Unique and .44 Mag Help please

[buck460XVR]

One additional question. I see above that H110 and W296 require Magnum primers.

Which of the slower burning powders will work correctly with regular large pistol primers? I have a bunch of LPP and really don't want to fiddle around with magnum primers.

My .44s seem to like IMR4227 as much as they like H110/W296, and it doesn't require the use of a magnum primer. I don't get quite as much velocity, but accuracy is everybit as good and it gives me better results than I have had with 2400 in .44mag. This includes the 629s, the 77/44 and the lever carbines, a Rossi and a Marlin.

 

[savanahsdad]

I "almost" agree 100% lol 2400 is dirty , but works great and has been the go-to power for the 44mag from the get-go the Elmer K. load - cast SWC was loaded with 2400 way back when , however w296 and H110 are cleaner and less temp. senative. and there are more loads to pick from useing H110/W296 as they are the same power from the same spout at the factory, so if you find a load for 300gr xtp and it list h110 and you only have w296 you can used that , it is the same and there 3 others , but I can't remember what they are , you can get this info from loaddata.com
the up side too the power you are useing is that you can get twice as many loads out of a pound of power , but BE CAREFUL ! you can over charge very eazy !
I have loaded 44mag with Bulleye, (even hotter than Unique) H110, W296,2400,Universal and Unique, all have there ups and downs , I feel W296/H110 is the best way to go as I also load for two 44mag autoload rifles , and they need the gas to work , Unique wont even kick out the brass ! and make sure your primer matches your load ! some loads call for mag , some for large and some for rifle with a 44mag ,if a primer fits there is a load that uses it , good luck , and you may want to join Loaddata.con there not room here to tell you what I have learned there !

 

[savanahsdad]

go to loaddata.com click on articles tab then cilck on miscellaneous tab (far right) then the 5th Article down "Primers For Magnum Handguners" you don't need to join to read this , and I think everyone should .

 

[HKGuns]

Well, the 9.5 grains of unique shot very well today. I'm pretty satisfied with the stoutness of that load. My hand loads were a lot better from a power factor when compared to the cowboy loads I bought with the pistol.

 

[kelbro]

Also keep in mind that bullet diameters may vary in the same weight between manufacturers in the 44 bullets. That would explain some of the variances that you see in manuals. I always like to see the bullet manufacturer's data.

Can anyone explain to me why it isn't called a 43 Magnum? Was it a marketing thing to make it appears to be closer to a 45 Colt?

 

[mavracer]

Well, the 9.5 grains of unique shot very well today. I'm pretty satisfied with the stoutness of that load. My hand loads were a lot better from a power factor when compared to the cowboy loads I bought with the pistol.

I find myself shooting my midrange Unique loads 10 to 1 to the hot 296 loads. They are just more pleasent to shoot and will shoot through most critters.
As others have said if you want to get mag valocity without mag primers 2400 or 4227 work good.

 

[HKGuns]

Yeah, I picked up some 2400 today and am trying a 19gr load out next chance I get to the range.

 

[FROGO207]

I have shot a lot of Blue dot with 240 grain Jacketed bullets with just under MAX loads and find this is my most liked load. Second choice is using 2400 with that bullet.

 

[ljnowell]

I "almost" agree 100% lol 2400 is dirty , but works great and has been the go-to power for the 44mag from the get-go the Elmer K. load - cast SWC was loaded with 2400 way back when , however w296 and H110 are cleaner and less temp. senative. and there are more loads to pick from useing H110/W296 as they are the same power from the same spout at the factory,

I just cant agree with you on that. 2400 is plenty clean, when loaded to the upper range. There is no way that you can say 296 is less temp sensitive. You dont need mag primers in sub freezing temps with 2400, but i have seen inconsistent ignition in 296 in cold temps. As far as load data, there is a TON of data out there for alliant 2400.

In 357 mag, 44 mag, and hot 45 colt 2400 is a fantastic choice.

