Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 44 Special

I haven't really hit on my favorite load for the cartridge yet I don't think. So far most of my loads for it have settled on Starline brass, varying amounts of Unique and one or another cast bullet. 6.5 grains Unique behind a 240 grainer is a bunch of fun and easy on the knuckles out of the 5 1/2" Flattop. 7.5 grains behind a 265 grn Rimrock is a lot of fun but gets a little hard on the knuckles after a few cylinders full. I use that load sparingly.

Unique is good, but Power Pistol goes through a measure lots better.

5.0g Bullseye or
8.0 Power Pistol
Any 240g projectile
Ruger Flattop

My last .44 special loads were with the RCBS 250 grain SWC bullet .. a mold they discontinued quite a few years back. I still use it a lot for .44 magnum. I don't recall the charge right off but I loaded them with Win 231 in the WW special cases, probably with Fed 150 primers.

I didn't have good luck with getting consistent charges using Unique or Blue Dot in my Hornady measure nor in a borrowed Lyman measure. There was enough variation to be dangerous, not merely inaccurate.

Tom

I've been using the Skeeter Skelton load for a long time. 7.5 Grains of Unique and a 250 grain Lyman 429421. Tin cans fear my name:-)

I prefer Power Pistol, because as I've said, like the way it measures. But, if it worked for Skeeter...........

I am a dedicated Unique user. However, in my S&W 696 it simply did not shoot all that well....to my disappointment. Ended up with 5.2 grs. of Bullseye under a Lyman 429421.

Had an old, very nice shooting load with 275gr hard cast and H-4227 for a Lipseys Ruger, speaking of 44 Specials, if you ever lay a hand and an eye on a Freedom Arms '97 in 44 Spec, your screwed, I am! dear lord in heaven they are sweet!

gunner, there is a FA Mod.97 in 45 Colt in my safe. Been there 18 years and I couldn't have said it better. I used to live across the highway and up the mountain from them. In front of the building they had a sign that said, "The World's Finest Revolver." I cannot but believe it.

Winchester brass and primers and 240 grain hard cast SWCs.

In the Rossi 720s and Taurus 441s 5.5 grains of Unique.

In the S&W 624s, 7.5 grains of Unique.

In the S&W 329PD, using .44 Magnum brass, 9.0 grains of Universal.

I still have almost 10 lbs. of Unique and save it for my .44 Special and .357 Magnum cast lead loads.

You bet Sharps4590, I've never owned a high end custom revolver, but from what little I know, they best be tight and square to compete with a Freedom Arms.

I own two FA 97s, a 5-1/2 inch .357 and a 6 inch .41 Magnum. I doubt I'll ever own a nicer handgun than these two.

NICE! a 5.5 or 6" FA '97 in 44 Spec is what started my illness! ; ].............I have a 7.5" FA 454, it's not going anywhere either.

Now you’re speaking my language 😁

...at least you didn't blame me...since mine is a .41......

Anybody ever shot any critters with book level 44 special loads under a Lyman 429421 Keith bullet? I have a 1926 2nd Model Hand Ejector Target that I hold near and dear and I’d like to slap a pig or two with it but I want to be gentle with the old girl due to age and rarity. Sources indicate that less than 150 Targets were ever made and it’s probably worth a pretty good chunk of change even though it’s not mint. At least it hasn’t been refinished. I have Unique and RedDot for powder and the above mentioned mold as well as a 429215 HPGC.

Have you looked at Winchester 231?

How many of the suggested loads stay within 44spl pressure limits?

I'm a dedicated LBT mold fan. My favorite in the 44 Special is my LBT 255 gr WFN PB over 8.5 gr of AL 20/28 in Starline cases capped with a CCI 300 primer. From my 4-5/8" Flattop Ruger Bisley I get 1050 fps with low SD's.



This doe was DRT from 15 yds. Complete pass through.

TheKid
That is a classic revolver for sure.
whelennut