Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Westside88 on January 08, 2017, 07:50:58 PM

Title: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 08, 2017, 07:50:58 PM: I'm looking for some insight into good shooting loads or factory ammo for a lightweight 44 mag. It's a S&W 629 Mountain Gun. I like shooting it with 44 Mag loads,( I've mostly shot it with moderate factory ammo in the 240 grain range), but am wondering about additional options. I read a thread on here recently about 44 Special and it got me thinking that this gun would probably be a good one for shooting 44 special or 44 mag downloaded a bit to similar specs. It seems like 44 special or light 44 mag would perform about like 45 ACP and be a pretty mild shooter. The Mountain gun is a double action with a 4" barrel and weighs 39 1/2 ounces. Looking forward to hearing of your experience with 44's
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: yorketransport on January 08, 2017, 08:06:34 PM: My favorite plinking load in a 44 Mag is 7.0gr of TrailBoss powder and a 240-250gr cast bullet. It's a low recoil load that will pretty much duplicate a 45 ACP. I was shooting some of these today in my father in law's S&W 69.

Another good load is about 6.0gr of Titegroup and a 240gr cast bullet. That should put you at around 1000 fps.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: cooltimber on January 08, 2017, 08:18:57 PM: I use unique 8.2 grs.low recoil at about 800 fps..I have 3 .44 and use this the most.
a 240 gr lead bullet from Oregon bullets
a .44 Ruger ,626 s&w ,Rossi carbine
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 08, 2017, 08:22:26 PM: Thanks guys, I appreciate the info
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: jdb on January 08, 2017, 08:26:22 PM: look up the old skeeter Skelton load. I believe it was 7.5 grains of unique behind a .240 grain cast bullet
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 08, 2017, 08:43:49 PM: Quote from: jdb on January 08, 2017, 08:26:22 PM
look up the old skeeter Skelton load. I believe it was 7.5 grains of unique behind a .240 grain cast bullet
Thanks I read a good article when I looked that one up
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: mazama on January 09, 2017, 10:42:07 AM: Stay with 44mag ammo that way you can keep all of your brass the same length,it will simplify things if you reload.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Fl0und3rz on January 09, 2017, 10:45:13 AM: That's a beauty. I love those 4" 44's.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 09, 2017, 11:03:50 AM: Quote from: mazama on January 09, 2017, 10:42:07 AM
Stay with 44mag ammo that way you can keep all of your brass the same length,it will simplify things if you reload.

That's been my plan, to only purchase 44 mag ammo. I'm just learning about reloading. Will 44 special load data yield the same results in the larger case?
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: CP on January 09, 2017, 11:13:46 AM: HS6 has worked well for me:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/hs6_44mag_reloads.htm
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Fl0und3rz on January 09, 2017, 11:41:48 AM: Quote from: Westside88 on January 09, 2017, 11:03:50 AM
Quote from: mazama on January 09, 2017, 10:42:07 AM
Stay with 44mag ammo that way you can keep all of your brass the same length,it will simplify things if you reload.

That's been my plan, to only purchase 44 mag ammo. I'm just learning about reloading. Will 44 special load data yield the same results in the larger case?

Emphatically no, and it may be dangerous to do so. Stick with book loads. I have one of those load books that puts together all manner of powder and bullet manufacturer load data. If you are anywhere near S. King Co., you can feel free to borrow it, as I don't have any .44 loading to do in the near future.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 09, 2017, 11:45:46 AM: Quote from: Fl0und3rz on January 09, 2017, 11:41:48 AM
Quote from: Westside88 on January 09, 2017, 11:03:50 AM
Quote from: mazama on January 09, 2017, 10:42:07 AM
Stay with 44mag ammo that way you can keep all of your brass the same length,it will simplify things if you reload.

That's been my plan, to only purchase 44 mag ammo. I'm just learning about reloading. Will 44 special load data yield the same results in the larger case?

Emphatically no, and it may be dangerous to do so. Stick with book loads. I have one of those load books that puts together all manner of powder and bullet manufacturer load data. If you are anywhere near S. King Co., you can feel free to borrow it, as I don't have any .44 loading to do in the near future.

Thank you, I appreciate the insight. Like I mentioned I'm
In the learning phase. I certainly won't go off script when I get a loading set up.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: theleo on January 09, 2017, 02:49:53 PM: The old Skeeter load is a good one but I tend to prefer using Universal instead of Unique because it burns cleaner for me. I've also been burning quite a bit of Long Shot for loads in that same 1,000 fps range that I get from Unique and Universal.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Bofire on January 10, 2017, 04:57:13 PM: 240 grain lead soft/HP at about 900-1000fps is a great 44 mag load. very useful. I think it would be great for defense also. Many ways to get there. use Mag cases. Bullseye is really dirty.
Carl
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: jasnt on January 11, 2017, 04:52:20 AM: I use mostly cast bullets in my 44. I like green dot, blue dot, long shot, unique, herrco and W296. Long shot being my fav
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 11, 2017, 04:15:50 PM: I appreciate everyone's advice so far. Any recommendations on what types of factory ammo has good brass for reloading? So far I've only shot UMC and American Eagle. I'd like to stick with rounds that will have good brass for later
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: bearpaw on January 13, 2017, 06:20:10 AM: I like to play with 180's since the recoil is less. I generally carry 240's when hunting to get more penetration. I haven't been able to see a difference in accuracy, probably because I'm not good enough with a pistol. I've seen numerous bear and cougar killed with 44 mag, it will get the job done just fine at close range.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: theleo on January 13, 2017, 08:08:02 AM: As long as the cases are brass or nickel plated brass I wouldn't worry about the maker. You won't see the accuracy between one brand or the other in that and how you treat the brass makes more of a difference in the longevity of it than one brand over the other.
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: Westside88 on January 13, 2017, 08:26:57 AM: Quote from: bearpaw on January 13, 2017, 06:20:10 AM
I like to play with 180's since the recoil is less. I generally carry 240's when hunting to get more penetration. I haven't been able to see a difference in accuracy, probably because I'm not good enough with a pistol. I've seen numerous bear and cougar killed with 44 mag, it will get the job done just fine at close range.

Great info thanks, what type of bullets have you seen the best results in for hunting?
Title: Re: Moderate loads for 44 mag/ 44 special? Recommendations or experience
Post by: jasnt on January 13, 2017, 08:38:51 AM: Quote from: theleo on January 13, 2017, 08:08:02 AM
As long as the cases are brass or nickel plated brass I wouldn't worry about the maker. You won't see the accuracy between one brand or the other in that and how you treat the brass makes more of a difference in the longevity of it than one brand over the other.
agreed. Loading cast works the brass more with flaring and crimping. I have had very good results anealing my 44mag brass