I have been shooting .44 Magnum for many years, and loading for them. However, I settled on just two loads years ago. A 270 grain GDSP over H110 for my Marlin 1894 rifle, and a 240 grain LSWC with Unique for the only revolver I had left, a S&W Mountain Gun.
Recently I picked up a Ruger Redhawk, 5.5 inch barrel, and want put together a JHP load for the revolvers. I have cases, primers and bullets.
I have no need for 1400 fps, and would be more than happy with around 1200 fps.
I have H110, Unique, Blue Dot, 2400 and SR4756. What powder seems to work best out of those?

240 gr JHP? I'd use 2400 or Blue Dot. Unique or 4756 should get you in the 1200fps range, but it will be at the top end of the data, I like them for 1000fps or so.

As always YMMV.

Unique or Blue Dot would get you in the right territory.

24gr with a 240gr xtp hp runs 1750/1775 out of a bolt act. rifle 18in bar.

This Sam. H110 needs to be run harder than 1200 fps.

pretty much decided to go with the Blue Dot,, based on how well that works in my .45 Colt revolvers. Thanks for the input

Sam, if you have any Accurate Number 7 around you might want to try that for a load at that level.(It's on my mind because I just found almost a pound of it I had around and, under current conditions, figured I may as well use it where I can to save on some of my more frequently used powders.) I found a couple of boxes of .41 mag/210 grain XTP's I loaded a long time ago with some.

I have not tried #7, and there seems to be none available on today's market. I would like to try it in the future

I have pretty much the same two loads. A 270 Speer over H110 for my 77/44 and I load 240 swc over either universal or unique for about 1100-1200fps. All I ever will need. The speer hammers anything it hits

I have been using that same 270 GDSP over 21 grains of H110 since 1994. That is the only load my Marlin 1894 has ever shot. It is a stone killer of Whitetail deer and feral hogs. I get 1600 fps in my rifle, and cloverleaf sized groups at 50 yards.

Finished the 100 rounds today. In the end, I went with 23.5 grains of H110. 240 grain Hornady TXP bullet. New Starline brass, Winchester LPM primers. I have more of the H110 than I do the Blue Dot, and can't find any powder at all.

That will be snappy, but you're shooting them in a Redhawk, which will mitigate that. It should shoot well and hit hard.

Glen, I guess I could shoot them in the S&W Mountain gun as well, but those are a little stiffer than I like to use with that 629. I am going to load another 100, but only to 1150 or 1200, and use a different powder.

When I was messing with the .44s, I found that Hodgdon Universal Clays, with the same charges I'd normally use with Unique, burned a LOT cleaner, and gave very similar results. I was normally shooting 240gr. RNFP "cowboy" bullets for plinking, and they shot well with the stuff. It was a heckuva lot of fun. For 1200fps loads, probably about 11.0 oughta do it.
For REALLY fun loads, we'd use the Universal (8.5gr.) and 200gr. RNFPs, that duplicated the old .44/40 factory load in 20" carbines. We called them "popcorn loads" because there was no recoil and they shot well enough. Recoil was moderate. See if you can find some of that Universal and tinker with it some, it's fun, and leaves little soot or powder fouling, and no leading to speak of.

The 44 Rem Mag is a beast in barrels over 14". 270 grs. @ 1600 fps is deffently a hammer.

For the components that you have and the speed youre looking for, I would start with Unique and see how that works for you. Youre going to get very consistent loads around 11.5 with a 240 and very clean shooting. Next I would try 2400 on the low end of the charge range with a 240 as I dont think Unique will get you to 1200. If you can scare up some HS6, I would choose that over Unique to get to your target velocity.

Im recoil sensitive, so Im not shooting H110 in pistols these days. It is the most accurate in my rifles though.

That’s my usual JHP load in .44 mag, exactly. I’ve used it for years in all my 629’s and in my old (four digit serial number) Ruger carbine. Also load it for a friend’s 77/44 carbine. It’s killed a number of deer over the years. It is a bit snappier than I like anymore in my 629 mountain gun. As a matter of fact, I had the mountain gun out for the first time in a long time yesterday. I’d come across a box of .44’s I’d loaded stiff with 240 XTP’s and 4227. I had “mountain gun “ written on the label. I don’t know why. After about 4 cylinders full, I’d had about all the fun I could take. I’m learning I’m not as tough as I used to think I was.

cra, I can relate to that. lol

19.0grs of 2400 and a 240 has been very accurate in 6-7 different 44’s for me.

and I like that combination as well. I am getting short on 2400, but have a lot of H110 in the cabinet.

