What's your light 44 mag/44 spcl loads

wvbuckbuster · Mar 21, 2025

What is your light 44 magnum load or a 44 spcl. that you use in the 44 magnum? Toying with the idea of getting a 44 magnum but would probably shoot specials in it most of the time. Thanks, Dan.

JD338 · Mar 21, 2025

I'm running a hard cast 240 gr poly coated SWC with 10.0 grs Unique out of my S&W 629 3" for 1040 fps.

JD338

RL338 · Mar 21, 2025

Starline 44 Mag brass and HS-6.
240gr Powdercoated Cast SWC - 12grs just under 1000 fps
240gr Nosler JHP - 14grs just under 1100 fps

Guy Miner · Mar 21, 2025

Might as well stick with 44 magnum brass to avoid the "crud ring" in the cylinder chambers.

240-250 grain cast flat nose bullet at about 1,000 fps via any of several powders. Lately I've been using the Berry's 240 grain plated target hollow point instead.

JD338's choice of Unique is classic, and mine as well 9.0 - 10.0 grains does a fine job but Unique is getting hard to find.

9.0 HP-38 and a 240 grain Berry's plated bullet averaged 1023 fps from my 5" S&W 629.

9.0 TiteGroup and a 240 Berry's plated bullet averaged 1103 fps from my 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk.

For 40 years or so I've been shooting some sort of 240-250 grain bullet at around 1,000 fps from my 44 magnums as a general purpose & practice round. Gotta figure that ol' Skeeter Skelton really liked his 44 Special loaded with a 250 grain cast bullet at about 1,000 fps and figured it was good for pretty much anything a man might need to do with a revolver. His favorite load is way out of today's published loads for 44 Specials but works great. I just choose to use the 44 magnum case with a bit more powder for the same results.

Regards, Guy

PJGunner · Mar 22, 2025

I like Skeeter Skelton's load of 7.5 gr. Unique in the .44 Spl. (CAUTION: we above published maximum loads.) I use it as an all round load for my .44 Spl. Handguns.

I run around 10 gr. of Unique as a working load for the .44 mag. and Elmer's 22.0 gr. 2400 load for a full power load for the .44 Magnum. (CAUTION: Above maximum is some load manuals.)
All have proven accurate in my handguns.
Paul B.

RL338 · Mar 22, 2025

If only one could find Unique

Guy Miner · Mar 23, 2025

RL338 said:
If only one could find Unique

Seems like for a couple of decades all of my handgun loading was handled by Bullseye, Unique and 2400... Could have done most of it with Unique. They're all hard to come by anymore.

Guy

KinleyWater · Mar 23, 2025

I have some 44 special Starline that I load from time to time using Hornady 240gr LSWCHP and either 6.5 gr Unique or ~8 gr of Blue Dot. Pushing up higher with either powder would be perfectly fine if you are shooting in a magnum cylinder, but the wife prefers the milder loads. I doubt very much the velocity is sufficient to cause expansion in the HP, but it might. In any case, it's great for putting holes in paper and no doubt would be effective on small critters. Either of those loads develop about 750 fps from my 4-inch, if I recall. Note on the Blue Dot is that it doesn't seem to produce enough case pressure at that level to seal against the chamber completely and I get some ugly but harmless staining on the exterior of the case mouth.

I don't shoot reduced with magnum brass, so I defer to more experienced folks.