Mild plinking loads for .44 Mag?

[Mus408]

Have my Dillon dies coming and looking to build up some easy shooting loads.
Bullets I'm starting with are Xtreme plated 240 gr. and have found a load using 6.5 gr to 8 gr. of
Unique powder which I have a good bit of.
Also have some Red Dot I haven't used yet. Thinking 8 gr. of Unique would work well and shoot a little cleaner than at 6.5 or 7 gr.

Right now have only one revolver in .44 Mag and that is my 3 inch S&W 629-2E...a real sweetie!
Do have .44 Mag brass and some .44 Special but most is .44 Mag.

 

[Cholo]

8 grs. of Unique and a 245 SWC is the lowest I go in my .44 mags. It may shoot high and you'll run out of rear sight adj. at 25-50 yds. For target shooting I use a 6:00 hold so it doesn't matter.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

8.0 - 8.5 gr of HP-38/W231 will be very mild and fairly clean.

 

[sjs]

I am using 7.5 grains of HP38 and it works great for me.

 

[SweetWilliam]

I've used unique, HP-38, and titegroup they all work good.
A buddy of mine uses Red Dot for everything from 9mm to 45 colt. Plus shotgun loads.

 

[terryjulie]

I use 6.0 grains of Trail Boss and a 200gr fn from Missouri Bullet in my SBH and a Taurus44., in a mag case.

 

[pruger45]

I like 10 grains of Unique with Elmer's bullet.

 

[mikld]

Remember it's a Magnum, so "mild shooting plinking ammo" is a kinda an oxymoron. You can very easily use 44 Special data in .44 Magnum brass or just shoot Specials in your Magnum.

FWIW, and I tell any new reloader; I pay very little (no) attention to any forum expert, range rat, gun counter clerk, pet loads website, or gun shop guru for any load data (as an example you have everything from 6 grains of Trailboss to 7.5 of HP38/W231, to 10 grains of Unique for suggestions). While most are just being helpful, your best bet by far is published reloading manuals and powder manufacturer's website can be helpful too.

For over 30 years 98% of my load data has come from published manuals and I've had no squibs, and no KABOOMS, no erratic loads, and there are plenty of combinations so I don't run out of options...

I reload for 5, .44 Magnums and not one load came by word of mouth, forum, or magazine article. I reloaded my first .44 in 1987 and all my data has come from published manuals...

 

[SweetWilliam]

From what I've read in the above posts, all the loads listed are manual data and all the powders listed so far have plenty of published loads to use in light 44mag loads.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Remember it's a Magnum, so "mild shooting plinking ammo" is a kinda an oxymoron. You can very easily use 44 Special data in .44 Magnum brass or just shoot Specials in your Magnum.

FWIW, and I tell any new reloader; I pay very little (no) attention to any forum expert, range rat, gun counter clerk, pet loads website, or gun shop guru for any load data (as an example you have everything from 6 grains of Trailboss to 7.5 of HP38/W231, to 10 grains of Unique for suggestions). While most are just being helpful, your best bet by far is published reloading manuals and powder manufacturer's website can be helpful too.

For over 30 years 98% of my load data has come from published manuals and I've had no squibs, and no KABOOMS, no erratic loads, and there are plenty of combinations so I don't run out of options...

I reload for 5, .44 Magnums and not one load came by word of mouth, forum, or magazine article. I reloaded my first .44 in 1987 and all my data has come from published manuals...

If you only got your loads from data in manuals then you would have to try a wide selection of loads to see what you like. An OPINION ABOUT A CERTAIN LOAD can easily set you on the right track to find a load that both you and your gun likes. ...and nobody ever said don't double check data, in fact it should be a rule you follow.

Saying I use theses powders; HP-38/W231, Universal, Blue Dot, Accurate #9, and H-110 in the 44 magnum with 240gr bullets and reasonable loads, for which there is data available, for certain purposes, is being helpful, I'm sure.

...and another favorite is just because it's in the manual doesn't mean it's a good load. Believe that.

