Which .44 mag powder

[Huhwhat?]

I have 100 brand new .44 mag brass to fill. Probably with 240 gr. Hornady XTPs.


On hand I have H110 and Lil' Gun.


Pressures look to be a little higher with the Lil' Gun (a couple thousand CUP), than with H110, but so do velocities (about 50 fps or so).



Anyone have an opinion about one powder over the other? And before someone says "Go buy some other powder", I have H110, and Lil' Gun, and I am not going to be buying some powder I do not have.

 

[loaded round]

Go with the H110 powder. It just might help to check out a good reloading manual.

 

[Huhwhat?]

I have several. Just bought the Hodgdon Annual update.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Either powder will do just fine. That said, I prefer 2400 and IMR 4227 to either of those two but I don't run any of my guns with maximum loads.

 

[phonejack]

Either powder will do just fine. That said, I prefer 2400 and IMR 4227 to either of those two but I don't run any of my guns with maximum loads.

Yup! Same here.

 

[loaded round]

Are you aware that all Hodgdon loading data is available online for free? I was buying their annual manual also until I found Hodgdon's website a few years ago

I have several. Just bought the Hodgdon Annual update.

 

[Huhwhat?]

Yes, I know that it is online.

That's how I now the pressures and velocities for the two powders.

 

[jgt]

While I am a big fan of all of the powders mentioned above, in this application I would use H110. Why, because you are using it with a 240 grn bullet. Lil Gun comes into its best application when using heavy for the caliber bullets at top velocities. I look at what will give me the best velocity with the least pressure when picking a powder to start working up a load with.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

The two I use are Unique and 296. Since H-110 is argued to be the same powder as 296 (or mighty close if it isn't), I'd go with it. 2400 is another favorite in .44 Mag, but hard to find at the present. And look for a "medium grade" powder. too, cuz you're gonna be loading full house with either 296 or H-110, and something a bit lighter will be a lot more fun to shoot for a longer session. 2400 is a bit more versatile in that department than 296/H-110, while Unique and Universal are a couple often suggested (again, neither is easy to find right now.) Maybe HS-6 if the books show anything you like? Some suggest Green Dot, too, though my own experiences with it haven't been as good as some others.

Rick C

 

[Jimbo357mag]

It's a dead heat between the two. Just remember that Hodgdon says not to reduce H-110 more than 5%.
I shoot 24.0gr of H-110 with 240gr XTP bullets in my Deerfield rifle. They are very powerful in a handgun.

 

[Huhwhat?]

Thanks, guys.

 

[SMP]

Lil'Gun has been known to erode forcing cones in revolvers because it is very hot.freedoms Arms recommends against using it in their revolvers,I would do a search for the info and stick with H110

 

[Huhwhat?]

If I want low velocity, I shoot .44 specials.

 

[Rclark]

If I want low velocity, I shoot .44 specials

I think about it differently.... I load my cartridges to the power level what I 'want'. For example, I load my .44Mag loads down to around 1100fps. That's where I want it to be. In the .44 Special I use the Skeeter load, again because I like to be around 1000fps. One of the reasons I have never used H110/296 as it is an all or nothing power. Use 4227 or 2400 instead. Also I 'prefer' to use only .44Mag cases in a .44Mag revolver. Leave my .44Special cartidges for the .44Special revolvers. Reloading lets each of us taylor the loads to what we want to shoot.... Which is the beauty of reloading!

 

[Huhwhat?]

I use Trail Boss or Clays in my .44 Specials. I have H110 or Lil' Gun, which is what I'm loading with right now.

 

[GetGunz]

H110/296=Best

 

[Tom W]

H110...

 

[Yetiman]

I haven't used either powder myself, but looking at the data, the H110 is only one grain difference from min to max for that bullet where the Lilgun has a two grain spread from min to max which gives more latitude and still has higher velocity.

Depending on how much need I had for one or the other I would use the one I had less use for in other loads.

 

[Huhwhat?]

All of that is very nice, but I have H110 and Lil'Gun, and that is what I am going to be using for the time being.

 

[Rclark]

but I have H110 and Lil'Gun, and that is what I am going to be using for the time being.

Then go use it . Simple as that. Either will work just fine. Grab a manual and reload . Testing is part of the fun. See which is more accurate. Setup a chronograph and see what your velocities and ES is... Sounds like a plan to me!