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BUMPING this thread and info for LJBASS





For Me, these three loads cover all I will ever need to do:


8.5 grains Unique with 240/250 grain cast SWC loads for light loads. Perfect for practicing of fundmentals, popping bunnies, pop cans, etc. Great load to introduce new shooters to large frame revolvers.


10 grains Unique with 240/250 grain cast SWC loads for mid level/everyday loads. This everyday "working" load is perfect for big Mule deer, hogs, coyotes, you name it. Only when I get up to bull elk sized critters, do I want a bit more. For everything below elk, the 10 grain Unique load is my "Go-To" load.

On the top end is my heavy load, which is as follows:

22.5 grains H110 with 300 to 320 grain cast SWC loads for anything heavy, such as elk or dinosaurs.


Those three loads will do pretty much everything you will ever need to do with a .44.

In reality, 95% of all your needs can be met with the mid level, 10 grain Unique load.




With all that said, as of late, I have been shooting a fair bit of 185 grain full wadcutters pushed by 10 grains of Unique. This has slowly started to take the place of my 8.5/240 light load.

The 185 grain full wadcuttter is exceptionally accurate inside of 50 yards. Beyond that the SWC design really has the edge. The 185 grain full wadcutter also is an extremely light recoiling load, with quite surprising velocity. It would make for an excetionally good personal defense load for 2 legged critters. It is actually pretty easy to do double taps and controlled pairs, which is not something you see too often with a .44 magnum. At least not more than a couple times before person has had enough of the recoil.


Below is some chronograph info that may be helpful to some.


Instead of running my favorite 5" N Frames, I chose to run a 4" Model 29 and a 7.5" Magnaported Redhawk. I figured this would allow others to get a better idea what these loads may run in their .44s of varying barrel lengths.




The loads tested were as follows:

185 grain full profile wadcutters, pushed by 10 grains Unique.

240 grain RNL (Round Nose Lead), with 8.5 grains Unique.

240 grain SWC (lead Semi Wadcutter) with 10 grains Unique.


For reference, I am at roughly 4,000 FT elevation, and it was around 50 degrees this morning during the test.



Each load was fired 12 times in both the 4" S&W and 7.5" Ruger.



4" Model 29:


240 grain RNL/8.5 grns Unique avg: 967 FPS

240 grain SWC/10 grns Unique avg: 1164 FPS

185 grain wadcutter/10 grns Unique avg: 1282 FPS




7.5" Redhawk:


240 grain RNL/8.5 grns Unique avg: 1093 FPS That is 126 FPS difference between the 4" and 7.5"

240 grain SWC/10 grns Unique avg: 1236 FPS That is 72 FPS difference between the 4" and 7.5"

185 grain wadcutter/10 grns Unique avg: 1372 FPS That is 90 FPS difference between the 4" and 7.5"

This is great stuff - thanks for posting.....

Great info MS, thanks for sharing.

Tag this for later reference.

Looking at the Gt bullets website, I see a Thompson design hollowpoint and a Keith design hollowpoint. For whitetails and general purpose out of a 5 1/2" 44 mag, which design would work better? I am guessing you would push either with 10 grains of Unique?

I like H110, Win 296 and 2400. I've loaded a lot of Unique too, Using Unique in my 4" 296 last summer - the dirt build up was incredible - so dirty the revolver did not function. Granted I took it PD shooting and shot more than 100 rounds without cleaning. I understand that Unique is supposed to be cleaner now though.

It sounds to me like you need to bump up your load some.