Is my 44 mag load considered a true "magnum" or ?

[MDoutdoors]

My go to "general purpose" 44 mag load for about the past year has been 16.5 grains of Alliant 2400 powder, with a MBC 240 gr smasher HI-TEK coated cast bullet, and CCI #300 large pistol primer.

With my experience it's been a good all around load that I can rely on without being so hot it beats up on my Model 29, just curious after reading some of these posts on here about underpowered 44 mag loads diving more into the realm of the 44 speacial.

So could anyone throw some opinions out if this would be considered a true "magnum" 44 load or not?

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Your 16.5gr load for 240 gr is in between Alliant's 13 gr max for 44 Special (250) and the 21 gr max for 44 magnum for 240. So your neither.
More of a Tweener.
You don't have Tweener in your choices, so I didn't vote.
16.5 gr would be +P+ and then some for 44 Special and 240 gr.

 

[N555]

It's magnum enough.
In my old speer manual 16gr under a 240gr bullet is in between a 44spl max load and a 44mag start load.
Either way it's way too hot to be shot in "44spl" rated gun assuming 16gr fits in a 44spl case and under a 240gr bullet.

 

[Palladan44]

FWIW- Dirty Harry called his a "44 Magnum" but shot 44 Specials out of it......
If you're looking for Maximum powered loads, keep your eyes peeled for some Hodgdon H-110 or WIN-296. (They are actually the exact same product, and have been for many years now)

 

[JDeere]

23gr of h110 under 240 JSPs is my favorite. Give that a try sometime. I usually run 40 to 50 rounds in a session just for grins...

 

[jmorris]

I suppose by definition any load in a 44 magnum case is a 44 magnum load. Not like it’s going to fit in anything else.

It’s a marketing word, doesn’t have a FPS or energy requirement of a certain level.

 

[Palladan44]

23gr of h110 under 240 JSPs is my favorite. Give that a try sometime. I usually run 40 to 50 rounds in a session just for grins...

I shoot maybe 6 of those per session, at the end to clean out the pipes.

 

[N555]

If I only had a 3 or 4 inch 44 I wouldn't bother with H110. For short guns 2400 is great.
I have an 8" super Redhawk and a 44mag rifle so H110 all the way for me.

 

[Rule3]

No it's not a real manly magnum
But what difference does it make? If you like the load and it's accurate go for it. Full house mag loads are not fun to shoot (at least for me anymore)!

 

[bigpower491]

^^^^^^ What he said^^^^^

If it's hotter than 1150fps and you can shoot it good, consider it a Magnum.
Unless your hunting griz, the upper end isn't necessary

 

[DukeConnor]

Magnum is a made up term and means nothing.

 

[Thomasss]

Magnum is a made up term and means nothing.

Not true. "Magnum" has been used as a term since the civil war. It's meaning has changed multiple times since then and has been over-used and confused. Just ask Thomas Magnum, "Magnum P,I." tv series 1980

 

[DMW1116]

Maybe my opinion on the powder consumption for 44 Mag was not accurate. That’s not that much more than the max loads I use in 357 Mag. The 44 Magnum’s appetite for lead is quite a bit larger though.

 

[jmorris]

Magnum is a made up term and means nothing.

I suppose all words are made up but they still mean something.



That said, if it were just about power, his loads should still beat some 357 “magnum” loads.

In this case and the 357’s, it’s really about firearms strength and cases made to not be compatible with designs not strong enough for the additional pressure.

With the case capacity the 44spl and 38 spl have, one can load into their perspective magnum brothers power levels anyway, safely if fired from a strong enough firearm. It’s just not “safe” as the ammunition could find its way into a “special” firearm that doesn’t have sufficient strength for the additional pressures. Thus the extra 1\8” in case length…

 

[243winxb]

16.5 grains of Alliant 2400 powder, with a MBC 240 gr smasher HI-TEK coated cast bullet, and CCI #300 large pistol primer.

Close enough to be called a Magnum Loading.

The same or better performance can be had using Alliants Unique powder. 8 to 10 grs will reduce cost per shot.
As said, H110/W296 for top velocity. Mag primer.

 

[.308 Norma]

Magnum is a made up term and means nothing.

My .45-110 Sharps is like a .45-70 Government "Magnum."
I'd never drive a Dodge "Magnum" (or any other car) after drinking a "Magnum" of champagne though.

 

[mdi]

I would call that load a "44 Special +P".. Probably hovering around 1,000 fps. Slightly below starting load for Magnum (I have reloaded some 44 Magnums with 44 Special data in Magnum brass understanding the velocities would be below listed for same charge in Special brass). A typical load for my Magnums was around 19.0 gr of 2400, a true Magnum load. (I didn't/don't care for H110/W296. Perhaps because the charge "window" was fairly narrow and warnings of "detonation" with below starting load data)...

 

[Palladan44]

Alliant also calls their 2400 ...
Magnum Pistol Powder, if that means anything to this pointless debate.

 

[ericuda]

Mostly on 357 exp just started 44 but same.

I'd switch to unique for what you want and kick the 2400 loads up a bit. They won't hurt your 29.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My neighbor gave me some 180 grain hollow points . Loaded with 31 grains of H110. Now that is a magnum load. He's afraid to shoot them in his 29. I shot some out of my Ruger SBH. Boy are they a hand full. Im saving the rest to shoot out of my CVA.

 

[Charlie98]

I suppose by definition any load in a 44 magnum case is a 44 magnum load. Not like it’s going to fit in anything else.

Well, unless the Magnum police are out in force, checking your Man Card and reloading logs... a reasonable charge of 2400 in a .44MAG case tells me... (envelope, please...) it's a Magnum-level .44 load! You could debate that it's a 'mid-range' .44MAG load, but circling back to the original question... yes, it's a .44MAG load.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

My go to "general purpose" 44 mag load for about the past year has been 16.5 grains of Alliant 2400 powder, with a MBC 240 gr smasher HI-TEK coated cast bullet, and CCI #300 large pistol primer.

With my experience it's been a good all around load that I can rely on without being so hot it beats up on my Model 29, just curious after reading some of these posts on here about underpowered 44 mag loads diving more into the realm of the 44 speacial.

So could anyone throw some opinions out if this would be considered a true "magnum" 44 load or not?

It’s a true magnum. More importantly, you might want to start ignoring the chest beating crowd. Running that way is for people who are really insecure. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with bragging about how much knuckle hair you burn off with every trigger pull - if that’s what gets you off, have at it - but it’s a little strange in my opinion. Go with the load that works for you. Step one is having a goal for the load. Pain and flame are just where some folks are at.

 

[mdi]

Alliant also calls their 2400 ...
Magnum Pistol Powder, if that means anything to this pointless debate.

Nope, means nuttin' to me, but this is a free forum. Take what you want and leave the rest.

 

[DMW1116]

I cured my magnumitis pretty early with a 357 after thinking I burned all the hair off the backs of my hands. Now I have accuracy affliction. I consider 3 grains of W231 pushing a 148 grain wadcutter in a 357 case a magnum load now.

Slightly under Hornady’s and Lyman’s book max is enough to make my fingers tingle and 4 shots touching a quarter takes care of the rest. I’m good for about 2 cylinders before I find my stash of 38 Specials.

 

[Charlie98]

Alliant also calls their 2400 ...
Magnum Pistol Powder, if that means anything to this pointless debate.

...and Unique is a shotgun powder. I've probably burned 20# of Unique in my lifetime (so far...) and NONE of it was in a shotshell.