.44 Mag Pistol - what's your go to load?

[Sieg]

Due to the 'shut down' I'm starting to load stuff I've been putting off for a long time. I've had a Ruger Redhawk 7.5" with Leupold 2X scope since they first came out, prior to the Super Redhawk. My go to load has always been 240g Speer JHP, 21.9g of 2400, Federal 215 primer, WW and RP brass. It's a relatively stout load but good accuracy.

I have 7lbs of 2400 and 2k Fed primers and 2k Win primers that I'd like to use up.

Is there a bullet style/weight that would do significantly better than my current go to?

 

[ToddKS]

For just general shooting I have always liked the 200gr bullets in the 44.

 

[rsmithsr50]

I do the opposite..i go heavy 290/300 flat point and hp
maybe 1200 fps

 

[Gb300wm]

I like 300’s-310’s with WW296. I hunt with these loads though. Real hammers...
All depends what you want to do where your favorite loading lies. I am a WW296 fan though.

 

[rkittine]

At my age I now am only loading 44 Specials for my 44 Magnums.

Bob

 

[FeMan]

I am also a heavy fan. I shoot 300FP grain hard cast gas checks over W296. It shoots great and hammers the hogs.

Since CA went to all non-lead, I am going to try the Lehigh Defense Extreme Penetrator.

 

[tiny68]

H110 topped with a Hornady 240 gr XTP. I load it mild to pretty hot in my Redhawk. Has worked well on Whitetail and wild hogs. For plinking I used 240 gr Meister hardcast wadcutters with Blue Dot. We also shoot the H110/XTP combo in a Ruger carbine with excellent result.

I recently acquired a 44 mag barrel for my Contender and hope to work up a load for it this summer.

Luck, Tim

 

[TheOtherZilla]

296 and 200 HP's..

 

[msinc]

Due to the 'shut down' I'm starting to load stuff I've been putting off for a long time. I've had a Ruger Redhawk 7.5" with Leupold 2X scope since they first came out, prior to the Super Redhawk. My go to load has always been 240g Speer JHP, 21.9g of 2400, Federal 215 primer, WW and RP brass. It's a relatively stout load but good accuracy.

I have 7lbs of 2400 and 2k Fed primers and 2k Win primers that I'd like to use up.

Is there a bullet style/weight that would do significantly better than my current go to?

If you have 7 pounds of 2400 you are in 44 magnum heaven!!! That said, I don't know about "significantly better", but I have very excellent results with a Lyman Devastator bullet with a gas check and 22.0 grains of 2400. They cast easy, are very accurate and the bullet is a killer. When I first got the mold I had trouble with an air bubble at the bottom of the hollow point. All I had to do to remedy this was turn up the heat of the lead a little until the air bubble went away. Best of luck sir.

 

[Damon555]

I love to make the 44 all it can be......My favorite load is a 300+ grain hard cast flat point bullet sitting atop a stout charge of H110. I've found that when someone wants to try out my Super Blackhawk hunter that they are looking for the big kick in the pants.....not that the lighter bullets don't pack a huge punch too....it's just that those huge bullets will really push that gun back hard!

 

[30378]

I use 23.5 gr of W296 with 240 gr XTPs. I just floors whitetail with a proper hit.

 

[riflewoman]

I usually used factory loads for hunting. My favorite was the Remington 210 Gr JHP. It was their code R44MG6 and had a MVelo of 1450. So for serious work I load that. You can still get the bullets from Precision Reloading. Speer and Sierra sell alternates. I load mine with either 296, Blue Dot or 2400.

 

[Sieg]

Based on the number of responses the .44 Mag still has a dedicated group of followers, myself being one of them.

I loaded up 10 Sierra 180 JHC's tonight with 25.0 of 2400, Win WLP primers, that are leftovers from long ago just to remember what the lighter bullets fell like. As I recall I preferred the heavier bullets, though it's been nearly 10 years since I've shot it. Thankfully I still have a 100 rounds of my go to 240/2400/21.9 loads for reference.

