Home Forums Reloading Reloading Software Hornady 225gr. FTX reloading info...............

Looking for reloading info for Hornady 225gr. FTX .44 caliber in .44 Magnum rifle. Can anyone provide a link to Hornady manual data, mine predates this bullet.

May I suggest you get some H110 or 2400, start out with the 240 gr jacketed bullet load and work up ?

The FTX is a soft bullet designed for deer and the like.

Hodgdon show a max load of H110 in a rifle with a 225 Speer @25 grains, starter is 23.

I use 18.5 in my Marlin with 300 gr hardcasts with no drama. Same load I use in my "last ditch" S&W 329.

Suggest Magnum primers.

Use 165 FTXs in my 32 Special 94 carbine. Shoots 2" flatter at 150 than a 170 flatpoint with the same load.

You figure out a load for almost anything from the Hodgdon website.

Nice rifle in an excellent caliber. Good shooting!

I am helping a new reloader get started, we loaded some Hornady 240gr. XTP with W296 which is an accurate and effective load in my Ruger 77/44. He has a box of the 225gr.FTX bullets that he wants to try with W296, hence my request for loading data. My Hornady manual predates the introduction of FTX bullets otherwise I would look up a charge for him. Thanks for the suggestions, but I am really looking for data for this specific combination of powder and bullet.

On the powder, here is the word from "the horse's mouth":

"The only difference between H-110 and 296 is normal lot-to-lot variation. Depending on shipment date and lot size, even before Hodgdon became the distributor for Winchester powders, shipments from the same lot could be sent to both Winchester and Hodgdon to be packaged as their respective propellant.

The source was one of the manufacturing engineers at St. Marks Powders. St. Marks is the manufacturer of several propellants for not only Winchester and Hodgdon but other ammunition manufacturers as well.

The manufacturer, St. Marks Powders, says H-110 and 296 both are made by them and are identical."

On the bullet, a 225 gr 44 caliber cup and core bullet made by Speer (no tip) or by Hornady (with a tip) are pretty much the same animal.

His Marlin won't be coming apart with any of the H110 starter loads substituting W296. Same powder, different brand name, just like H414 and W 760.

One point: Both these powders are intended for heavy loads with heavy (for caliber) bullets. They need a heavy bullet and a hard crimp to burn with efficiency. For example: try a 180 JHP with a max load of H110/W296 in a 4" 44 magnum. You'll think you were shooting a flamethrower and your chronograph will be laughing.

Or you can just buy the current Hornady book, but check first that it has data for the combination.

Good shooting !