Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Hand loading for a 44mag.

Hey guys im going to start hand loading for my 44mag (4 5/8 blackhawk) and was curious if there were any pet loads you guys have. Im probably going to load the hunter cast 240 and 300gr bullets from midway but if there are better please let me know.

I dont need a rocket. Im using the blackhawk for hunting does and paper punching. This is the first I have loaded for the 44mag and I usually shoot corbon 300gr hard cast and corbon 240gr JHP threw it.

Thanks!

even a .44 mag pales in comparison with a rifle.

My favorite load for hunting handguns is the 240 grain Hornady XTP over Unique powder.

For 240 gr plinkers, 10 gr of Unique, for 300 gr loads 21-22 gr of H-110 lit off with a CCI 350.

Go with cast performance for the 300 gr bullets, and gas checked.

In general I detest the bulk cast bullets with bevel bases. They are notorious for horendous leading and mediocre accuracy. Based on a combination of too hard of alloy, too hard of lube, and they are often undersized.

Ruger 96/44 and S&W M29 here and both are 240gr Hornady XTP's over H110.

Good for deer.

Yup for sure on that one. We have a extended restricted weapons season for does. I can get within 25 yards most times so the BH is perfect.

I have used several various powders but the one I like best for accuracy is "2400" @ 20 grains with a 240 grain Sierra Hollow Point bullet. I use this in my model 29 Smith & Wesson with a 8 & 3/8s barrel.

I don't give out specific loads on the internet, due to liability. Lots of folks will give you a load that is based more on what powders they have on hand than on what does best. Many guys use the powders for multiple calibers and a powder that is THE BEST for one cartridge, may not be tops for another. Understandable.

The highest velocities in the .44 Mag., will be achieved with H110 followed by H4227. Unique and W231 are good for mid-range loads.

If you are talking 25 yards ( and more) I would be looking at 240-250 grain SWC or RNFP and a dose of 296/H110 or 2400 to hunt and Unique or 231 to plink, play, practice.

I have shot thousands upon thousands of 240 grain cast backed by 10 grains of Unique. It is my standard "general purpose" load.

Read up on stuff written by John Taffin. He has numerous books that you would very likely find perfect for your research.

The three primary loads I use are:

8.5 Unique w/ 240 cast swc. Good light taget/small game load
10 Unique w/240 cast swc. Good GP, deer, every day load
22 H110 w/ 300-320 cast SWC. Elk + load.

I would be totally comfortable shooting the largest of does at 25 yards with the light 8.5 Unique load, but would (and do)consider the 10 grain Unique load ideal. It is easy to shoot well.

Use the H110, No need for pet loads,as they list the load on the cannister and reccomend not decreasing it. My second choice would be the 2400.
I use std semi jacketed Speer 240 gr Flat nose,but the XTP would be good also. I have taken elk with that bullet with no problems, so you sure as heck don't need a3 00 gr hard cast bullet for deer

Unique, W231 and Universal Clays all have a burn rate that is very close. I just dont like to use that small amount of powder in a 44 mag case. They will all go bang and make the bullet come out the end of the barrel, but if you want reduced load, go buy a .357 mag. It will do the same job for does,or even bucks for that matter.

Thanks guys. That gives me a good idea where to start

I'll second Mackay's recommendation of 10.0 grains of Unique behind a cast 240 LSWC. If memory's working right, it clocks about 1090fps out of my 6 1/2'' Anniversary Flattop Blackhawk and accounts for about 90% of my .44 Mag shooting. I wouldn't hesitate to pop a whitetail with it inside 75-100 yards.

I found 2400 to be quite dirty, but H110 did the job a bit better and still does.

I prefer Hornady XTP 240 grain bullets over 296 powder for hunting loads. The Speer Manual recommended hunting load shoots well out of my 7.5 inch SBH.

I prefer bulk 240 grain jacketed soft points over Unique powder for my "plinking" loads. I detest cleaning up after leading, and the JSP 240 grain bulk bullets are cheap, CLEAN, and accurate.

Such a broad brush stroke of a statement. Wouldn't that depend on the rifle?

A 240 pushed by the 10 gr. Unique load will be ideal for your purpose of doe popping. You might try Clays as an alternate because it seems a little less sooty.

But a hard 240 at about 1,000 fps ought to shoot through most does or bucks at just about any angle.

With two whitetail bucks down, I am probably going to pack either the Mountain Gun or Liberty SBH the rest of the season primarily with the idea of getting some doe burger. Both are dialed in for the HSM load at just slightly higher velocity.

Don't overlook TiteGroup for light loads. Hodgdon shows 10.4 gr max for 1360 fps with 240 lead bullet. Small charges ignite very evenly in large cases for very low extreme velocity spread, no matter where the powder sits in the cartridge.

JB has a write up in the latest Guns Magazine on the 44 Mag.

Take a look at Montana Bullet Works website. A large selection of great hand cast bullets at very fair prices and shipping. They are all I use in my six and five guns. I do a lot of 44 Mag and Special shooting using their air cooled (BHN of 15) 250 gr SWC (RCBS 82080) bullet at 1000 to 1200 fps and it is very accurate. Be sure to order the bullets sized .0005" - .0010" under your cylinder throats assuming the throats are properly sized for you barrel groove diameter. The 300 gr LBT WFN is a fine bullet for one desiring a heavier slug.

spin it any way you want to my friend.