Favorte Lead 44 magnum loads?

[7075-T7]

Well, I just ordered 1000 240gr SWC bullets from SNS casting. This is my first excursion into lead bullets for the 44 magnum, and the loads I've been seeing vary wildly from some sub 800 loads to 1400fps loads. Trying to save a little cash over jacketed and see if I like the lead world enough to think about casting.

Listed alloy is 92% lead 6% antimony and 2% tin with a BHN of about 17. I have the following powders to pull from: H110, 2400, BlueDot, 800X, Unique, Titegroup.... I can't decide on a powder I like

Anyone have a favorte low, mid, or full magnum load for the 240 SWC?

[Jumping Frog]

Personally, I've always used H110 for full house loads. For decades, H110 was known for getting the highest available velocity for .44 magnum.

However, H110 is a very unforgiving powder, especially for new handloaders. Most new handloaders seem to err towards the side of loading charges that are too light rather than too heavy because people are cautious about making their gun go KABOOM.

H110 has a much narrower range from min to max than most loads. Most powders have a starting load roughly 10% under maximum load. Hodgdon warns loaders to not go less than 3% under maximum. If an H110 load is too light, it can also cause detonation or a squib. I had an H110 squib once when I was first handloading. I am on the road and do not have my reloading notebook in front of me, but I think I was starting around 22 gr for a 230 gr bullet which was too light when I got the squib.

Last time I chronographed it, if I recall the charge correctly, I was using 25.0-25.5 gr and getting 1550 fps.

Hodgdon posts the following on their website:

For those loads listed where a starting load is not shown, start 10% below the suggested maximum load and then approach maximums carefully, watching for any sign of pressure (difficult extraction, cratered and flattened or blown primers, and unusual recoil). H110 and Winchester 296 loads should not be reduced more than 3%.

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

Another classic powder for .44 loads going all the way back to Elmer Keith days is 2400. 2400 is a much more forgiving powder that you can download substantially for a range of velocities. It will not quite achieve the same max as H110, but it is close. 2400 is more versatile for speeds anywhere from 750-1400 fps.

L'il Gun is also supposed to get superb results with .44 Magnum, but that isn't a powder I've ever loaded. For low-range loads, I know people will also use Unique, but I far prefer using Hodgdon's Universal instead of Unique. It burns cleaner and meters cleanly. Hodgdon posts 6.5 to 10.2 grs Universal for a max of 1276 fps using Universal.

[ghostrider]

Well, my experience is in 44mag rifle, not revolver but I've had decent results with the following powders for various
lead and jacketed loads, light target and higher performance:

blue dot, titegroup, SR 4756, and 2400
I've probably used others, but I'd have to check my data books to see.

[ghostrider]

240gr LSWC over 6.0gr titegroup for a target load.

[7075-T7]

Last time I chronographed it, if I recall the charge correctly, I was using 25.0-25.5 gr and getting 1550 fps.

Can a 17 BHN hardness bullet withstand 1550 without leading?

240gr LSWC over 6.0gr titegroup for a target load.

Great. I was looking at the lyman book and it said 9.0min to 10.0 max (iirc) and I was wondering if you could go below minimums with titegroup. 6.0 sounds like a nice light load.

[ghostrider]

Great. I was looking at the lyman book and it said 9.0min to 10.0 max (iirc) and I was wondering if you could go below minimums with titegroup. 6.0 sounds like a nice light load

This is why I recommend checking multiple sources. Hogdgon's online reloading data says 4.7gr to 10.0gr for 240 GR. LSWC CAST
but 9.0gr to 10.0gr for JHP.

more data here:
http://www.handgunsmag.com/2010/09/24/a ... ag_081005/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jumping Frog]

Last time I chronographed it, if I recall the charge correctly, I was using 25.0-25.5 gr and getting 1550 fps.

Can a 17 BHN hardness bullet withstand 1550 without leading?

My bullets are gas checked. But I am aware of people getting 1600 fps with non-gas-checked bullets without leading. Fit and lube and important.

[Hamourkiller]

Put 18 grs of 2400 under that bullet and have a great general purpose load for the 44 mag. Also put 9 grs of unique in some more cases and have another great general purpose load, let the revolver tell you which it likes best.

Hank

[7075-T7]

I FINALLY was able to get out to the range with a couple I made

240SWC over 4.9gr TiteGroup
240SWC over 8.2gr TiteGroup
240SWC over 9.5gr Unique

Oddly enough, the Titegroup loads worked best in my revolver, and had a lot less smoke than the Unique load. The Unique load was really smokey (though the only thing I have to compare it to was the TiteGroup loads). Some streaks and stuff at the forcing cone and alone the barrel, but I think that might just be the lube of other stuff since one round of a 180gr XTP over 31gr H110 cleaned it up perfectly. Overall a positive day.

Best part of the day was the Wife was with me, and she shot some of the 4.9 TG loads. And with them being rounds 3-9 that she's ever fired from a 44, she had a dinner plate sized group around the bull at 14yd's (I'm so proud )

Oddity, with the 4.9gr of TG loads, when she was shooting them, they looked like tracers when viewed from an off angle in bright sunlight, I could see them go through the air and hit the target.

[Rifleman55]

For my light loads in the 44mag I have gone to using 44 special brass, it works great for target loads and I can tell at a glance which I have.

[Richardc]

If you really want a low recoil target load, i have taken 44mag brass re-sized and opened up the flash hole to keep the primer from unseating, then primed the brass. Then melt some bee's wax in a pan or something about a 1/4 inch thick then just stick the case heads in and use it like a cookie cuter. now you have wax rounds that you can plink in the garage or what ever. You MUST keep this brass separate from the rest, will cause bad things to happen with a real load in them!