Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Need .44 Load Suggestions

OK, I ordered myself a S&W M-69 4.25 in. barrel .44 Mag/Spl yesterday. Also ordered a set of dies, brass, and bullets. I would like some suggested loads for it. I will have both 240 gr. coated lead SWC bullets (Missouri Bullet Company) and Hornady 240 gr. XTP JHP bullets. I have on hand both Remington and Federal large pistol primers, Unique, 2400, and Titegroup powders, both .44 Magnum and .44 Special Starline brass. Any proven or published load data would be appreciated. Thanks!

Load your SWC over 8 to 10 grains of Unique in magnum cases, no need for magnum primers. This is the only 44 magnum load I use for everything. I shot a 245gr Keith bullet over 9gr of Unique through a 6’ blackbear on a diagonal from shoulder to groin. Only reason I switched to 10gr was because accuracy was a little better.

You said "ANY PROVEN OR PUBLISHED DATA WOULD BE APPRECIATED." If published data would be appreciated why not look in published data to find some? How would that work?
There is much PUBLISHED data for the 44 Magnum. Would that not be helpful?

Here is load data for 4" barrel you might find useful.

Henry,

I've had real good luck with 24gr of w296 behind a 240gr Nosler HP.
It's been my goto load.

I put 8.0 grains of unique behind a 240 swc in the 44, and the same in 41 mag behind a 220 swc.
I think it was approaching 1000 FPS when I chronograph it. Anyway it is a moderate fun load that is good for practice.

Some links:

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WPHandloading-Guide-7.0-Web-REV.pdf

https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeList.aspx?gtypeid=1

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/44-remington-magnum/

Henryseale, 220 grain cast semi-wadcutter over 9.0 grains of Unique. Sweet load, very pleasant to shoot, and in my 629.....very accurate! memtb

I'm just a backyard plinker so I shoot Alliant's recommended load of 6.5gr of Unique behind Acme's 240gr SWC in my 4.6" Bisley Flat Top 44spec.

Very accurate and mild mannered.

After you've used up all your Unique, you might try some Hodgdon's Universal Clays. It's a lot cleaner, and shoots just as well with equivalent powder charges.

Nothing against Unique, but Universal is pretty darned good.

When I bought my 44 I asked for and got lots of recommendations for different powders...including Unique.

After going to every shop in town Unique was the only one I could find so my decision was easy.

I was warned that it was dirty and it is but it's accurate in my rig, readily available, and priced well around these parts so I don't mind some extra cleaning.

Works good in my 38's too.

Hard to beat!

My go too load is a 250 gr WFN LBT hard cast bullet over 10 grains of Unique. It slays big ole feral hogs here at the Ranch like Thor’s hammer.

Well Mr. Doofus, I have been unable to locate any PUBLISHED data for using COATED 240 gr. cast bullets. I have seen a fair amount of data for lead uncoated and jacketed and semi-jacketed bullets. I am not sure if the bullet being COATED has any effect on the loading characteristics or not. I would be most appreciated to be enlightened as to where I could find any such PUBLISHED data. That would be most helpful. That is why I asked the question. I looked in the three loading manuals that I have and they do not mention COATED bullets at all. I would gladly buy one that covered this if I knew which one has the needed data.

Thanks for the helpful reply. I do appreciate it!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

THIS. EXACTLY


9.0 gr. Unique and a 245-250 cast bullet.Pleasant to shoot...goes through everything...

Very interesting. Thanks!

Thanks!

Most people that reload ammo knows to start low and work up. PC'ing wont change pressure enough to bother. That is the reason I posted what I did. You could start low and work up right? Isn't that normal procedure?

Thanks for the helpful reply. I do appreciate it!
Thanks for the tip. Unique works good, but it sure is dirty.

8 grains of Unique was Elmer Keith’s go to load in 44 special with the old Keith 245 gr .44 SWC cast bullet.

Does it mater that my 240 gr. LSWC Keith style is coated? The coated aspect is what I'm kinda hung up on. It would be great if I could use 8 grains for Specials and 10 for Magnums. Frankly, I don't quite understand why it makes any difference between lead and jacketed bullets if the weights are the same, but according to manuals that I've seen, apparently it does. I contacted Missouri Bullet Company for loading information and they flatly refused to answer anything other than to say they made good bullets. They seemed scarred to death of a lawsuit. I guess these days, I should not blame them, but it is very frustrating. They did refer me to a load data website, but I found that you have to pay to see what they have and there is no guarantee that they even have a listing for the particular bullet in question. I want good performance, but I don't want to screw anything up. Mistakes can be embarrassing as well as expensive.