Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 44 Magnum loading

I recently bought a 5 inch 629 and so far quite like it.

The only trouble is the cost of factory ammo, so I decided to try loading handgun rounds. Not done that before.

Got some 240 grain Nosler hollow point bullets, some 2400 and W296 and some Fed Mag primers.


The first loads with the 296 were very dirty, some unburned powder in the case, sooty cases, and powder on the frame.

That load was the start load in the Nosler no.7 book.

Do I need to go hotter to clean it up? Heavier crimp....my crimp seems pretty good....near to bulging a case.

Different primer?

Or am I worried about nothing?

Thanks,

Jim Conrad


Oh, have not shot over the chrono, or for accuracy. Just been blasting at snow balls and such.

Both 2400 and H110 only burn correctly and cleanly when pushed... You are getting the unburned powder and blackened cases from not enough pressure. For H110 loads, I determine how much powder is needed so that when the bullet is seated it sits right on top of the powder. Weigh that charge and then back off a couple of grains and make up six going up in 1/2 grain increments to the one where the bullet sits on top of the charge... I've found loading H110 like that the loads are very consistent shot to shot and has the highest "safe" velocity. With all my S&Ws the loads show some primer pressure and all drop out of the chambers with just a gentle push on the ejector rod...

For every day shooting loads however I'll run a medium burning powder like Unique. In a .44 Magnum 8-9.0 grains will run 8-900s and usually very accurate. Mackay Sagebrush only has two loads for all his .44s...a home cast 250 Keith with 8.0 and 10.0 grains of Unique...8.0 for target and 10.0 for business.

As to dies, seat and crimp in two different stations. Get a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die...I have them for almost all my calibers and they work great....and crimp heavy..even with faster burning powders.

Primers...for H110 I use either Winchester LP which is rated for Standard and Magnum loads or CCI LP Magnum. If you are going to shoot the gun DA I would suggest Federal LP Magnum...the priming compound is a little more sensitive...

Bob

Thanks for the info.

I was going to order the 4 die Lee set, but found a 3 die carbide RCBS set in town.

I will look into the Lee crimp die.

Will look up some Unique too. Right now I am just blasting at snow banks......

Unique is your huckleberry unless you want to shoot full power magnum loads. I wouldn’t advise trying to shoot loads with H110 that are reduced much. You can shoot reduced loads with 2400, but in my experience accuracy suffers. Those loads that RJM suggested are great. And if you can’t find Unique, Hodgden’s Universal works about the same.

I don't see any reason to use W-296 or H-110 unless using 300 gr or heavier bullets in the 44, and for that use it is the only powder to use IMHO. For top velocity and accuracy you simply can 't beat W-296/H-110, but they need a heavy for caliber bullet, good neck tension, a good crimp and a full house load to burn cleanly.

I agree on Unique, Universal or other mid speed handgun powders for the 240-250 gr bullets.

240 and 19grs of 2400 - very accurate in every 44 I've tried it in


240 and 24.5grs H110/W296

+1 on what Bearcat posted.

2400 doesn't need a mag primer. H110/296 does, according to ES measured with my chronograph. CCI350s are my fav. Always run H110/296 close to or at max - just runs better.

There are a a number of high performance powders if you want reall 44mag loads. And 44mag can be downloaded to metro-man levels easily too by using relic powders like Unique.

Jim, you'll love that 629 44 once you get a couple of hand loads worked up for it. You're right about factory ammo being expensive, hard to get much practice at $40-$50 a box!
2-3 good commercial bullet casters in Montana also so don't forget them. About half the price of jacketed & easy on you & your gun. Lots of good advice above with Unique & 2400, I've used both for over 50 years & taken a lot of game with both including bear, elk, antelope & hogs. A top end load of 21 grs of 2400 with a good Keith bullet has been a long time favorite using a standard LP primer. If you absolutely have to go top end then H110 & a mag primer will get you there. No need to use 296, it's the same as H110 & usually about $2 more per lb, your choice.
Took 2 deer using 10 grs of Unique with a 240 gr HP in the last 4 years, not a heavy load but an accurate one. The bigger one was 94 yds, kneeling, the other one was 64 yds as he faced me straight on. Broke the front shoulder, went through one lung, the intestines & lodged up against the left hip.



