What's a good .44 mag plinking load?

[TriggerPhinger]

I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk and soon to own a Rossi M92. I would like to shoot medium loads with a 240 g lead SWC bullet. I have some Hornady bullets without gas checks that I would like to use in my new M92. I have used 2400 and Titegroup powders but am somewhat afraid of short loading due to inconsistent ignition! I would appreciate some good advice on non-leading loads.
Thanks...

[Lefty Dude]

My combination load for my Ruger SBH and my Rossi 92 is:
240 gr. laser-cast SWC sized .431"
6 grains of Unique
COAL 1.610"
Velocity with the 92 = 1000 fps.
extreme spread for 5 shot group W/92 17 fps
Standard diviation 6

For the SBH, same load as above.

Velocity = 815 fps
Extreme spread for 5 shot group 18 fps
Standard diviation 6

This load will not lead the pistol or the rifle.

This is an all-around general purpose load for both Revolver & Rifle.
The Rossi 92/44 with this load won the CAS/SASS Arizona State Championship for Pistol caliber lever/rifle long range event catagory 2009.
Course of fire was 10 round, off-hand alternating two targets at 85-90 yards.
My Son shot all targets clean for 10 hits.

BTW;
use a tight roll crimp.

[Bronco]

Howdy,

I have a Ruger Redhawk, 71/2" barrel. 240 gr. lead on top of 5 grains of Bullseye. Don't know the the velocity and never shot it in a carbine but it is very accurate and pleasant to shoot in the revolver.

John

[TriggerPhinger]

Lefty, that sounds like a very nice combo load! I am not familiar with the “Laser cast” bullet! Does it have a crimping groove and who supplies it? Years ago I did use Unique powder in my 45 ACP but the case volume was a bit smaller. As I mentioned in my post, my experience with small powder charges in large cases can cause high pressure and sporadic ignition! What primer did you use with that load?

John, I am familiar with Bullseye and have used it in small cases but never in a .44 as a friend of mine blew up a RSB with a double charge of the stuff! It’s hard to inspect the load visually and double charging can happen if you don’t measure every charge! The local gun shop reloads just about everything in the pistol line with Titegroup ( about the same as Bullseye) but I just don’t know about hot powders in a large case!

[Lefty Dude]

For a combination load I always develop the load for Rifle first. Point being, the Rifle will be 200-300 fps faster than the revolver. If you develop a 900-1000fps load for the revolver, add the 200-300 fps for the Rifle. Now you are in severe barrel leading territory for the Rifle.

I found this out with my Marlin 94/.357 shooting a RBH revolver load that was a little crisp.
Leaded-up that lever gun real good.

This has been my experience, yours may vary. I do not like to clean lead out of Rifle barrels, not my idea of Fun.

Bulls-eye is a fast powder, so is Tight-group. Unique is a much better mid-load powder. 2400 if you want more gidda-up.

BTW; the very best mid-load powder was WW630, I sure miss that powder.

[Lefty Dude]

Oregon Trail bullet company, Baker City, Or.

Crimp groove, yes.

WWLP, primer

This load is a published load by Alliant Powder, under Cowboy Loads. The 6 gr. is the starting load. They used a 240 gr. RNFP. I like the SWC.

[adirondakjack]

Anywhere from 6 to 7.5 of Unique. Tailor to suit accuracy in your guns.

[dr walker]

I have been using about 8.5 grains of Universal Clays with 240 gr lead bullets.

[Chas.]

Based on my experience with .44mag, LD is giving you good info. I tried reduced loads with 2400 and all I got was a lot of unburnt powder and soot. It's best used for magnum sized loads. Like LD, I also use Unique, but I use just a bit more than 6 gr. And sometimes I have to scrub the lead out.

[TriggerPhinger]

Thanks a lot guys. I looked up Oregon Trail on the web and see that the bullet is also lubed which is a good thing. I agree that 2400 can be a problem with unburned powder! I also hate to remove lead from a barrel! Lefty’s experience sounds good to me. I don’t do any hunting anymore but I like to punch paper and hunting loads out of the 7 1/2 inch RSB are not fun on targets! I guess I’ll order some LSWCs from Oregon and get some Unique.
Thanks again for your help ….

[Lefty Dude]

For a 200 gr. load 44 mag. cases, I use Alliant American Select 4.8 gr.
This is a nice 44 special load with the 44 mag. cases.
Also shoots nice as a Combo. load.

[Griff]

Chu guys are makin' dis a lot more difficult than it has to be.

What's a good .44 mag plinking load?

They call it the .44 Special

[Lefty Dude]

Yep;

I have over 1500 of those plinking case's I load for CAS/SASS. They sure shoot great in a brace of Colt 44's from the Custom Shop.

[ceb]

I like 8grs of Unique with a 240SWC as a plinking load in mine. 10grs with the same bullet I deer hunt with.

[Mokwaw]

I use a 250 gr. KT bullet from RCBS mold, over 8-9 grs. of Unique. Worked good in my Super Blackhawk, my S&W 29, and looks promising in Ruger 96/44.

[alnitak]

I've also found the 2400 difficult to load down. However, 17 grains of AA#9 and 10.4 to 13.5 grains of AA#5 (depending upon how soft you want your plinking loads) work well with 240g lead SWC bullets out of my BH and '94 Trapper. I haven't experienced any leading, and the loads are easy shooting and accurate.

