Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Powder for a shorty .44 mag?

Just picked up a Bisley SBH with the 3.75" barrel (as noted on my other thread). For now will probably be buying bullets in the 240 gr range or a little lighter (probably pick up some Berry's for plinking) with some heavies in the future.

I know H110/W296 is the go-to powder for .44 but should I be looking for a faster burn with the short barrel? I've got some older AA9, AA5 and Titegroup, as of now. Titegroup isn't supposed to be too bad but small volume charges always made me a little leery (max with Titegroup is about 10 gr).

Haven't reloaded for a big handgun cartridge in a while (and never did much, even then) so it's almost like starting over. I'll welcome all suggestions and tips.

TIA

Chris

9.5 gr WW231

Pretty hard to beat Unique. And for light loads don't overlook Red Dot. I really like 6.0-6.5gr under a 200gr cast slug.

And if you can find any, 2400 is a good substitute for 110/296, especially if you are trying to scale back on the top end loads.

Mojo, I am not a hard core pistol man.. Have a bunch, but rifles are my main deal.. But I do have several .44's and looked at one just like yours in turkey season.. I would have loved to picked it up but with five or so in the safe, I really didn't need another..
Unless you re going to be in serious bear country, I have been shooting Mackay's loads for most of my 44's. About 10 grains of Unique and a 240 or 250 cast.. pleasant to shoot; easy to find..

Have also stocked up on a bunch of .44spl. brass and shoot 7.5 grain of Unique over the same bullets.. For 99 percent of my shooting this is all I need.. I also bought a several thousand of the Rem. 210 grain HP's before the craziness hit.. I load these in the .44 spl. cases for varmint shooting, and a protection load.. Real pleasant to shoot, and flattens varmints..

I meant to all with the 210's I use 8.5 grain of Unique..
A real killer on jacks, p.dogs and chucks..

Barrel length has no bearing on powder choice. The cartridge and dictates the burn rate desired. The same powder that gives the highest velocity in longer barrels will also produce the highest velocity in the shorter barrels.

Accurate 7 worked good for me.

There are many suitable powders for the 44 mag, but that was not the question.

It is pure fallacy that shorter barrels need faster powders. The same powders that yield the highest velocities in 20" barrels will do the same in shorter barrels. That is, H110/296 or Lil Gun.

I use Titegroup in all of my non-magnum loads ( 9mm, .38 SPL, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, etc) and even for milder loads in the mags. H110 or W296 for the heavy loads. That way I just buy 2 big jugs of 2 powders....

And I'm getting to where I really like Lil'gun.

I've seen better accuracy with it than with 296/H110 in the 300 grain loads, I've not tried it with 240s.

I've not had any of the flame-cutting issues, either. I think keeping the pressure somewhat sane helps.

I have switched over to TiteGroup for all of my mildest loads, from the 32 H&R to the 500 L. Stouter loads see HS-6 and the stoutest see 4227.

Says it all.



Travis

My Mountain Gun likes 2400 I can't imagine 1/4" of barrel making that much difference.

Hard to beat WW-296 for hot .44 Mag Handloads. That being said, nowadays, I mostly load 10 or 11 Grains of Unique under a 280gr LBT WFN hard cast bullet.

It will kill anything I hunt in TX, including very large Feral Hogs up to 400 lbs.
Much more pleasant to shoot, too.

Another fan of Accurate #7. 12-13 grains pushing a 240 gr projectile is good medicine.

I run titegroup for lighter loads, power pistol or longshot for medium loads, and 110/296 for hot loads. I've also played with some ramshot enforcer lately and had good results. I tried pp300mp too but it didn't seem to me like it lived up to the hype in 44 and 357. I did find it good in supersonic 300 blackout loads.

Bb

Never really thought about it much but don�t know if that is really true. What is important for highest velocity is the pressure curve while the bullet is in the barrel. Until the powder is burned, faster powders will keep the curve higher than a similar amount of slower powder. (Not that you would use similar amounts to achieve the same velocity.)

With short barrels a lot of slow powder may be left unburned. This unburned powder increases recoil and flash but not velocity. Perhaps as important to some, it also wastes powder.

In any case, I would like to see actual data.

Nope, it is I fact true. The burn rate is dictated by the case and bullet weight. Powder does not burn all the way down the barrel. Take a fast powder and load a top charge and compare against a top charge of H-119/296 and shoot them both in a short barreled revolver and the slower H-110/296 will produce the higher velocity. It is the same in rifle cartridges as well.

It is true and the myth that shorter barrels need faster powders is one born out of ignorance. Slow powders aren't burning all the way down the bore as some people believe. Fast or slow, the powder is actually burned very shortly after the bullet leaves the case. Slower powders produce more expanding gases and that is what accelerates the bullet. It is fact and easily verifiable.

Take a maximum load with a fast powder like Bullseye or Titegroup and a maximum load (same pressure) with H110/296 and no matter the barrel length, the H110/296 load will always yield higher velocities.