Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Favorite 44 Special loads

I would like to buy the Starline 44 Russian brass 500-1000. I’d really like to take an elk this coming season with my flattop 44 special.
S.

Surely there is a typo in your post.

For small game and just making oneself look good at the range, 5.2 gr. of Red Dot and one of the 250-ish gr. cast RN's. This load pretty closely duplicates the velocity of the old original load-



For a woods walking load, 6.5 gr. of AL20/28 or Unique and a Keith 255 gr. SWC. This one does ~850 fps-



For hunting I use a 258 gr. SWC cast from an RCBS 44-250 KT mold. 8.2 to 8.5 gr. of Power Pistol provides 950-1000 fps and is very accurate-



I've loaded up to 17.0 gr. of 2400 under a 255-ish gr. Keith bullet for just over 1200 fps, and it's an accurate load, but I just never found the need for that kind of power for hunting deer and swine-

429421 and 7 Unique.

I've been running enough herco to get a 200 grain rcbs cast bullet to a bit over 1,000 fps from my Ruger srh. Definitely +p territory.

200 gr cast and 6.3 gr Trail Boss.

Target load 250 gr. SWC 5.3 W231 760 fps and a heavier load same bullet, 13.0 gr. 2400 at 1,000 fps out of this gun when it belonged to me

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...w-624-no-dash-44-target-6-5-1050-shipped

My Flattop does well enough with a few loads.
9.0 Power Pistol and a 200 grain Speer Gold Dot, and 7.5 Unique with an Oregon Trail 240 LSWC or 429421, last batch coming from Leadheads but with Tommy's passing Rimrock is my new go to.

I've shooting .44 Specials since the mid 1970's, my go to load for almost as long has been 7.5gr. Unique with a 200gr. RNFP bullet. Once in a while I'll kick it up to 9.0gr. Unique, still an enjoyable load to shoot.

It all depends on what you want the load to do. If all you want is a mild and pleasant load to shoot, stay with Unique loads suggested. If you want a more powerful load or better performance from the gun/cartridge, try the 2400 loads. Modern guns will safely withstand pressures about 50% higher than the standard load at 850 FPS. 15-16 grains of 2400 and a velocity near 1,000-1,100 FPS is fun and manageable and a heck of a powerful load for any task the pistol can be asked to perform.

The Skeeter load of 7.5 grs of Unique & a 246 gr cast PC HP has worked on a half dozen deer in my flat top bisley & also my 7.5" bisley. In my 5 shot 696 I tone it down a bit & use it more for a badger plinker, etc. Same bullet but WST gets the call. You can always go up to a heavier load of 2400 if you're mad at something but that's what the 44 magnums are for.

Dick

I prefer 215 grain LSWC over WW231 or Clays.