Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 44 special/44 magnum carbine load data

Not too long ago I picked up a Rossi 92 44 special/44 magnum carbine with 16 inch barrel
What I want to do is use a 200 grain RNFP lead bullet at under subsonic velocities from the lever action Carbine for a relatively low recoil low blast fun gun to shoot.

If anyone can give me a a good load of powder with the 200 grain lead bullet I would really appreciate the info as I don’t have a chronograph.
Or if someone would post a page from a reloading manual with load data with this info I would appreciate that as well.

I am wanting to use the 44 Special case if the carbine will function well with them but if it won’t then I woul be ok with using a 44 magnum case to get the same performance.

Thank’s

Do a google search for the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3d edition.

Hodgdon online.

Hodgdon Has 44 Magnum rifle data but not for the 200 Grain RNFP.
EDIT,I looked again and there is in fact rifle load data for the 200 Grain RNFP 44 Magnum
Hodgdon Does not have any 44 Special Rifle data at all.

I found it and downloaded it ,interesting read but no 44 special rifle data and 44 magnum rifle data was too high in velocity.

I wouldn't be too concerned about "rifle data." Just find a 200 grain .44 Special load that meets your requirements and go with that.

Hodgdon shows a bunch of .44 magnum 200 grain LRNFP loads that run 800 to 900 FPS from a revolver. They show a bunch for .44 Special with that bullet that run 750 to 900. Yes, you'll probably get a bit more speed from a short rifle barrel, but you need to consider that if you back down too much you run the risk of sticking a bullet in the bore, which can take a lot of fun out of an afternoon's shooting.

The thing about it is that a 44 special that ends up being supersonic from the carbine barrel aint meeting my needs.

Of course neither is a bullet that sticks in the bore !

That is why I am asking for info or data for especially the 44 special as that is what I really want to use if the rifle will feed them well.
.
I dont want to use a wild azz guess method especially where reloading is concerned.

First, I don’t think using Hodgdons data for a cast, 200 grain RNFP in the .44 Special constitutes a wild azz guess.

Second, I think it’s unlikely, given the small charge weights involved, that you’d see a gain from 750 or 800 fps to supersonic going from Hodgdon’s 8 inch barrel to your 16” barrel. The only way you’ll know for sure is to try it. You could be a long, long time finding published data for.44 Special or Magnum, subsonic loads out of a 16” barrel and, when (if) you did, they’d probably be no different than what Hodgdon is showing.

Wow. What do you think this is the main general section of the forum? You might want to apologize.

Load 5.0 grains of H-Clays, buzz one over the chronograph and thank me later.

Bet it’s accurate too……

Indeed wow
What I said is a general way that people express not knowing exactly the way to do something.
It is not an insult in any form or fashion regardless of which forum it is used on.
Appologize to who ?
I did not insult anyone in any form or fashion.

Just a generalized statement that is used often in todays world. Often used to denote the lack of 100 percent certainy.
Example : I looked at my gas gauge in my pickup and although it appeared very low I took a WAG(wild azzed guess that I could make it home before I ran out of gas,Ie I did not know for certain that I could make it home.
Now that is not an insult to anyone in any form or fashion.


Perhaps you are just looking for something to be insulted by "if" you or anyone else are "honestly" offended by that statement.

I've been shooting 200gr. RNFP bullets in both .44 Special and .44 Magnum for more than 25 years now, my charge in either is 7.5gr. of Unique. If you shoot many .44 Specials in your rifle you'll get a lead build up
similar to shooting .22 shorts in a rifle chambered for .22 LR. A practice not to be recommended as the lead/fouling build up is hard to remove and may get to the point that .44 Magnums won't chamber.

"I dont want to use a wild azz guess method especially where reloading is concerned."




Study up, genius.

First ,I am sure that Hodgdon's Data for a cast ,200 grain RNFP in the 44 Special does not constitute a wild azzed guess in and of itself.

BUT, for me to take it upon myself to assume that the 44 special load data Provided by Hodgdon will stay subsonic from the carbines barrel and will safely exit the barrel with a low powder charge would be a WAG or wild azzed guess on MY Part.NOT on Hodgon's Part !!

IF Hodgdon had load data for the 44 Special when shot from a rifle whether shot from a 20 inch , for 18 or 24 inchbarrel then I would use it but they don't .

I cannot use Hodgdon' data to see if there is no difference in what Hodgdon's Data indicates these things regarding the use of their data for the 44 special in a 16 inch,18 or 20 inch or 26 inch barrel Because they show NO data for 44 special when shot from a rifle barrel !
None ,zip, zilch Nada

So for me to assume anything from a 44 special shot from a shorter handgun barrel and apply that to a rifle is in Fact ME (not Hodgon)would be taking a WAG or wild azzed guess on my part and( as I said) I wont do that when reloading.

Might work Maybe work? Probably work?

But do I know those things for sure without proof?data/experience?
No
As it is probably a given that if I knew already I would not have asked in the first place.

I have no proof or data or experience using a 44 Magnum or a 44 special from a Levergun with a much longer barrel which is why I asked the question in the first place !

I am not sure who this statement is directed to but if is me all I can say is that is why I posted the question and it would be in fact a wild azzed guess for me to assume that 44 special load Data from a pistol is going to get me what I want from the carbines barrel.

If not directed to me then disregard my reply

Back in about 1974 I used just 2 powders,Unique with the same load for powder puff loads and 296 for hot hunting loads.

If that were to happen I would wrap a piece of steel wool around a bore brush and get it out,if I wanted to use 44 Magnum ammo .

Again. Look at the H-Clays data.

Shoot it over a chronograph. Bet a dollar 5.0 grains is over 750fps (so a CAST bullet should always dribble out if the barrel) and under 1,100fps so it’s not supersonic. If it’s too slow, add powder. If it’s too fast, subtract powder.

I’ve not played with it in a .44 mag but have with a .45 Colt in an 16” Carbine and the two behave similarly.

I am ASSUMING you own a chronograph.

I dont have access locally for the clays but every now and then HP-38 and Titegroup can be found and Bullseye,up until a year or so I could find Unique.
No ,as I said in the second paragraph of my original post I don't own a chronograh.

5.5 of Titegroup would be what I’d load right now.

That is a WAG based solely on my experience. Anything you do without a chronograph based solely on someone else’s rifle is a WAG.

Then I’d get on Midway and order a chronograph so I could shoot it over it by this weekend if I hurried. Then I would KNOW.

Hodgdon has data for SS 200gr .44 mag carbine loads on their site. It took all of maybe 30 seconds to find it.