Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default new load for 44 mag

    I am soon starting a new load for my 44. I have been shooting the same load since probably 1990. 240 gr. jhp over 24 gr of 296, with CCI350. These are stout hunting loads which have done the job nicely on about 15 whitetails. I have chronoed them just shy of 1500fps.

    I am working up a load for 200 gr Speer GD HP. I am looking at 27gr of 296 under my crimped Gold Dots, possibly maxing at 28.5gr. Does anyone have any experience with this load? Or similar? Dispenser is Ruger Redhawk 7.5" tube. Thanks much!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Just curious, have you worked with 2400 at all?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Used to spend a lot of time with Carol the Sierra load tech. He was very down on 296, his take was that it was too load sensitive. What ever you do DO NOT light load it, never go below the minimum recommended.

    Long time .44 mag. loader shooter and always used the Elmer Keith load. I am reluctant to give any load info on here but it uses a 255 Keith hard cast lead bullet and 2400. I am sure that google will have the rest, if they do not look at Sierra's loading book.
    Courage is being scared to death--but saddling up any way. John Wayne

  4. #4
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Yes, I'm well aware of the contingencies of H110/296. I started out using 2400 before i settled on 296. My Redhawk hated the residue left from 2400. After a few shots it would make the action almost inoperable from any practical viewpoint. The 296 cleared that problem up, as well as being more accurate. I got my current fav load from a guy at Shelly's in New Cumberland if that tells you how long I've shooting it. Sticking with what works. The components I have were bought about 7 years ago when I got a deal on them, so whether I use them or not isn't in question. Just wondering if anybody has used this load and their results. Im thinking of starting middle of the road with like 27 gr and working from there. Granted its a narrow span, I just don't like starting at max on anything.
    Last edited by mosseater; April 1st, 2020 at 05:28 PM.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Almost forgot, 2400 was a nightmare to scale in my Dillon. 296 being ball was a piece of cake. The 24 gr I used is a lightly compressed load, and also used a solid crimp. Case prep is key.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    The older manuals / datasheets had a special warning for H110/296. The minimum load was max -3%. This is because these powders need a certain pressure to burn cleanly and if you don't reach it you will have erratic velocities at best, hangfires, pressure spikes, and blown up firearms at the worse. What I don't understand is that a lot of newer load data have loads way under classic loads (that you were not supposed to reduce). While starting close to max seems dangerous H110/296 is a slow powder and usually you can't fit enough powder in a pistol case to blow up (famous last words). Check your loadings in a well respected older load book and of course always use magnum primers.

    H110/296 is the powder for full power heavy for caliber bullets. If you are not doing this then use another powder.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    I've been shooting and reloading the .44 Magnum for as long as I've been reloading, which is closing in on 30 years. I've always used H110 and mainly 240gr bullets with some 300gr bullets thrown in.

    Last year I wanted a milder load to shoot through my Super Blackhawk using plated bullets, so I settled on 240gr plated bullet with 10.0gr of Unique.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Yes I have loaded with Unique a few times too. Always gets my scaling bar jammed up. I've been loading for this pistol for 37 years, and have been reloading since Dad got us into it at like age 10, so 47 years. Always something new to learn. I'm going to try this load and see what happens. I did find a few for 200 gr jhp in my older books. All these loads are slightly compressed. I am going to try a few at 27 gr and see how they look before I go wild with a batch. Can't find my Chrony now! Jeeze...

  9. #9
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    Quote Originally Posted by mosseater View Post
    Yes I have loaded with Unique a few times too. Always gets my scaling bar jammed up. I've been loading for this pistol for 37 years, and have been reloading since Dad got us into it at like age 10, so 47 years. Always something new to learn. I'm going to try this load and see what happens. I did find a few for 200 gr jhp in my older books. All these loads are slightly compressed. I am going to try a few at 27 gr and see how they look before I go wild with a batch. Can't find my Chrony now! Jeeze...
    I realize the Speer 200 gr jhp bullets you're using aren't exactly the same as the Nosler bullets I use in the same weight, but they're pretty close. Here's a page of rifle reload data from Nosler:

    https://load-data.nosler.com/load-da...ington-magnum/

    The A-No.7 load with 17.4 gr is the most accurate load tested. Has a load density of 74% and 1560 fps. I loaded up a .50 cal can of these and they work great in my Marlin.

    Here's the load data from Speer's Reloading Manual #14:

    Speer load data.jpg
    Last edited by bamboomaster; April 13th, 2020 at 07:07 AM.
    - bamboomaster

  10. #10
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    Default Re: new load for 44 mag

    I only shoot 44 mag in a Marlin 1894 and my standard load is the 200 XTP over 28.4 WIn 296. Seems to be a good compromise between speed (180, 200, 240) and being constructed or hunting with the resulting speeds.
    My 180 and 200 loads shoot to nearly same point of impact at 100 yards, but 240 drop significantly. 180 grain seems too fragile and the 240 just drops too much for me.

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