44 magnum H110 vs 2400 accuracy?

[Typetwelve]

I'll start with this, I've only been reloading for a year so take that in mind when reading my question below.

...with that said...

I've been goofing around with Hornady XTP projectiles in 180, 200, 240, and 300 grain sizes. I've been wanting to see what my 7.5" Super Redhawk likes the most.

Across the board, when taking both H110 and 2400 to near max levels I've found the following:

-H110 has a louder crack, 2400 more of a "boom"
-The recoil from H110 is more of a muzzle flip, the 2400 is more of a whump on your hand, like hitting a tree with a baseball bat.
-2400 makes a very visible daytime muzzle blast. H110 may as well and I know is known for doing that, but I can't see it in harddaylight for some reason.
-As it is stated everywhere, H110 produces higher max velocity than 2400.
-H110 is one dirty powder, 2400 shoots much cleaner leaving the brass much less filthy.
-2400, across the board, produces more accurate groups. I thought this may be a velocity issue, so I reduced the H110 charges to produce similar speeds as 2400 and still, the 2400 is more accurate.

Again, these may be totally typical findings...but I felt like discussing something other than the corona virus today...so I posed this up.

 

[buck460XVR]

-H110 is one dirty powder, 2400 shoots much cleaner leaving the brass much less filthy.
-2400, across the board, produces more accurate groups. I thought this may be a velocity issue, so I reduced the H110 charges to produce similar speeds as 2400 and still, the 2400 is more accurate.

.

The accuracy thing may be because of velocity, but by reducing the velocity produced by H110, you may also be decreasing it's accuracy. My most accurate groups with H110/W296 are at the upper end of it's parameters. You didn't say what your charge weights were with specific bullets, but the sooty brass tells me your charges may be low. All powders burn dirty at the low end of their parameters.

 

[murf]

what primer are you using with those loads?

murf

 

[Typetwelve]

The accuracy thing may be because of velocity, but by reducing the velocity produced by H110, you may also be decreasing it's accuracy. My most accurate groups with H110/W296 are at the upper end of it's parameters. You didn't say what your charge weights were with specific bullets, but the sooty brass tells me your charges may be low. All powders burn dirty at the low end of their parameters.

I've been loading these bad boys pretty hot, near max levels posted by either my Lyman book, or the actual Hornady book.

(THIS is the typical "load these at your own risk, I'm just posting info" statement")

Here goes, this is fro my notes:

180g XTP- 31.5g H110, 25.5g 2400
200g XTP- 28.5g H110, 25g 2400
240g XTP- 24g H110, 21g 2400
300g XTP- 19.5g H110, 17g 2400

On an unrelated note, those 200g XTPs kick like a ticked off mule. It's weird. The 300 was no slouch, but across the board, the 200g loads were by far the most unpleasant.

Primer?

Winchester L Pistol magnum with all of them. 2400 lights up just fine with CCI LP non magnum, but when I did the reloading session, I didn't want to swap things out so I ran with all Win Mag.

 

[Charlie98]

but the sooty brass tells me your charges may be low. All powders burn dirty at the low end of their parameters.

Indication of that is the clean burn of 2400, and dirty burn with H110. I load H110 under heavy for caliber 250grn .41 bullets and it burns clean as a whistle in a 5.5 or 6" barrel, but 2400 burnt terrible in my 5.5" .45 Colt with the same basic bullet weight. I always chalk something like that up to a 'non optimum' powder or powder charge vs bullet weight, and go looking elsewhere for a better powder. Your poor accuracy with H110 might also be related to the poor burn... or it just may not like it.

 

[buck460XVR]

Winchester L Pistol magnum with all of them. 2400 lights up just fine with CCI LP non magnum, but when I did the reloading session, I didn't want to swap things out so I ran with all Win Mag.

Winchester does not make a "Magnum" primer for Large Pistol. They make only one and claim it's good for all LP loads.
H110/W296 has very narrow parameters, but within them it works very well. Some of the loads you list have it a half a gr or more below max according to Hornady. Hornady does not even give a recipe for H110 with it's 180 grainer, this tells me they don't think too much of the combo. At least from their tests.

 

[Typetwelve]

Winchester does not make a "Magnum" primer for Large Pistol. They make only one and claim it's good for all LP loads.
H110/W296 has very narrow parameters, but within them it works very well. Some of the loads you list have it a half a gr or more below max according to Hornady. Hornady does not even give a recipe for H110 with it's 180 grainer, this tells me they don't think too much of the combo. At least from their tests.

Yeah and no...Win states that their primers work in both applications...so I go with the higher std, which is magnum. I've yet to see anything stating that they don't work well with magnum finnicky powders and my chrono results have been solid.

I pulled the H110 data from my Lyman manual that offers the data for a strangely "similar", generic 180g HP projectile.

I do find it strange that Hornady offers H110 loading info for all other 44 magnum projectiles save the 180g...weird. H110 gets that bullet scooting right along, that's for sure.

 

[243winxb]

2400, across the board, produces more accurate groups.

My choice is accuracy over speed.

