Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Real World velocity 44 mag 240gr XTP H110 out of rifle

Don't have a chrono, but I am wondering what velocities are typical of the above combination. I also have Ramshot Enforcer, but I think that is slower.
I believe it should be somewhere around 1700-1800 fps but if others could corroborate that would be great.

Trying to figure out my holdover out to 150 or so

If it wasn't so hot outside, and I wasn't so lazy, I could set the chrono up and find out, as I've been wondering the same thing myself.

Maybe it'll cool off soon and I'll do it.

23gr of H110 and the 240gr XTP gets 1600fps from my 16" Ruger Carbine. I limit my shots to 100yds with that gun.

In my 1976 Marlin 1894: Hornady 240 XTP, 23.0 H110, Starline brass, Win LP primer, 1.600 OAL, Average was 1625 fps. 7/8" group at 100 yards with a 2.5X scope. Loads were crimped

Same load from my Super Blackhawk, 1254 fps with stout recoil.

Both guns now have new owners.

Well that is a little disappointing. I can't see .5-1gr adding 100fps to the velocity.

But still 1600fps makes for a 150yd gun with a 125yd zero. 8" low at 175. 14" low at 200yd.

1800fps would theoretically make a 200yd possible with a drop of 10" at a 150yd zero.
I don't like to hold my sights above the body of the animal.

But this is a stalking gun anyway. Got other things if the shots will be long.

I've got a Marlin 1894 made in the 70's that belonged to my late brother, and I'll most likely always keep it for that reason only. I recently swapped a bunch of 45 LC reloads for some 44 Mag components and loaded up about 500 rounds of 240 XTP's with both W296 and H110 just to have it on hand in case I ever need it. I really have no desire to hunt with this rifle, but a nice little lever gun has a lot of potential.

If you look at load data, you’ll see that going from 23gr to 24 only gets you maybe another 100fps, but pressure jumps a lot, which might affect brass life. I’d check for accuracy and go with whatever groups the best for you. Bambi will never notice. If I were expecting typical shots to be over 100 yards, I’d carry something else anyway. Both deer I killed with a .44, one with a 629 and the other with a 77/44, went down just fine, but they were killed at woods distances.

1600fps for a 240gr./250gr. 44mag or 45colt handgun bullet is smoking. You can’t ask for much more.
I use to have a Rossi big loop src trapper in 45colt. It was a nice Brazilian hardwood made one.
I would shoot full power loads out of it, it was a beast to handle. Bruised my shoulder many times with that gun. Wish I still had it.

8 shots with a 77/44. 18.0 grains of Li'l Gun crossed the chrono at 1600 fps, day in, day out. Was shooting a 300 grain patched lead bullet.

Ah I forgot about lil'gun. Haven't used it much, but if I recall it does pretty well in 357, 44 and 454. I think I have some. Anybody have data with 240's?

From Gordon's Reloading Tool. 20" barrel, default brass volume/case length, 30 twist using H110 and a 240gr XTP:

23.0 gr H110: 1730 fps
23.2 gr: 1742
23.4 gr: 1755
23.6 gr: 1767
23.8 gr: 1780
24.0 gr: 1792

LilGun looks good in the books, not quite the wonder it is in .22 Hornet and .357, where it delivers top velocity at much lower pressures than the other choices, but requires magnum primers for best performance. Standard primers work just fine with H110 in the .44, as shown by the tests Brian Pearce detailed in the 2015 Hodgdon manual. He does recommend magnums if the ammo will be fired in really cold weather. Since I have maybe 30 magnums on hand, I’ll stick with H110 and sit by the fire if it’s really cold, or carry something else😜

Like the posts above, I have a Marlin 1894 with a 20" barrel. 24.0gr of W296 with a WLP primer got me 1679fps. I also use this load in my 7" Super Blackhawk for about 1350fps.
Killed a decent 8 point last year with the Marlin at about 35 yards, knocked the snot out of him!

Expect + or - 300 FPS faster in a rifle over a revolver