 

[Rclark]

Since you have Unique, 7.5 - 10.0g under 240g plated or lead bullet will work just fine. 8.5 will mimic the .44 Special Skeeter load as a reference. So find a load in that range that works for 'your' gun ... and for you .

 

[Mus408]

I always check my loading manuals before choosing a starting load.
Yes the 8.0 or 8.5 of Unique was in my thinking. Just finished up loading a bunch of .45 Colt with that mix and 255 gr. bullets.

 

[mikld]

FWIW, (and I often get flack about my "don't trust just anybody" attitude as far as load data for new reloaders), but I've been reloading for 30+ years and have been able to find enough combinations in my reloading manuals to suit every gun, and every need I have. I have "extrapolated" load data, but I don't recommend that to a new reloader at all. I've seen some questionable load data on forums and at least one outright dangerous load (a load was suggested for a 38 Special, but the load listed was a slightly over max load for 357 Magnum. The load stayed on the forum for over 24 hours before the poster came back and corrected it. How many new reloader could have taken that load and used it?).

I've been reloading for .44 Magnum since '87 and when I tried "light plinking loads" I use heavy Special or light Magnum loads of W231 (I use lead load data for plated bullets)

 

[daveg.inkc]

I like 10 grains of Unique with Elmer's bullet.

This is one of my favorites. It shoots most excellent !!

 

[sliclee]

408--I think you said your using plated bullets. If so, be aware the bulets are softer than many of the other shooters are using, including me. You will be better off buying hard cast lead bullets in .430-.431 diameter BH of 16-18 the most common weight
may be 150-180 or 200 grain hard cast nothing on the bullet, noted crap, etc.
Buy from a seller who advertises cowboy action shooters who gives deals, try out 50 or a hundred of each at the same time.
Get a log book to keep track of your work. Make up about 20 of one kind each one weight bullet, ex; 4.5 grains 150-4,
4.7 grains-4, 5.0grains-4, 5.3 grains-4 got the idea, try remembering each one you shoot, enter in log your comments, what
you like and don't like, etc.READ READ READ----WRITE-HAVE FUN PLAYING the more you read more fun for you to play.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have been using 10.0gr of Unique with a 240gr LSWC for decades in four different .44Mag revolvers with excellent results for a target/plinking/general purpose load.

I use 2400 or W296/H110 for higher velocity loads with Hornady 240gr HP/XTPs.

I have some Herco that I think I will be trying for some loads later this year just as a comparison/test to evaluate its use in .44Mag and possibly .45Colt.

 

[snakeeyes4445]

I for one, appreciate the forum members here, volunteering to recommend their favorite loads.
Unless you have your own farm and a bech rest right outside your reloading room door, it is time consuming to work up one powder and one bullet for one firearm. Cross checking with my manuals and using your experiences saves me lots of time.
If you are like me, you sometimes come home from the range with more questions than answers. Not much we can do about that.
For my four inch Annaconda, I am going to start with ten grains of Unique and work down from there. That is the load most mentioned here and other places.
My eight inch Realtree with optics does 2.25" at 100yds with Speer 270 gr. and 16.6 to 18.3 gr. AA #9. Equal accuracy in that range.

 

[spittinfire]

Hi...
I have been using 10.0gr of Unique with a 240gr LSWC for decades in four different .44Mag revolvers with excellent results for a target/plinking/general purpose load.

I use 2400 or W296/H110 for higher velocity loads with Hornady 240gr HP/XTPs.

I have some Herco that I think I will be trying for some loads later this year just as a comparison/test to evaluate its use in .44Mag and possibly .45Colt.

This is basically my go to load for just messing around. Unique has served me well over the years for medium range loads in magnum revolvers.

 

[ph_redhawk]

9 grains of unique and 200 grain cast bullet from 6-hole Lee mold produces an light recoil and accurate load for my Redhawk.

 

[Mus408]

Well I loaded some with 9 gr. of Unique with the 240 gr. Xtreme bullet and they shoot very well giving 870-895 FPS out of my 3 inch S&W 629.