W296/H110 may produce a spike in pressure when increasing the powder charge only 1/2 gr. , but i was using cast bullets. May not be an issue with jacketed.

I use WLP in 44 mag and 45 acp. Works for me.

 

[FROGO207]

My take is the slower burning propellant gives a lower felt recoil impulse over a longer time span. This produces less instantaneous muzzle rise/flip and allows for more user control with revolver in hand. I wonder if the results would be different using a machine rest instead.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I too prefer accuracy over speed. I have had some of the best accuracy in my 44 mags using H-4227

 

[Barry loyd]

I have found the 240 to be more accurate than the 180. This is true of any bullet, longer bullet=more accurate. I’m sure there is a point of diminishing returns. I’ve been using IMR4227 for my mag loads lately and have been pretty happy. It has less muzzle flash to me.

 

[mcb]

I ended up using 800X under a 240gr JHP and got basically the same velocity from 14gr of 800-x as 23.5 gr of H110 from my 6.5 inch M29 BUT with none of the flash and much less muzzle blast. The 800x was noticeable more pleasant to shoot than H110. H110 works alot better in the carbine though.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I reload my 44magnum 180 and 240 grain bullets with 2400 &AA#9 very similar powders..

Thewelshm

 

[sparkyv]

H110/W296 has very narrow parameters,

this and leaking out of powder measures is why I dislike H110, BUT it is the best performing powder accuracy-wise in my 429 and 460. I'm trying 2400 in the 460 today, and in the 629 in a few weeks. I hope it provides a good alternative to H110. From what I've read, H110 is hard to beat.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

I'm trying 2400 in the 460 today

Looking forward to see your results!

 

[Charlie98]

Yeah and no...Win states that their primers work in both applications...so I go with the higher std, which is magnum. I've yet to see anything stating that they don't work well with magnum finnicky powders and my chrono results have been solid.

I did a primer comparo last year, using my .41MAG Marlin 1894 as the test firearm... 5 loads each with 20grn IMR4227. I had read where folks were getting better results using a Magnum primer with a slower powder like IMR4227, so I thought I would give it a try. I loaded 5 each with a standard CCI LP primer, the Winchester Standard/Magnum primer, and a CCI LPM primer. I found, even in the longer burn of the rifle barrel, the standard primer gave the middle velocity reading, but the tightest velocity spread. Winchester gave marginally higher velocity, and a marginally higher SD, the Magnum primer gave lower velocity, and an even bigger velocity spread.

I always use a Magnum primer with H110/W296... they say to, and I believe them. The Winchester 'either or' primers look good on paper, but in practice not so much, and I've gone back to separate standard and Magnum primers since. I also question the need for a Magnum primer with slower powders like IMR4227 or 2400, or if not necessarily needed, that they produce a better result. That is not to say you shouldn't test both type primers if you are working up a load for accuracy, with your particular bullet, in your particular firearm.

 

[murf]

my h110 load for the 180 grain xtp is over 30 grains of powder. my primer is cci 350. this load chronos out of my six inch model 29 @ 1800 fps. it is very accurate. the flame cutting of the top strap and forcing cone face isn't too bad and doesn''t affect gun function.

luck,

murf

 

[sparkyv]

Well this first go'round, H110 is still King. More testing needed, but I was encouraged by 2400.

Looking forward to see your results!

 

[Stubert]

If you are loading for a SRH, you can load the cartridge to 1.7" The Red hawk has a long cyl. In my red hawk I use a 300 gr. Lee G.C. with 20.8 gr of 296/110.

 

[Obturation]

Can't speak to the 44 but in 357 I get more accurate and pleasant loads using 2400. I prefer h110/w296 in 454 casull but haven't toyed much with 2400 in the bigger bore, mainly because I have trouble finding 2400 in my area so I hoard it away for my 357 loading (shoot that caliber more than any other).

 

[wbbh]

I like H110, but I prefer Shooters World Heavy Pistol, 18.5 grains with a Nosler 240 grain JHP.

 

[sequins]

I far prefer h110 to 2400 if loading for full power. It seems cleaner and more consistent, and the powder measures more cleanly. H110 is my primary revolver powder for this reason.

2400 is usually sooty even at large charges for me and meters a lot worse. I don't like trickling handgun rounds so that 0.2-0.3gn throw variantion puts me off.

I have a 4 moa H110 load out of my Blackhawk with h110 and that makes me happy.

 

[Varminterror]

I guess I don’t understand the difficulty in getting H110/W296 to shoot accurately.

 

[black mamba]

My preferred powder for full house loads is Accurate 4100. It meters like a dream, shoots cleaner than clean, and gives great accuracy in my 629 Classic.



Not too bad for a 5-minute red dot!

 

[Jim Watson]

I got best accuracy in .44 Magnum with IMR 4227 but it sure wasn't "clean."

Amazing what you can do with a coarse reticle. A friend once handed me his 7mm with huge Lee Tackhole Dot (Which shows you how long ago he got that scope.) Looked like a dinner plate.
I put two shots about an inch apart at 100 yds and handed it back to him, not wanting to spoil my image.