44 Magnum Load Work Up

[Mark W]

There’s been a few threads on 44 Mag loading here lately. I just did a load work up, going from 23.0 to 25.5 H-110 in 1/2 grain increments. I used new Starline brass with Federal large pistol magnum primers and Hornady 240 Gr XTP and fired them out of my Henry lever action. The results were positive with 25.0 grains giving me a 2.5” group at 100 yards and 1,800 fps.

My question is if it would be worth while to do some more testing in smaller increments around 25.0 grains to try and fine tune it a little more?

 

[potatojudge]

Did you get your best groups at 25 grains or lower?

Typically H110 likes to fill up to the base of the bullet and compressing or going over pressure leads to erratic performance and groups.

Hodgdon shows a max for that bullet at 24 grains.

 

[Mark W]

Did you get your best groups at 25 grains or lower?

Typically H110 likes to fill up to the base of the bullet and compressing or going over pressure leads to erratic performance and groups.

Hodgdon shows a max for that bullet at 24 grains.

My best groups were at 25 grain which is max in the Hornady book that I was using.

 

[Dub]

In my opinion you are unlikely to improve that load any further. Your results are very respectable.

 

[Gargoyle]

25gr and LITFA! With 200gr XTP I found AA9 powder to always give more velocity at 2gr less charge than H110. By 80-100fps. Henry Big Boy Steel 16"

 

[Mark W]

In my opinion you are unlikely to improve that load any further. Your results are very respectable.

That’s pretty much what I was thinking. Just looking for confirmation I guess.

 

[Mark W]

25gr and LITFA! With 200gr XTP I found AA9 powder to always give more velocity at 2gr less charge than H110. By 80-100fps. Henry Big Boy Steel 16"

Unfortunately I don’t have any components to test that recipe. Maybe someday.

 

[Gargoyle]

Unfortunately I don’t have any components to test that recipe. Maybe someday.

300gr XTP with 22gr H110 Starline brass and WLP ran 1600fps. Amazing accuracy.

 

[David Milisock]

300gr XTP with 22gr H110 Starline brass and WLP ran 1600fps. Amazing accuracy.

Have you shot any game with the 300 grain XTP?

 

[Gargoyle]

Have you shot any game with the 300 grain XTP?

Not with the Henry. 8 or so deer with the muzzleloader. 100-130yd hits, pass throughs with 1/2 dollar exits. Run 30yds and drop dead. 18yd hit was baseball size exit.

 

[JSH]

I also use AA9 with better results than 110 for jacketed. CB’s I can’t help myself 2400.

 

[sw282]

Elmer Keath's classic load is a hard cast LYMAN #429421 Keath SWC 250gr over 22gr 2400 powder. Just a Standard Large Pistol Primer. lts been my standard IHMSA silhouette load since the 1970s. lt'll topple a 55pound steel ram @200meters. l have taken quite a few deer with it too

 

[Minshooter]

Have you shot any game with the 300 grain XTP?

Have shot several deer with 300 xtp and AA9, in a 6-1/2" 629.
Would have a hard time distinguishing between that wound channel and a 12 ga slug.
Also extremely accurate out to 200 yds in the same pistol. (I limit deer shots to ~125 yards).

 

[David Milisock]

Have shot several deer with 300 xtp and AA9, in a 6-1/2" 629.
Would have a hard time distinguishing between that wound channel and a 12 ga slug.
Also extremely accurate out to 200 yds in the same pistol. (I limit deer shots to ~125 yards).

Thanks I picked up a couple hundred awhile back and will give them a try.