.44mag starting load suggestions

[mdi]

One thing t Quote:
Originally Posted by mdi
Did you bother to read the second sentence? The first sentence was a rhetorical question...http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetorical

Guess you were right the first time.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by mdi
OK, I'll be the jerk;

I've found rhetorical questions many times to be condescending, like your initial post in this thread. The Op was just looking for some opinions and suggestions, there really was no need to be that jerk

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What is unwise at best (stupid) is using load data from a forum. While some may just be attempting to be helpful, supplying load data on line is doing nobody any good. First, they are leading the OP by the hand and actually not helping (how is he going to find load data next time?). These "helpful" posters are just afraid to tell the OP the truth; don't trust loads from any forum expert and find reliable data for himself, they're not wanting to offend anyone and not be a jerk. So, going along with the conventual thinking (just like political correctness) I eased the OP's feelings by admitting to being a jerk and told him the truth. So, go ahead and lead every new reloader by the hand, don't tell him how to find his own answer,where to find answers or how to research, and being a jerk to everyone else...

I find forum members who "police" and condemn other's posts to be the epitomy of condescention...

 

[Bama Drifter]

MDI, I think THR mainly exists to help shooters branching out on different paths offered by the myriad Shooting Sports. Though I don't care a whit about shotgunning or Class III toys, I'm proud to know I can easily get "expert help" from fellows in those sections of our forum.

The majority voice I hear in Handloading and Reloading forum is that of patient cautious advice. Nobody has posted anything so far that would KB a serviceable revolver. There's the stickies about HEAVY loads by Johnny Guest... thanks for your diligence, but the OP also stated he has several manuals too. Relax!

 

[RealGun]

.44mag starting load suggestions


I'm getting ready to load my first .44mag loads for my 10.5" Super Blackhawk. I have always shot the Winchester 240g JSP's for deer and bear. It does well with this round.

I have some Hornady 240g XTP's that I want to try. Powders that I have on hand that will work are 2400, Unique, and IMR4227.

What would be a good starting point? Which powder would you start with? What increments would you step up?

Lyman 49th says IMR4227 with a starting point of 19.3 and working up to 23.1

Looking for practical experience and thanks in advance!

In terms of "practical experience", note that Lyman's #49 indicates in bold print which powder gave them the best results (from a 4" barrel universal receiver). They show a 240 gr JHP as best run with IMR-4227. They also show bold print as indicating whether min or max load level direction was the most accurate in their testing. In this case I read IMR-4227 at 23.1 gr max. They did not indicate use of magnum primers.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Listen to the gruff guys, they have helped me a lot. I have been figuring out the best unique loads and even looking at the manuals you get different loads. There's a big difference between using Speer's software BHN lead bullets and say xTreme's harder BHN bullets. I'm working through that myself right now. Many factors to consider, BHN for lead, plated, jacketed, plinking, hunting.

 

[joem1945]

I've been loading .44 mag and .41 mag with AA # 9. I have quite a bit of it. AA anything is hard to find arround me.

 

[buck460XVR]

They show a 240 gr JHP as best run with IMR-4227. They also show bold print as indicating whether min or max load level direction was the most accurate in their testing. In this case I read IMR-4227 at 23.1 gr max. They did not indicate use of magnum primers.

Lyman also gives two recipes for two different 240 gr JHP bullets, Speer and Sierra. I've found that the 240 gr Speer has about the same amount of bullet seated inside the case to the cannelure as a 240 gr XTP. This is probably why they show the max load as compressed with the Sierra and not so with the Speer. The Speers probably are not far from compressed. The Noslers seat a tad deeper, thus I go a tad lighter with the charge. Again, my experience has shown me that in .44 mag(and also in my .460) that a slightly compressed or nearly compressed load performs the best, when using IMR4227, for me, in my guns. Still I suggest one starts out lower than that, again middle of the road recipes should be fine unless you are looking for a real powder puff load. FYI, Speer's min load for their 240 grainer is 21.4, one reason I originally suggested a start of 21.5-22gr. Hodgdon shows a start of 22gr with a 240 grainer. All of my suggestions are tested and published from reputable sources and can easily be verified., not just pulled from the backside of some random internet poster.

I use Winchester LP primers(good for standard and magnum loads) in my .44 mag loads with IMR4227, but because of the large volume of the .44 case and it generally being fully filled with no gap between the primer and powder, standard primers should be fine and are used in many of the published recipes. Again IMR4227 does not give me the velocities of H110/W296 and it costs a tad more per pound, but it gives me the best accuracy of any powder in my .44 mag and .460 mag hunting loads.....thus why I use it.

 

[SARuger]

Thanks everyone, again, great advice!