I also have a box of Sierra 220g Silhouette (discontinued) that I'll load up to touch the heavier side. Feel and perception to the shooter is parallel to target results... IMO.

It appears 2400, WW296, H110 are decent powder choices, though I'll doubtfully go through 7lbs of 2400 in my limited lifetime.... but I'm certaily going to try!

It also appears the fans lean to heavier bullets. One rabbit hole I'd be entertained with is 100/200yd target accuracy, heavy or light bullets?

 

[bozo699]

I am also a heavy fan. I shoot 300FP grain hard cast gas checks over W296. It shoots great and hammers the hogs.

Since CA went to all non-lead, I am going to try the Lehigh Defense Extreme Penetrator.

Same load for me.
Wayne

 

[Iowa Fox]

Since it says go to here is mine- 265 home cast with 9 grains of Unique. Sometimes I'll shoot the 265 with H110 but about 5 rounds and my hand hurts. Sometimes I'll shoot a 310 wfn with Blue Dot. Around here 98 percent of the deer shots are 50 yards or less, the unique load is all I need.

 

[pirate ammo]

19.5GR H-110 with a 300GR Nosler jacketed hollow point, works for me.

 

[Steve Ladino]

Based on the number of responses the .44 Mag still has a dedicated group of followers, myself being one of them.

I loaded up 10 Sierra 180 JHC's tonight with 25.0 of 2400, Win WLP primers, that are leftovers from long ago just to remember what the lighter bullets fell like. As I recall I preferred the heavier bullets, though it's been nearly 10 years since I've shot it. Thankfully I still have a 100 rounds of my go to 240/2400/21.9 loads for reference.

I also have a box of Sierra 220g Silhouette (discontinued) that I'll load up to touch the heavier side. Feel and perception to the shooter is parallel to target results... IMO.

It appears 2400, WW296, H110 are decent powder choices, though I'll doubtfully go through 7lbs of 2400 in my limited lifetime.... but I'm certaily going to try!

It also appears the fans lean to heavier bullets. One rabbit hole I'd be entertained with is 100/200yd target accuracy, heavy or light bullets?

The only shortcoming Clint had in this movie was that he hadn't chosen a brand of chewing tobacco to spit at dogs with.....what a character he is !

 

[2506]

I mainly used 2400 back in my 44 mag days. Off the top of my head I only remember I used 21 grs with 240 Jacketed Sierra HPs and 22 grs with my hard cast lead Keith style 245 gr SWC out of a Lyman mold. Very accurate and powerful loads from a 7 1/2" Black Hawk and a Red Hawk I had back then. I did find that for white tail deer I liked the 180 gr Sierra HP running pretty warm better than 240s. I got more in their tracks kills with the 180. Only problem with 2400 is it is pretty dirty and you need to clean your pistol more often to keep it running. With the 44 mag this was not much of a problem because I could not take that much muzzle blast and hand bashing at one time. With the 357 mag that was a different story. I could shoot it much longer and had to pay attention to powder granules getting under the extractor star and causing the cylinder to bind up. 2400 sure was accurate and powerful though. Moved on from the 44 mag to Contender pistols in rifle calibers for most of my handgun hunting. Moved to H110/296 for my 357 mags and my big bore revolver these days is a Black Hawk 45 Colt and I use H110 with Hornady 250 XTP and Speer 300 gr JSP in it mostly.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I carry a .44 with me in the mountains. I find that I am much more capable with it with a medium load. The heavy loads are fine if you can put 6 on target double action quickly but I cant. I like a 240 about 1200 fps in a 4" steel gun, 1000 fps in the light aluminum SW. I used to own a 6" and that made a big difference, much nicer with full loads. If its a range gun, go with the 6" models, the shorter barrels make them a lot nastier but nicer to carry

 

[argrendel]

I used to own two Desert Eagles. I liked 240g bullet and Accurate #9 with a magnum primer (CCI)