.44 Magnum Reloading Advice Needed

[Hagler]

Ladies & gentlemen,

I am finally getting around to learning how to reload ammunition. Some generous Levergunners gave me some equipment & components, several years ago. What I am wanting to do, first, is reload some .44 Magnum rounds, for my B-92 levergun.

What I have is:

[*]Magtech brass, once-fired
[*]Valiant Cast 240 Grain, Lead SWC bullets, Sized to .429
[*]Hogdon HP-38 Powder
[*]Hogdon Li'l Gun Powder

What I am lacking is:

[*]Large Pistol Primers

Now, my questions are:

[*]Which powder should I use?
[*]Do I need Magnum primers?
[*]Can I substitue Large Rifle primers, if they are all that I can find?

Thanks, in advance,
Shawn

[Hobie]

Magtech brass, once-fired
Valiant Cast 240 Grain, Lead SWC bullets, Sized to .429
Hogdon HP-38 Powder
Large Pistol Primers

5.5 907 12,000 CUP 11.0 1437 38,100 CUP

I would stick with the 5.5 gr. If you want to use the Lil'gun you need a different bullet. That's just my opinion. As you know you'll get plenty more!

[piller]

I agree with Hobie. First, having used L'il Gun in .480 and .44 Magnum, I think it burns too hot for lead. It is a very hot powder in my opinion. Second, you don't really need Magnum primers, but I like WLP primers from Winchester for most loads, and will use CCI primers if they are available and Winchester is not. Both brands have worked very very well for me. WLP are supposed to be able to work in regular or magnum loads, but I do use the CCI 350 primers for true magnum level loads. I don't use the hottest loads for much other than hunting.

[earlmck]

You're getting good advice for the lead bullet. The HP38 is fine with a regular primer but if you do use Lil' Gun you should use a magnum primer: standard primers have been known to fail to ignite the slower ball powder, which is a baaaad deal if you happen to be rapid-firing a double action revolver.

And it's gotta' be the large pistol primer; large rifle primers are built taller and you can't seat them flush with the case. I've used lots of H110 with 44mag and heavy cast bullets with good results but I understand Lil' Gun burns hotter, like piller says, so you'd maybe want to confine it's use to jacketed, or to gas-checked lead.

[stretch]

I've used Winchester Large Pistol primers for years for both
standard and magnum loads with no problems. With HP-38, it
should not be an issue at all - they'll go 'bang' just fine.

Welcome to your reloading addiction!

-Stretch

[Pisgah]

To your list of "haves", add a reloading manual or two, and read them before you start.

[Borregos]

To your list of "haves", add a reloading manual or two, and read them before you start.

+1

[jhrosier]

I would add that some leverguns don't feed SWC bullets well.
You might want to start by seating a bullet in an empty case to make a dummy cartridge and try it thru your gun before you load a whole bunch.
I shoot a fair amount of cast bullets through my .44 revolvers. I use Unique powder and WW LP primers most of the time.

Jack

[mikld]

.44 magnum is my all time favorite cartridge (I have 5 guns chambered for it). I would think that a better shape bullet will be needed for your lever gun because feeding SWCs can be problematic (I have to use a RNFP or only use Special brass with SWC in my 92 clone). I have been shooting Ranch Dog's design RNFP sized to .431" for my revolvers, and .432"+ for my Puma (92 clone). I would prefer a larger bullet, than .429". for my guns, and my Puma slugs out to .432", so a .429" bullet will definitely lead the bore.

The first powder I got for my .44s was Unique and I still use a lot for all my guns and I can load low for every day, shoot 200 at a time loads, or go up to some pretty hot Magnum loads. A good general use powder (plus it works well in all my handgun calibers). I haven't used any Lil Gun, but have burned a lot of HP38 in light to medium loads. For lighter loads I have just used Special load data.

Standard large pistol primers are all that is needed for most powders used in the .44 Mag., with the slower powders (W296, WC820, etc.) using magnum primers. I have used all normally available primers and while I don't have a favorite, some prefer Winchester primers (standard/magnum performance) for large bore handgun cartridges. I've been using mostly CCI standard large pistol primers for nearly 25 years and have had no problems, and I can't tell the difference in accuracy between CCI, Winchester, or Wolf primers. BTW; large rifle primers are "taller" than large pistol primers and should not be substituted for pistol primers.

The .44 Magnum is prolly as versatile as it gets (.45 Colt fans will argue that point with you). I have loaded 125 gr. round balls over light loads of Bullseye for a .22 short "feeling" load all the way up to 300 gr. RNFP bullets over hefty loads of WC820 for "T-Rex killers".

Check your loading manual for more data; Lyman's Cast bullet handbook is great for lead bullet info/load data, and Castboolits.com forums are a great place to find the "finer things" about casting/loading/shooting cast lead boolits...

[AJMD429]

To your list of "haves", add a reloading manual or two, and read them before you start.

Also two 'reloading sites':

1. AmmoGuide.com - the most versatile search features (i.e. pick some cartridges and see what powders they have in common), and loads from BOTH 'industry' and individuals.

2. LoadData.com - many loads, but only as far as I can tell, from 'industry' (powder or bullet makers); less useable search features.

Between the two it will cost you about fifteen cents a day. More loads than any paper manuals.

OTOH I would recommend getting a couple paper ones for the general-reloading-advice sections; particularly the Lee and Lyman ones, plus maybe one from your favorite bullet-maker.

[Hagler]

Thanks, gents.

My greatest challenge, right now, is finding affordable large pistol primers. I have some on "notification" lists, with Grafs & Midway, and I check auction sites, and some of the other reloading supply companies, daily.

I have a copy of "The NRA Handloader's Guide", though it is over 40 years old. I will get a couple more reloading guides.

My presses are an RCBS Jr. 2, a Lyman Acculine, and a Lee Handpress. I also have a set of Lee Carbide .44 Magnum/ .44 Special dies, plus an RCBS 5.0.5 scale, and a Lee Hand Primer. I will set up each press to handle a different function, so that I am not frequently changing dies.

I will work up some dummy rounds, and see how the SWC feed through my B-92.

Shawn

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