the_buckshot_kid
Bearcat
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2017
- Messages
- 15
Hi all....I just picked up a Ruger SBH .44 mag with the 5.5" barrel. Wondered if anyone has worked up a good load for it yet. Thanks.
Ruger SBH .44 mag loads
- Thread starter the_buckshot_kid
- Start date
Help Support Ruger Forum:
I load 240 grain Hornady XTP's with 110 about half a grain under max. Accurate in my Encore, my Super Redhawk, and my 77/44.
Great hunting load.
Great hunting load.
19.5 grs of 2400 under 240gr JSP OR LSWC. I use large pistol primers CCI 300. Good luck. Remember each gun has its own idiosyncrasies.
gramps
gramps
sixshot
Buckeye
I see this is your very first post so welcome to the Ruger Forum! The 44 magnum has been around just about forever now & there's endless loads available in all the reloading manuals, pick up at least two so you can compare them because you will see differences between them. One of them should probably be the Lyman book because it will show a lot of cast bullet data, much cheaper than jacketed. No need to start out with hot loads, find something nice & easy on both you & your gun, you will enjoy it a lot more if it's not beating the "Clinton" out of you!
The 10 grs. of Unique mentioned with a 240 gr. or 250 gr. bullet is a popular load that is easy to shoot yet will take deer size game if you choose, I've taken a few deer with that exact same load. No need for a magnum primer with that load, save the magnum primers for H110 or Winchester 296, they are the exact same powder by the way. Good luck with your new 44, they are wonderful guns.
Dick
The 10 grs. of Unique mentioned with a 240 gr. or 250 gr. bullet is a popular load that is easy to shoot yet will take deer size game if you choose, I've taken a few deer with that exact same load. No need for a magnum primer with that load, save the magnum primers for H110 or Winchester 296, they are the exact same powder by the way. Good luck with your new 44, they are wonderful guns.
Dick
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
Hi, and welcome to the Forum, Kid!
Do you load for the .44 Mag already? If so, a lot of what I say may be old knowledge to you, so please excuse repetition!
The load already mentioned, 10.0 gr Unique pushing a 240 gr SWC cast bullet, may not be quite as popular and universally suggested as 2.8 gr Bullseye under a 148 gr WC in the .38 Spl, but that's quite possibly only because the .38 Spl's been in use twice as long as the .44 Mag and then some!
Looking thru my records, I've used "that load" with 9.5 and 10.0 gr in my 7.5" Redhawk and both work quite well, with the advantage rclark added that you can shoot it comfortably all day. With a 240 gr copper plated FP bullet, I've used 8.0 to 9.7 gr Unique and 6.5 gr of Universal. All three worked ok in initial can-killing tests. FWIW, plated bullets can be touchy--they worked best with the lightest loads when we tried 'em. And, you may find Unique to be pretty scarce on the market, so Universal is a good choice to use in its place (check the books.) In fact, many former Unique users have made the switch permanently!
I don't shoot a lot of flame throwers thru my RH, but 296 under a gas checked 240 gr SWC cast bullet puts on a good fireworks show from a 7.5" bbl when I do, so with the 5.5" it might be a bit much. Former advice with 296 from Winchester was to never reduce it, while former advice from Hodgdon with H-110 was to not reduce it more than 3%. At that time, since recipes weren't the same, I would have bet they were really close, but not the same powder. When Hodgdon took over distribution of 296 in addition to their own H-110, a couple of things changed: new recipes from Hodgdon are identical between the two, suggesting the guys who say they are identical TODAY are correct, and both powders can now be reduced up to 5% according to some data. I've used, and suggest using, a reduced load with 296 in places where the book oks it.
If you choose gramps' load of 2400, you're almost dead on to the load a buddy shot silhouettes with for several years, using an 8 3/8" 629. He likes the #429421 Keith bullet which comes out a tiny bit heavier (~250gr?) I think a 200 meter ram weighs about 75 lbs, and they'd go over easily with most hits. His advice on 2400 echoes gramps' comment, not only is each gun its own entity, but 2400 has a rather narrow window where it works best in many of them. In my buddy's case, it was a half grain wide, about a grain below book max. So a little testing may be in order with 2400. Don't give up on it just cuz the first loads aren't great--work up and down in tiny increments and you'll probably find a nice sweet spot in your gun.
Watch your primers, too: both 296 and H-110 need magnum primers (Winchester's WLP is a two-fer: it's ok'd for standard AND magnum loads) AND a firm to heavy crimp is required for best ignition. Unique, and Universal work nicely with standard primers and a light to moderate crimp. 2400 can use standard primers in a lot of loads, too, with a firm crimp suggested.