No H110 resides in my home.

Pretty much started and ended with 2400 and unique for me.........

I used H 110 in a black hawk 10” years ago and it worked pretty will with a Hornady 240 SP. (24.4 grains) I found that a heavy roll crimp worked best with it. Old timers told me that so I tried it.

What kind of velocity are you getting with that 270 GDSP and do you have any reports of on-game performance? I tried that in my original Ruger Redhawk and didn't get any expansion on deer. Need to look up that load.....but I did not have it Chrono'd. Your move to 240 HP for handgun is wise.

24.0grs H110 is good in mine with 240’s


21.5grs with the 270 gold dot

I get consistent 1600 fps with the 270 GDSP in my Marlin 1894. It has been a reliable killer on whitetails and hogs. The degree of expansion seems to depend on what/where you hit, but with hogs I get more expansion than I do with deer. I don't shoot the 270 grain load in handguns.
I did start out with 21.5 grains H110, but found I got better accuracy with 21 grains.

I have been loading .44 Magnum for nearly 50 yrs., my load for my Ruger 77/44 was a Hornady 240gr. XTP over W296/H110. My go to revolver load is 7.5gr. Unique with a 200gr. RNFP cast bullet, a load that is accurate and pleasant to shoot. If I wanted a load with more oomph I increased the charge to 9.0gr. of Unique.

H-110/296 has been my go to powder for the 44 mag since the 80's. A great powder for real 44 magnum loads

Excellent results w H110, WW296 or AA9.....
W 180, 200.and 240gr JHP.

Smiths and Rugers.

Blast is nasty w the 180s and there is some flame cut.
But accuracy was great and deer went in the freezer.

I always ran my 44s maxd.

Older and arthritis, proly need to back em off a bit.
And proly cant use those powders.

for the first time in over a year, I found some H110 for sale and available on the Hodgden website. A timely tip this morning from Frogman43. Thanks!

Bear in mind the minimums for H110 and WW296. Ignition gets spotty if you go below that, then you end up with a LOT of unburned powder granules all over your gun. Just a few shots will be enough to tie it up, and you're looking at a couple of hours to completely disassemble it, clean them out, and put it all back together.


Okie John

nuh unh.

Had a bunch of Blue Dot and. 240 Nosler SP on hand and bells started ringing. Loaded max 15 gr in a full lug factory comp 629 and it’s fun. Probly a bit more than 1200 but no pain. Fairly comfortable actually. Belonged to a friend of mine till he sold it.

Alliant PP300MP is almost the same as H110. Works good in my 44 Mag and my 30 carbine. It like long barrels.

I’m a huge H110 fan but if I wanted to run in the 1200s I’d have to look real hard at 4227.

With a 240 gr JSP (Zero) over 21 gr of 2400 and a WLP primer with a 4.25" barrel, I get 1188 FPS. Same bullet & barrel & primer with 24 gr of H-110 I get 1199 FPS. Should be the same with a JHP.

I use 24 gr H110 240 gr JHP in 44 mag in rifles and revolvers.

I use 24 gr H110 250 gr JHP in 45 colt in rifles and revolvers

Good Luck on finding some! 🤬 I’ve been looking locally for a year or so.....will not pay the ridiculous prices for shipped 1 pounders, and can’t justify the 8 pounder as it’s just an experimental load! I’m in a quandary! 🤬

I used 4227 in my .44 mag. with 265 grain cast bullets with very good success! Want to try it in my 460! memtb

In stock

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/000341101/hodgdon-h110-smokeless-powder-1-lb?Tk=DFPO

Still available.

This is a great conversation with lots of good info. I am glad it got refreshed.

I also found Universal to be a better than replacement for Unique for equivalent loads in 41 mag.

Unfortunately I have not seen a can of Universal on a retail shelf since the fire in the Clays factory a few years ago.

SR 4756 became my substitute. But I have since consumed the last of my hoard, and it is discontinued from the manufacturer.

Fortunately, in these dire times, I have been able to build a stock of Power Pistol, CFE Pistol & Longshot to go with the existing Titegroup and H110 on the shelf.


Power Pistol and CFE Pistol are of a proper speed to fill the niche voided by the absence of HS-6, Blue Dot, Universal, and SR 4756.

still available