44 spcl/mag lever

S

styles

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Apr 11, 2007
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Well, I gave in…

I have avoided 9mm. I have avoided magnums. I shoot 38 spcl, 45 acp, and 45 colt and load for all of them.

I have enjoyed not needing magnum powders and magnum primers.

However, I couldn’t wait any longer for a Ruger-Marlin in .45 to be introduced and the street prices were low; I bought a .44 Marlin 1894. Already have 38/357.

I am trying to decide what to do with it? Give me your advice, opinions, experience, warnings, wave-offs, encouragement, and Jokes.

Basically, I’m trying to decide if I just want to go with 44 spcl brass and AA#5 and stay low fps with 240 Keith style or 260 Keith’s from RimRock. I don’t cast. I use rimrock lswc and lswc-hp for other cartridges with #2 and #5.

Do I get a matching Blackhawk or Redhawk? Do I load 44 mag in the rifle? Do the mags cycle better or worse with either bullet. Do I go WFN for cycling? Do I buy #9 and mag shells? Stick with #5? Std or Mag primers? GC? .44 Bisley?

I prefer 45, but I can’t have it ... yet Or never.
Should I just flip the rifle?
What have I done to myself?

I’ve searched and read … still not sure what I want out of it. Max utility would be small black bears. I’m in Florida.

Yes; I have adhd, ocd, and everything else you got …
 
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A matching Blackhawk would be mandatory.

I have a Rossi 92 in .44 mag, and love plinking with it using 200 grain RNFPs over 9 grains of 231, 10 grains of Unique, 11 grains of Power Pistol, or similar loads.

It also does great with 280 to 300 grain cast bullets over full loads of 296.
 
Louisiana Swamp People say .... CHOOT 'EM ... CHOOT 'EM All ...
44 Special light Target and Tin Can loads ... all the way up to and including the 44 magnum ... Deer Hunting and Hog Hunting loads ... Variety is the Spice Of Life !
That rifle will allow you to take advantage of every load mild to wild ... Take advantage of it !
Gary
 
styles said:
9 gr 231 is a 44 spcl load? Std LPP?
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Sorry, no--that's with mag brass. I should've been more clear. And yes, a standard primer.

My .44 spl loads are usually either the same 200 grain cast bullet over 7 grains of 231, or a 260 grain SWC over 7 grains of Power Pistol.

The lighter bullet makes a great short range pinker, but the Keith SWC seems more accurate for me out to about 100 yards.

My Rossi doesn't seem to care about gas checks, even with full power magnum loads. However some rifles definitely show a strong preference for them. You'll probably just have to experiment and see what your rifle likes.
 
If your ordering cast for a 44 lever go .431. Don't go in hole hog on bullets until you know those are big enough for accuracy.
 
First off Styles. You done good. Welcome to the club that Elmer started. It’s only going to get better once you start shooting that rifle. Especially as the loads get a little hotter.

Secondly… when you bought that Marlin you took a subconscious oath to partner it with a handgun in said caliber.

Say it sloooowly 3 times before going to bed each night…Red Haaaawk….Black Haaaawk…Model Twenty Niiiine.

Now go watch the entire Dirty Harry Franchise from the beginning.

Forgot to add: you’re about to get religion. We worship at the Altar of the Slow Burn. Our deities are 2400, 296 and H110.
 
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If you don’t own a dedicated 44 special revolver there’s no need to buy more rare and often more expensive 44 special brass. Just load 44 special loads in mag brass if that’s what you want. Feeding will typically be better with the longer case and you don’t have to sort brass.
 
beeenbag said:
If you don’t own a dedicated 44 special revolver there’s no need to buy more rare and often more expensive 44 special brass. Just load 44 special loads in mag brass if that’s what you want. Feeding will typically be better with the longer case and you don’t have to sort brass.
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Sound advice, but……..

Soonerpesek said:
We haven’t had a good enabling session here for a while….. :evil:
Click to expand...

…….. :D
 
The .44Mag will do anything the .45 will, from mild to wild, with less powder. You can really go either way with brass, depending on what you want to do. That said, I rarely if ever shoot .44Spl's out of .44Mag's any more. Pretty much settled on a 240gr SWC over 10.0gr Unique for a general purpose, plinking, practice and hunting load. Runs about 1400fps out of rifles and 1100-1200fps out of pistols.

I only shoot .44Spl's out of .44Spl's, of which I have many, including an Uberti 1866 short rifle.


AJC1 said:
If your ordering cast for a 44 lever go .431. Don't go in hole hog on bullets until you know those are big enough for accuracy.
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He has the new one, it's a non-issue.



beeenbag said:
If you don’t own a dedicated 44 special revolver there’s no need to buy more rare and often more expensive 44 special brass. Just load 44 special loads in mag brass if that’s what you want. Feeding will typically be better with the longer case and you don’t have to sort brass.
Click to expand...
I keep hearing this repeated and in 25yrs of handloading the .44Spl, have never found it to be true. Right now, both are the same price from Starline, except the .44Special is in stock. Even .44Colt brass is only slightly more expensive and I've never not been able to find out.
 
CraigC said:
The .44Mag will do anything the .45 will, from mild to wild, with less powder. You can really go either way with brass, depending on what you want to do.
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I tend to agree with both of the above. But personally have never loaded .44 special for my .44 mag carbines. Can do the special loads in mag cases and only have to have one size case for all. While it's fun to shoot powder puff loads in the PC carbines, with my .44s, I've found that getting closer to legitimate .44 mag loadings, makes for more accuracy, especially if you are shooting at 100 yards.
 
You do not need "mag" primers or "mag" powder to load 44 magnum.
Some 44 mag and 357 mag rifles do not cycle their shorter version of 44 special and 38 special.

My Marlin 357 does not like 38 special
 
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