I'll preface this post stating that the bullets I shoot in the .44 Special weigh mostly 252 to 258 grs. all Keith style SWC's. For hunting i much much prefer a SWC from the RCBS 44-250KT mould. Recently I have been casting and shooting a 255 gr. RN from a Lee mould.
There's an empty 4 lb. Unique jug under my bench. 99% of it was used my .44 Specials, then another pound or two of 20/28 which is a marvelous grain for grain alternative to Unique (but not so much in larger cases). Here's how I used these two and the velocities out my Uberti's 4 5/8" barrel:
6.0 grs. - 775 fps with the RN. Pretty much duplI cates the factory load and is accurate.
6.5 grs. - 850 fps The load I use the most for practice and just general bumming around. Very, very accurate all the way out to 100 yds. Love this load.
7.5 grs.- This one we all know well will give you about 950 fps, closer to 1000 out of a 5 1/2" barrel. This load and the RCBS as bullet cut short the life of three Texas whitetails.
Power Pistol-
Only used one load and that was 8.2 grs. Velocities are just about identical to the Skeeter load.
AL2400-
Tried all kinds loads with it and found the higher loads were more accurate. Just last week I settled on 15.0 grs. in the aforementioned Uberti and attained 4"-5" groups at 50 yds. when fired from a seated back rested position. Velocity was 1050 as I recall from the 4 5/8" bbl.
I shot the 17.0 gr. load quite a bit in my 5 1/2" Flat Top. It averages 1218 fps and has grouped in the 6" range at 100 yds. and I've even shot some decent groups at 200, although those were just for fun.
I've shot and chrono-ed lots of other powders, but Unique and 2400 do everything that needs to be done so I see no need in using anything else.
Honestly like Unique and 2400 I see little need in any other bullets than SWC's. The only reason I began using the RN is because it makes it easy to tell my loads apart at a glance. Too, all my .44 Specials seem to shoot good with just about any powder bullet combination mentioned.
Good luck!