[TriggerPhinger]

I took delivery of the Rossi M92 on Tuesday and I just received my shipment of the Laser-Cast 240g SWCs! I have some new brass and after I pick up some Unique and Large pistol primers I am ready to start shooting!

Lefty, I usually use CCI LP primers for the .44! What do you recommend with the 6g of Unique behind a 240g LSWC?

Fred

[JohndeFresno]

This is my preferred load; tight groups and cloverleafs at 25 yards, when I'm up to it:
240 gr. Magnus (sized to 0.43, I think - as the folks at Magnus)
#701M SWC-BB Moly
Unique (Alliant) 9 gr.
Winchester brass, CCI 300 - Lg Pistol primer
1078 fps MV Actual, per my chrono, about 1100 ft., mid 70's
Firearm Used: Taurus Mod. 44SS6, 6.5 in bbl

[gon2shoot]

My standard plinking load is 23 gr of 2400, but for what you're looking for I'd suggest 7/9 gr. of Unique ( with a 250gr. lead bullet) or try some of the Red Dot loads. ( I dont ues them but there is ample info available)

[Lefty Dude]

I took delivery of the Rossi M92 on Tuesday and I just received my shipment of the Laser-Cast 240g SWCs! I have some new brass and after I pick up some Unique and Large pistol primers I am ready to start shooting!

Lefty, I usually use CCI LP primers for the .44! What do you recommend with the 6g of Unique behind a 240g LSWC?

Fred

Try the CCI's, I use WWLP's. They may be a little hotter than the CCI's as they are for standard and Mag. use.
That 240 LC likes a heavy roll crimp with Unique.
Don't go over-board on the crimp, just a nice fold in the crimp groove will work fine.

[adirondakjack]

any old "LP" primer will light Unique nicely, and at these midrange pressures, even randomly mixed primers wouldnt make a helluva lotta difference. I've used CCIs or Federals and see no big difference in performance.

[JohndeFresno]

...That 240 LC likes a heavy roll crimp with Unique.
Don't go over-board on the crimp, just a nice fold in the crimp groove will work fine.

Yup. This might start another minor debate, but I use the Lee Factory Crimp die instead of fiddling with the crimp on the seater die each time I tool up for a .44 Mag load. It works very well for me.

[Lefty Dude]

No debate here on the LFCD, I have one for 44 also. I just like the look of a nice roll crimp.

The Primer issue is that I buy WWLP in large qty's. Usually 10K at a time. Ya reload what ya have in stock.

[Malamute]

9 grs Unique with a 200, 240 or 250 gr bullet makes a nice medium power load. Stout, but not unpleasant in a pistol, and mild in a carbine. Trajectory flattens out noticebly more than 44 spl level loads, but not obnoxious to shoot, even in the 4" Smith. I've shot far more of those loads in my 44's over the years than everything else combined. I hit the 18"w x 36" H plate @ 300 yards 5 for 6 with this load in the 4" Smith. I used the Lyman No 429421 bullet (250 gr)cast from wheel weights with Alox lube quite a lot, then commercial cast bullets of the same style when they became common. It's a very good all around load, and very accurate in my guns.

Your Hornady lead bullets will be soft swaged, and more likely to lead your bore than cast bullets. If they do, using some Lee liquid alox lube on them may help until you can shoot them up and move on to cast.

[Arminius]

I like 8grs of Unique with a 240SWC as a plinking load in mine. 10grs with the same bullet I deer hunt with.

Wow!

I use 10 grs Uni and a 240 - 245 grs Keith Type bullet as a "plinking load" from my 6" S & W, and wondered about a little much recoil. ( perhaps I should go down a bit )

I would use my load of 10,6 grs VV N 340 with the same bullet for a "General Purpose" load, its VERY accurate.

But for hogs I would use Magtechs 240 grs JSP or Winchesters LSWC bullet, I measured them from my chrony, and they are 360 m/s or 1300 J!

I would NOT trust a .357 on hogs!

I am very disappointed with one shot at deer with a 4" .357 JSP, nearly no reaction in spite of good broadside bullet placement. The buck made at least 25 m afterwards!

Whereas the Magtech .44 load turned a ( small ) pig upside down at the shot!

I am from Europe, but for Hogs I believe in "bigger is better"!



Also I like the 9, but not for Hogs!

Hermann

[2X22]

9 grs Unique with a 200, 240 or 250 gr bullet makes a nice medium power load. Stout, but not unpleasant in a pistol, and mild in a carbine. Trajectory flattens out noticebly more than 44 spl level loads, but not obnoxious to shoot, even in the 4" Smith. I've shot far more of those loads in my 44's over the years than everything else combined. I hit the 18"w x 36" H plate @ 300 yards 5 for 6 with this load in the 4" Smith. I used the Lyman No 429421 bullet (250 gr)cast from wheel weights with Alox lube quite a lot, then commercial cast bullets of the same style when they became common. It's a very good all around load, and very accurate in my guns.

Same here, shot 9 grs more than ANY other load from any gun or maybe all guns I've ever shot put togather. I'll use 9grs with any cast 240gr to 320grs. A very nice all around load.

2x22