Need your favorite loads for .44 mag and .44 special

[spacecoast]

I just bought my first .44 magnum, a S&W 629-4 Classic DX with 6.5" barrel, and would like to get some recommended loads from y'all.

One constraint... I have a good supply of Unique, Titegroup and H110 powders so I'd like try those first before branching out. I'm looking for both very accurate target grade low-power loads for outdoor bullseye competition (25 and 50 yards) as well as occasional range fun with some high power flamethrowers.

I've had good luck with Titegroup and lead bullets for target loads in my 6" 686 as well as jacketed bullets and H110 for full power loads. Do I need to stay with jacketed bullets for the full power .44 loads, or can I use a hardcast lead bullets like those from Missouri Bullet? Do you recommend the .430 diameter bullets or should I try the .429 bullets from a local supplier? Bullets are offered in weights of 165, 180, 200, 225, 240 and 300 grains. Which have you found to be the most accurate in a 6" 629?

 

[PawPaw]

With a good supply of Unique, you're almost there.

My favorite (only) load for the .44 special is 7.5 grains of Unique under a 240 cast semiwadcuter. This gives me about 970 fps from my Ruger and is good for about 95% of the pistol shooting in that caliber. For the magnum loads, I use Alliant 2400, so I'm not able to help with your H110 loads.

 

[DiscoRacing]

for 44mag target loads.... titegroup@8.0, 200gr cast RN

for shootin loads...titegroup@10.0, 240gr XTP

 

[mikld]

For my 629, I use a Lyman 429421 from WW over 8.5 - 9.0 gr. Unique.(the Lyman bullet is a classic Kieth style 250 gr. SWC that's accurate in all my .44s). For my Super Blackhawk I up the load to 10.0 of Unique. For my .44 Special loads, I use the same bullet with around 6.5 Unique. Yep, I like Unique...

 

[AlaskaMike]

I think the replies you get are going to be all over the map, given peoples' individual preferences for powder and bullets.

Myself, for the magnum I like 10 grains of Power Pistol and a 250 grain cast SWC for a midrange magnum load, and either 21 grains of 2400 or 24 grains of H110/296 using the same bullet. When I load 240 grain JHPs I cut the charge weights back a bit because the bullets seat a little deeper--20 grains of 2400 or 23 grains of H110/296.

I load .44 special very rarely, and when I do it's for light loads in my Rossi model 92. That said, I usually will use either clays or 231, and a 200 grain cast RNFP bullet. I don't recall the charge weights off the top of my head. In that Rossi though, those light loads are like shooting a .22.

 

[Hammerhead]

My .44 special target load is a .430" 185 DBBWC (wadcutter) from Penn over 3.4 grains Clays. I'm sure Titegroup would work just fine.
I shoot a 624, so I can't comment on magnum loads.

 

[Slamfire]

An old target load, suggested to me was 5.0 grains Red Dot with a 240 L, it was accurate. Five grains of Bullseye also produced excellent accuracy. However you cannot push bullets much faster with these powders and that is a limitation.

Unique is without a doubt the most versitale powder I have used in the 44 Special. Shoots well with 180’s, 200 L, 240 lead and jacketed.

As mentioned 7.5 grains Unique is a very powerful load, only appropriate for N frame revolvers and the Ruger Blackhawk. Much too powerful for a Charter Arms Bulldog.

Unique gives excellent accuracy from 6 ¼ grains all the way up. When I get tired of recoil I download to 6 ¼ to 6.5 grains. Shoots well.

Basically I stopped fooling around with other powders and am using Unique.

I shoot outside and am not bothered by powder residue in the air. I shot Unique once in an inside range, in a 45 LC, under bright lights I could see lots of residue.

I have posted similar data for two different pistols, one with a 4” barrel the other a 5.5” barrel.

[SIZE="3"][B]4" M624   [/B]			
240 LSWC   5.0 grs Red Dot  thrown,  Mixed Brass CCI300	
T = 64 °F	3-Mar-07		 		
					
Ave Vel =	714.8				
Std Dev =	24.35		 		
ES =	95.28		 		
Hign	778.4				
Low = 	683.1				
N =	19				
Accurate				
						
240 LSWC   5.0 grs Bullseye  Lot 6/20/05 Mixed Brass WLP	
T = 64 °F	3-Mar-07				
					
Ave Vel =	763.9				
Std Dev =	16.18		 		
ES =	60.94		 		
High = 	794.7				
Low = 	733.7				
N =	28				
very accurate, little powder residue			
					
240 LSWC   6.25 grs Unique  thrown,  lot UN387(6-21-1993) Mixed Brass WLP
T = 62 °F	25-Feb-07	 			
Ave Vel =	795.1				
Std Dev =	23.13		 		
ES =	65.05		 		
Low = 	821				
High = 	756.5				
N =	12			
Accurate	
					
240 LSWC    6.6 grs Unique thrown,  lot UN364 3/9/92 Mixed cases, Brass WLP
T = 70 °F	4-Apr-09		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	859.6				
Std Dev =	21.7				
ES =	77.85				
High = 	878.4				
Low=	800				
N =	10				
					
240 LSWC   7.0 grains Unique,   Midway cases, WLP (brass) 	
T= 45-50 °F	15 Dec 2002				
					
Ave Vel =			902.8		 
Std Dev =			21.49		 
ES =			81.76		 
Low = 			859.8		 
High = 			941.6		 
N  = 			33		
					
240 LSWC    7.5 grs Unique thrown,  lot UN364 3/9/92 Mixed cases, Brass WLP
T = 70 °F	4-Apr-09		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	965.8				
Std Dev =	23.15				
ES =	65.28				
High = 	986.3				
Low=	921				
N =	12				
					
					
240 JHP  6.5 grs Unique thrown,  Midway Brass WLP		
T = 64 °F	25-Feb-07		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	791.4				
Std Dev =	34.78		 		
ES =	114.5		 		
Low = 	845.6				
High = 	731.1				
N =	9				
Accurate[/SIZE]

[SIZE="3"][B]44 Spl Ruger Blackhawk 5.5[/B]" 	
					
240 LSWC    6.25 grs Unique thrown, lot 6/21/-98/92 Midway cases, Brass WLP
T ≈  60-65 ° F	19-Apr-09		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	835.4				
Std Dev =	26.83				
ES =	74.52				
High = 	877.5				
Low=	803				
N =	24				
				
240 LSWC    6.6 grs Unique thrown, lot UN364 3/9/92 Midway cases, Brass WLP
T ≈  60-65 ° F	19-Apr-09		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	875.4				
Std Dev =	25.94				
ES =	109.6				
High = 	914.8				
Low=	805.2				
N =	25				
					
	
	
240 LSWC    7.5 grs Unique thrown,  lot UN364 3/9/92 Midway cases, Brass WLP
T ≈  60-65 ° F	19-Apr-09		 		
		 			
Ave Vel =	1001				
Std Dev =	17.32				
ES =	64.32				
High = 	1027				
Low=	963				
N =	27	[/SIZE]

 

[223 shooter]

Which have you found to be the most accurate in a 6" 629?

I've accuracy tested my 6.5" 629-5 Classic with bullet weights of 180 , 220 , 240 and 300 and the 629 has turned in good groups with all bullet weights. I've used the Hornady 240 XTP the most. H110 and 296 have been my main powders but I tried a VV N-110 load last time out and it shot the best 50 yard group I ever fired.

Here are a few targets from some years ago at 25 yards with the 220 Sierra and 240 XTP.

 

[bedlamite]

Unique and H110 will do everything you need with the 44.

Unique with cast lead for plinkers, and 24gr of H110 under a 240gr XTP for boomers.