 

[Old Dog Man]

44 Mag & 2400 powder

Be careful using heavy charges of 2400 in a 629, I've seen the side plate start to bulge out on some of them. I'd stay below 20 gr. to be on the safe side. I use 22.5 gr of 2400 with 240gr Speer half jacketed bullets in my Superblack Hawk, but it's a solid frame and handles it well, but lots of recoil, not for range work. Al

 

[ljnowell]

Be careful using heavy charges of 2400 in a 629, I've seen the side plate start to bulge out on some of them. I'd stay below 20 gr. to be on the safe side. I use 22.5 gr of 2400 with 240gr Speer half jacketed bullets in my Superblack Hawk, but it's a solid frame and handles it well, but lots of recoil, not for range work. Al

2400 is no different than any othe magnum handgun powder, you are always limited by the gun. 2400 does have more wiggle room than 296 though.

 

[CraigC]

A 240gr SWC over 10.0gr Unique is a load I use so much of, I bought a Dillon 650 to churn them out by the hundreds. It basically duplicates the Keith .44Spl load in Magnum brass. Yields 1100-1200fps in sixguns and 1450fps from rifles.

Can anyone explain to me why it isn't called a 43 Magnum?

Because the .44Mag was based on the .44Spl. Which was based on the .44Russian. Which was based on the .44S&W American which WAS a .44 caliber cartridge with an outside lubed, heeled bullet. It became the .44Russian when the Russians insisted on an inside lubed bullet seated down into the case and thus, the bullet diameter was reduced. We haven't always measured the same way. For instance, .44cal percussion revolvers use a .451" - .457" round ball. The .44 designation comes from the bore size.

 

[HKGuns]

Well, I made it to the range today for about 150 rounds worth of 19gr 2400 loads.

Even at 19 grains those rounds were some real butt kickers out of my 4" pistol! I think those are about as heavy as I will want to use out of that gun. They'd probably be a lot more tame out of my 6.5" but I didn't bring it with me. I did bring my .45 ACP and it felt tame by comparison.

The 9.5gr Unique loads were snappy and the 19gr 2400 loads were a lot more booming if you know what I mean.

Fun round both to shoot and reload. I sure am glad I stumbled across my first revolver in many years of shooting.

 

[Taroman]

I did a lot of 44 magnum shooting with 240 hard cast LSWC over 19.5 grains of 2400.
Plenty of power for any sane usage. This was with an 8-3/8" Model 29.
I never hunted bears and never will, but this load would shoot clean through any deer and really slam the silhouettes.

 

[savanahsdad]

I just cant agree with you on that. 2400 is plenty clean, when loaded to the upper range. There is no way that you can say 296 is less temp sensitive. You dont need mag primers in sub freezing temps with 2400, but i have seen inconsistent ignition in 296 in cold temps. As far as load data, there is a TON of data out there for alliant 2400.

In 357 mag, 44 mag, and hot 45 colt 2400 is a fantastic choice.

I have used a lot of 2400 over the years it's a great power , when I said it was dirty , I was not talking black power dirty , I was just saying H110/W296 was cleaner, I have two auto loaders in 44 (Ruger carbine, and a RugerDeer Field ) and 2400 will run those guns just fine but you need to tear them down more often. and you would swear you were shooting cast in them , not so much with W296, because it is cleaner , as for temp senitive , yep your right, you should use a mag. primer for cold shooting with W296 however I was talking high temps, you work up a hot load (max) on a cool day , then go out on a hot day with 2400 your PSI may go past max, not so much with H110/W296 ,and this is from there data, nothing wrong with 2400 , I have some and when I run out I'll get more. but if I could only have 1 power for my 44's it would be W296/H110 as for Unique,well I'll have to keep buying that too as that is my choice for my S&W 1911 .45

 

[rugerron67]

I have loaded unique up to 12.5 gr 44 mag with a 240 gr xtp.
and 10.5 gr with the 300 gr xtp.
Pretty hot loads .
Only for a Ruger or Marlin .
I do not recommend it .
I have just done it .

 

[Salmoneye]

Alliant 2004 Paper Manual

glarp.atk.com/2004/2004Catalogs/2004AlliantPowderSM.pdf

Page 43/44 for .44 Mag

 

[blarby]

10.5 Grs unique.

CCI LMP

240g Cast, plated, and nosler JHP

I stumbled on this combo sorta by accident when I ran low on LPP's, and used the magnums anyway. Lights a little hotter, which is why I presume its a little cleaner than normal Unique loads for me.

Works fantastic. Cant wait to try it on the new HP's I'm casting.

Otherwise, when using Unique, I just use 10grs for 240 gr bullets, or 11 for 200's.