. I do have some 38/357 dies extra.

Now days I play with my 45 Colt more too CJB. Got a lever and a couple revolvers for it.

[mr surveyor]

Thanks for the thought, B.

I have the Lee 4 die set for .38/.357, and they have gotten a work-out. I really like the quick-lock bushing set up.... well I did until my son decided to come over and load his .38 spl rounds:rolleyes:. Normally, I just drop in the sizing/decapping die and run all the brass through, then in about 10 seconds drop in the expanding die.... then the seating die... then the FCD....no adjustments needed. Got my mind set on the Lee 4 die set for the .44:)

[getsome]

I love loading for reduced power loads in .44 mag cases...Once I figured out that trying to prime cases with the press didn't seat them deep enough causing good primer hits but no bang...I have since gone to the Lee hand primer tool and the problem went away...I have found that 8.0 grains of Universal Clays with a 240 gn Hornady JSP bullet makes for a very accurate and easy shooting light recoil load...If I am loading .44 special I bump it down to 7.0 grains of powder and it is just about the same, something like 900-1000fps and is quite fun to shoot...

My 16 year old son loves to shoot full power rounds through my Smith 629 and is accurate with them but for me I just don't enjoy all that hand pounding and noise and would much rather shoot my powder puff loads...

[Bawanna]

I can't believe getsome said powder puff loads. His powder puff loads.

I had a cup of kerosene this morning with my barbwire. Very refreshing.

Hope yall buy that.

[getsome]

Bawann you really need to get in touch with your feminine side once in a while...:rolleyes:...Heck even Jocko has pink grips on one of his pistols so whats the problem...:p....I even load powder puff loads for my .45 colt coy boy revolver so what do ya think about that?...I figure since ole Dietrich is gone somebody has to step up and be the local perv in this bar...Am I right????

[Bawanna]

Bawann you really need to get in touch with your feminine side once in a while...:rolleyes:...Heck even Jocko has pink grips on one of his pistols so whats the problem...:p....I even load powder puff loads for my .45 colt coy boy revolver so what do ya think about that?...I figure since ole Dietrich is gone somebody has to step up and be the local perv in this bar...Am I right????

Yup your right as rain as usual. These straps on my boulder holders are killing me today.

[Tinman507]

Try Underwire. Only method that works for me.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__eVIlSdOOT4/Rx7wugDHIsI/AAAAAAAABYk/DMmBBvdN35s/s320/good_bad_bra.jpg

[mr surveyor]

got the dies and bushings ordered this morning, so should be good to go by this time next week

[mr surveyor]

patiently waiting for the dies...... toe tap, toe tap, toe tap........

down to my last 50 158 gr swc bullets for the .357 as well........

Dear Santa.... please send pre-moulded lead, pre-formed brass, and plenty of that burny, sparkly stuff, and a bunch of those pop thingies..... soon:D

[mr surveyor]

dies should be here tomorrow....???....

ordered 500 240 gr lswc's for the 44 and 1000 158 gr lswc's for the .357 from Rim Rock today

maybe by this time next week I'll be ready for a serious loading session or two:)

[mr surveyor]

well.... I have had about three weeks to test various loads for accuracy, handling and overall performance, and I'm still working on the lswc load. I'm pretty happy with the 240 gr Hornady XTP over 15.2 gr of AA#7, but it's subject to change. With the 240 gr SWC's I've been working with Unique, from 8.3 gr to 9.5 gr, and accuracy/performance just ain't there. It's pretty obvious with the lower end that there just ain't enough uummppphhh to expand the case (really dirty fouling of everything within 6 inches of the chamber), but no signs of leading:rolleyes:. Upping the load to 9.5 gr really cleans up the fowling problem, but I still don't thihnk I'm getting the lead down the tube fast enough to stay on target. So, today, I finally broke down and bought a can of 2400 (which I should have done a year ago when I started loading .357's) and hope that the slower burn rate will make a difference. At least it's a substantial increase in the filled volume of the case which I hope will help with consistancy from one round to the next.

As soon as I've settled on an accurate load for 240 gr lswc at somewhere between 1100 and 1200 fps out of this beast, it will be time to decide on either FO sights or optics and it will be used for hunting this year.

Oh, and I will chrono the loads when I think they are worthy of the time and effort.

[Just in joy]

http://img.tapatalk.com/a693580f-ed9a-ef38.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/a693580f-edb4-beb3.jpg

I am in the process of working up some loads for bear hunting. But I have a box of oregon trail 200gr rn for plinking I loaded these up starting at 7grs and ended at 7.8grs of universal. These were all ***** cat loads the 7.6 were the most accurate at 50 yards roughly.

My son and I had a great time with them today o also have a box of 240 gr swc I will be working on for bear season. I may use unique for that load not sure yet still working them up. The above photo is of my super black hawk. I traded a at lower for.

[Just in joy]

Has anyone loaded 44 with A #2 ?

I have a lot of that powder as I load my 9 and 40 with that powder so I buy in bulk kegs instead of lbs.

[mr surveyor]

even though it appears to be a pretty fast burning powder, the Lee manual shows AA7 for quite a few .44 mag loads. They all seem to be on the low side (8.5 to 10 gr), which would make me wonder if it would be a consistant performer depending on whether or not it is a "position sensitive" powder.

[Just in joy]

Yeah as soon as I find a powder for my hunting loads I will purchase a leg of it saves me the headache or redoing test when I run out a lot number or powder. I still want to test to make sure they will preform as I want them too. I make my own defense 9 And 40 loads and testing another set of 40 loads with hs6 which is another powder the 44 can use.

[mr surveyor]

I've loaded a few XTP's with AA#7 and like it pretty well, but am looking for something better with 240 gr lswc's. Finally broke down and bought a can of 2400 for .357 and .44 mag. Haven't had a chance to take it to the range yet, but I'm sure it will do fine... as it has for many decades for everyone that's used it.

[Bawanna]

I've burned a lot of 2400. It was an Elmer Keith favorite too. If it's good enough for him I figured it was good enough for me.