Good luck & good shooting with your new toy!

Dick

24.0g H110 sand 240's for me. Ruger Super Redhawk ad Browning B92 carbine.

My old go to load is 22 grains of the old 2400 and a 240 grain XTP or a 245-250 grain cast bullet. Now I have used 14 grains for a light load and that dirtier than 22 grains.

Here's a pic of my light and heavy loads.

Light is a 250gr SWC from Western Bullet Co. in Missoula, in a Starline 44 Russian case with 5.0 gr Unique. Velocity should be around 800-850. I will chrono one of these days.

http://westernbullet.com/ly4gr3.html


The heavy is a 310gr WFN from Oregon Trail. It's in a 44 Mag case with 20.5gr of H110 (Same as 296), and it chrono's 1250 fps from my 4.6" 44 SBH.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...grain-lead-flat-nose-gas-check-box-of-50

Put me down as another 10gr Unique under a 245 Keith guy. I shoot that load %95 of the time in my Bisley. It’s been accurate in every 44 I’ve tried it in and I’ve had good performance on game with it. After I shot it through a 6’ bear and a huge pig longways I even quit carrying heavy bullet loads when in Brown bear country.

What is your intended purpose, full house, medium or mild? I tend towards medium in my 44 Mags (250 - 290 gr SWC's at 1000 - 1100 fps) and find Tightgroup works great and, given the low "dosage", is cheap to shoot. Another favorite is HS-6 for similar loads. Years ago I had Alan Harton turn down the expander as necessary (based on bullet diameter) on a number of dies to ensure tight bullet pull. I have zero issues.

I did find a can of Unique in the closet, from when I was using COW to form some 25-06 improved cases.

Will put a some of that together tomorrow with Young Richard. He is dying to help with the .44!

The cast bullets I have found have been kind of expensive. A Keith style bullet around 250 grains seems to sell for about a quarter, or a little more.

Can a person get into casting bullets and save any money? If you were starting from scratch and have to buy your lead?

I am shooting the Nosler 240 for about a quarter. Is there an upside to a cast bullet?


Thanks a lot for all the info and replies! I have learned a lot in a short amount of time!

Not sure what my intended purpose is yet Ed.

So far its just been killing snowmen.

I have a big stupid grin on my face when ever I shoot this new gun, so I suspect I will eventually cover all the power levels.

No idea why I waited so long to get a 44.

The 250gr Keith I linked above is $12/100. That's only 12 cents each.

I think last time I ordered I bought 500, and the shipping and all was about $70, so that worked out to about 14 cents each with shipping.

Geeze, I missed that.

Thanks for posting that.

I had been looking at Montana Bullet Works.

Yes, that would cheapen up things nicely.


You dont have trouble leading with those?

Here's another one I want to try out. $57/500 plus shipping.

http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=241&category=5&secondary=12&keywords=

I've tried some of the coated Missouri Bullet Co in 45 cal, with good results. The coating is supposed to eliminate leading, so far it has worked in my 45.

Very minimal leading at the forcing cone, just an inch or so.


I've thought about casting too, but haven't made that leap yet. There is some wizardry to learn there, and leading becomes a non-issue once mastered.

Ask the COOP tire shop to save wheel weights for you if you want to start casting Jim. Straight wheel weights make good bullets. You could get into casting pretty cheap with gear from Lee to see if it’s something you want to stick with. Their newer molds are pretty good and only about $20. If you aren’t going to shoot a ton of bullets a year then you might be better off buying them but once I switched to cast bullets I’ve never saw the need to return to jacketed.