Range day with the 44 magnums

[JBowen]

I done a little bullet comparison to today between the 240 grain Hornady XTP and the Everglades (Zero) bullets. I was shooting a Winchester 94 Trapper, a Browning B92 20"
and 1 Super Blackhawk 7 1/2". I have read where SAMMI for rifle barrels is .430-.431 and revolvers is .429, so I wanted to see what shot better in my guns. I have been working
on finding a good medium load with jacketed bullets, so I Loaded up 25 each with a starting load of 16 grains of A A 7 and Federal 150 large pistol primers. I don't have a chronograph but according to Shooters Reference it should be about 1400 fps in a rifle. I got vertical stringing from all groups. Maybe I need to step it up some?

Anyway the .431 Everglades/Zero bullets shot best in the rifles and the .430 Hornady's shot best from the revolver. None of the groups were good enough to load up more.
I think I will load up again with some AA9 next and try for about 1500 fps. I am wanting something lighter than 18 gr. of 2400 for handgun practice.

Anybody have a favorite medium 44 magnum jacketed load they would like to share?

JBowen

[2ndovc]

My go to for jacketed .44s has a 240 gr. XTP and a good dose of W296. My mind is blanking on the charge. I'll have to look it up when I get home if you're interested.

jb

[OldWin]

My go to for jacketed .44s has a 240 gr. XTP and a good dose of W296. My mind is blanking on the charge. I'll have to look it up when I get home if you're interested.

jb

Me too. I've also had good luck with that bullet and IMR4227.
For light/medium loads I use a 240 Acme coated bullet over Unique.

[2ndovc]

My go to for jacketed .44s has a 240 gr. XTP and a good dose of W296. My mind is blanking on the charge. I'll have to look it up when I get home if you're interested.

jb

Me too. I've also had good luck with that bullet and IMR4227.
For light/medium loads I use a 240 Acme coated bullet over Unique.

Your light/medium load is probably fairly similar to mine. 240 gr LSWCGC over 10.5 grains of Unique. That combo will take care of anything around here and did a number on a furry
woodland creature in PA that tried his luck getting to one of my little dogs. His luck ran out that day!

jb

[JBowen]

I use 23 gr. of IMR4227 in my Winchester 94 and the H110 load in my B 92 Browning. But my knuckle busting Dragoon trigger guard on the Super Blackhawk not so much,
I found a good plinker with my cast Lee 429-200 rf and 10 grain of Unique and it is pretty accurate. The 240 XTP and 18 gr. of 2400 is not terribly punishing, I was just looking for a little less. I have found that if I place my left thumb, ( I shoot right-handed) on the back of the recoil shield up close to the hammer it helps a lot on controlling the recoil
on my middle knuckle. I thought about getting one of those rubber Pachmayer grips, but they are so ugly!

Thanks for sharing your loads.

JBowen

[OldWin]

My go to for jacketed .44s has a 240 gr. XTP and a good dose of W296. My mind is blanking on the charge. I'll have to look it up when I get home if you're interested.

jb

Me too. I've also had good luck with that bullet and IMR4227.
For light/medium loads I use a 240 Acme coated bullet over Unique.

Your light/medium load is probably fairly similar to mine. 240 gr LSWCGC over 10.5 grains of Unique. That combo will take care of anything around here and did a number on a furry
woodland creature in PA that tried his luck getting to one of my little dogs. His luck ran out that day!

jb

Yes. The Acme is a SWC, and I use 10gr of Unique. It's easy to shoot, but still has enough oomph to be useful in the field. That gives it much more utility than just a "range load".

[Mark in MO]

I use 23 gr. of IMR4227 in my Winchester 94 and the H110 load in my B 92 Browning. But my knuckle busting Dragoon trigger guard on the Super Blackhawk not so much,
I found a good plinker with my cast Lee 429-200 rf and 10 grain of Unique and it is pretty accurate. The 240 XTP and 18 gr. of 2400 is not terribly punishing, I was just looking for a little less. I have found that if I place my left thumb, ( I shoot right-handed) on the back of the recoil shield up close to the hammer it helps a lot on controlling the recoil
on my middle knuckle. I thought about getting one of those rubber Pachmayer grips, but they are so ugly!

Thanks for sharing your loads.

JBowen

Agree on the squared back trigger guard being a knuckle buster. I would always be left scuffed and bleeding after a shooting session. I finally replaced the grip with the rubber Pachmayer grip. You're right, ugly as sin but no bloody knuckles.