And, as always, be sure to check anything you read here against published sources! (Typos have happened.) Sixhot's advice to use several books as cross reference is very good practice, as well.
Rick C
Do you load for the .44 Mag already? If so, a lot of what I say may be old knowledge to you, so please excuse repetition!
The load already mentioned, 10.0 gr Unique pushing a 240 gr SWC cast bullet, may not be quite as popular and universally suggested as 2.8 gr Bullseye under a 148 gr WC in the .38 Spl, but that's quite possibly only because the .38 Spl's been in use twice as long as the .44 Mag and then some!
Looking thru my records, I've used "that load" with 9.5 and 10.0 gr in my 7.5" Redhawk and both work quite well, with the advantage rclark added that you can shoot it comfortably all day. With a 240 gr copper plated FP bullet, I've used 8.0 to 9.7 gr Unique and 6.5 gr of Universal. All three worked ok in initial can-killing tests. FWIW, plated bullets can be touchy--they worked best with the lightest loads when we tried 'em. And, you may find Unique to be pretty scarce on the market, so Universal is a good choice to use in its place (check the books.) In fact, many former Unique users have made the switch permanently!
I don't shoot a lot of flame throwers thru my RH, but 296 under a gas checked 240 gr SWC cast bullet puts on a good fireworks show from a 7.5" bbl when I do, so with the 5.5" it might be a bit much. Former advice with 296 from Winchester was to never reduce it, while former advice from Hodgdon with H-110 was to not reduce it more than 3%. At that time, since recipes weren't the same, I would have bet they were really close, but not the same powder. When Hodgdon took over distribution of 296 in addition to their own H-110, a couple of things changed: new recipes from Hodgdon are identical between the two, suggesting the guys who say they are identical TODAY are correct, and both powders can now be reduced up to 5% according to some data. I've used, and suggest using, a reduced load with 296 in places where the book oks it.
If you choose gramps' load of 2400, you're almost dead on to the load a buddy shot silhouettes with for several years, using an 8 3/8" 629. He likes the #429421 Keith bullet which comes out a tiny bit heavier (~250gr?) I think a 200 meter ram weighs about 75 lbs, and they'd go over easily with most hits. His advice on 2400 echoes gramps' comment, not only is each gun its own entity, but 2400 has a rather narrow window where it works best in many of them. In my buddy's case, it was a half grain wide, about a grain below book max. So a little testing may be in order with 2400. Don't give up on it just cuz the first loads aren't great--work up and down in tiny increments and you'll probably find a nice sweet spot in your gun.
Watch your primers, too: both 296 and H-110 need magnum primers (Winchester's WLP is a two-fer: it's ok'd for standard AND magnum loads) AND a firm to heavy crimp is required for best ignition. Unique, and Universal work nicely with standard primers and a light to moderate crimp. 2400 can use standard primers in a lot of loads, too, with a firm crimp suggested.
And, as always, be sure to check anything you read here against published sources! (Typos have happened.) Sixhot's advice to use several books as cross reference is very good practice, as well.
Rick C
daveg.inkc
Hunter
I like 10 grs Unique. 23 grs of IMR 4227. Very accurate
the_buckshot_kid
Bearcat
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2017
- Messages
- 15
Thanks for all the input guys.
Divernhunter
Single-Sixer
For a mild load I shoot 8.5grs Unique with a 240-250gr lead bullet.
My full power/hunting load is a 200gr HP Nosler or Hornady XTP over 28grs H-110 and a mag primer. I have taken a B&C black Bear and a number of deer as well as a yote and some ground squirrels with it. Also a muskrat. I shot a SBH for many years before selling it when I got one of the 1st Redhawks. Mine is a 7.5" barrel but these same loads are great in a friends 5" Redhawk and another's 7.5" SRK
My full power/hunting load is a 200gr HP Nosler or Hornady XTP over 28grs H-110 and a mag primer. I have taken a B&C black Bear and a number of deer as well as a yote and some ground squirrels with it. Also a muskrat. I shot a SBH for many years before selling it when I got one of the 1st Redhawks. Mine is a 7.5" barrel but these same loads are great in a friends 5" Redhawk and another's 7.5" SRK
pruger45
Blackhawk
20.5 grs. 2400 with Elmer's bullet.
tookalisten
Blackhawk
Already been posted but 10 gr of Unique and 240-250 gr lead bullet is my go to for 44 mag.
