Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 44 magnum reduced loads?

Recently became the owner of 2 44 magnum pistols. One is a 7.5" Ruger Super Redhawk and the other is a Smith and Wesson 629 Performance Center hunter model. I would like to shoot them more and get better accustomed/comfortable using them. I am not a very good pistol shot as I have not shot pistols very much. I am also new to reloading pistols but have been loading rifles for years.


I am interested in a lighter recoiling load. What I have is 200 Hornady 240gr XTP's and 500 various head stamped brass. The powders I currently have are W296, Lil Gun, 300 MP, and I believe that is all but willing to get whatever I need.

I am having trouble finding pistol primers and heard that possibly Large Rifle primers could be used?

Thanks
HeavyBarrel

Hard to beat 8 to 9 grains of Unique with a 240 gr Keith style semi-wadcutter for a plinking load.

For hunting, I use a 250 gr LBT WFN hard cast bullet with 10 grains of Unique.
Works great on feral hogs and deer here at the Ranch.

IME the worst thing you can do is shoot full power loads all the time when you first start shooting a 44 mag. A 200gr-220gr lead bullet and a load that will give you 900fps-100fps will be a good load to practice with.

Don't have any lead bullets but do have the XTP's. Can you substitute the load data for lead with Jacketed bullets?

HeavyBarrel

9.0 grs of unique and a 240 gr keith is pretty well know and fun to practice with!

17-18 gn of 2400 under a lead 240 gn semi-wadcutter.

Be certain. Check your loading manuals.

My reloading manual does not show any reduced loads.

Any opinions on using Large Rifle primers in the 44 Mag? I can't find Large Pistol anywhere but do have a stash of Large Rifle.

HeavyBarrel

Large rifle primers won’t work, the cups are a different height than large pistol primers.

I don’t load anything but the above mentioned 10gr Unique under a Keith bullet anymore. But I have in the past and one of my notes in my load book is for the old Hornady 240 JHP over 9gr of Unique. I believe an older Hornady manual I have showed that load. I can’t think of any reason it wouldn’t be fine under the XTP. PowerPistol is another good powder that is similar to Unique you might keep an eye out for when shopping.

The 9-10gr Unique load isn’t really a reduced load, more like a mid range load that will give between 1100-1200fps depending on barrel length but it is much easier to shoot with the reduced blast and recoil plus no giant fireball that some factory loads produce. I have shot through a 6 foot black bear diagonally with the 9gr load and pigs up to 300lbs with both the 9 and 10gr load, some of them lengthwise, I’ve never caught a bullet. To my way of thinking it’s really all that’s needed.

Thanks. I have read different opinions on the primer situation. Would love to find the Large pistol primers but all local stores say they have not seen any in 2 years? The brass I will use for the reduced loads will only be used for such so would using a Large Rifle primer pocket reamer be okay to seat the Large Rifle Primers a little deeper?

HeavyBarrel

My .44 Magnum load for many years has been 7.5gr. of Unique and a 200gr. RNFP cast bullet. If you want to step it up some 9.0gr. Unique is also a good load.

The loads and bullets for 44 Russian data work very well.

Think .44-40.

Look at reliable data from the powder or bullet companies, I start with Hodgdon and Alliant.

The 3 powders you have are for full power loads, trying to reduce them will result in erratic pressures. Find Universal, Power Pistol, Unique or any of a dozen other medium burn rate powders. People all have their favorites, but there are many useful ones.

Then pick up some plated or coated bullets of about 200 grains, load them to 800 - 1000 fps. You can use the XTPs, but it seems like a waste and by slowing down heavy bullets you can run out of sight adjustment.

Mid-range loads of this sort will cause much less wear and tear on you pistol and on you. They will accomplish 99% of everything you need to do and allow you to practice for the times you use the full power XTPs.

To use large rifle primers you would have to deepen the pockets 10-11 thou. I wouldn’t do it.

Primer specs...

SR & SP are the same size.....cup thickness are different

Been subbing SR primers in my 9mm & 45 ACP

https://ballistictools.com/articles/primer-pocket-depth-and-diameter.php

Look around for some Trailboss 4-6 grs is a fun load with any bullet

You'll never double charge a case either

LP & LR primers can't/shouldn't be sub'd for one another

Large rifle primers will work, but be aware that they will not seat flush. You'll have to seat a couple in empty cases to make sure they won't bind your pistols.

6.5gr of any fast pistol powder (Titegroup, Clays, Bullseye, etc.) will give you about 950fps from a 4" barrel with the 200gr XTPs. Will not be position sensitive and you should find the recoil mild.

WLR mag primer height = .128"
CCI350 mag pistol primer height =.119"

Works in my revolver, but you need to test yours. Also, different primer vendors can have slightly different heights as well as different pocket depths for different brass.

You're playing with fire to use LR primers in revolvers, you can get a slam fire against the recoil shield & that's not a good thing! Better to wait & find some LP primers & play it safe than damage your gun or your hand, your call.
I've taken many deer with 10.0 grs of Unique with the Keith 250 gr bullet, or you can deep seat it over the top driving band & drop to 7.5grs of Unique & get about the same velocity in a magnum case. It won't be exact but close, a deer won't know the difference.
If you look around you might find someone who will trade you 100 LP primers for 100 of something you have on hand, it's worth a try until things loosen up a bit, good luck.

Dick

9.0 grains of Unique beneath my home cast 218 SWC…….very accurate and very pleasant to shoot! memtb

No buddy burns Trailboss ?