Reloading 44 mag for rifle
- Thread starter DUNITALL
- Start date
"...favorite rifle load using IMR4227..." Yes, but it's not a .44 Mag load. My M1 Carbine loves IMR4227. Gives a very satisfying BARK! sound when it goes off. snicker.
A cast or jacketed bullet and weight?
22 grains of IMR4227 is the Max load for a 225 grain jacketed bullet. It's the Start load for a jacketed 240. You need to work up the load, not just pick one. What shoots well out of one rifle, even an identical Henry won't necessarily shoot well out of yours.
A cast or jacketed bullet and weight?
22 grains of IMR4227 is the Max load for a 225 grain jacketed bullet. It's the Start load for a jacketed 240. You need to work up the load, not just pick one. What shoots well out of one rifle, even an identical Henry won't necessarily shoot well out of yours.
What brand of rifle?
My Marlin 1894 (Remlin with Ballard rifling) will not shoot .429 or .430 jacketed bullets well. They’re all over the target (up to 8” group) at 50 yds. Mine needs .431 or .432 bullets to stay on target, Its the rifle in my case.
I find H110 near max load provides the best groups for me with 240 grain polymer coated bullets. Haven’t yet tried gas check bullets.
Sorry but I don’t have and cannot get IMR 4227. These days it’s not just primers that are hard to get. Powders are scarce too.
My Marlin 1894 (Remlin with Ballard rifling) will not shoot .429 or .430 jacketed bullets well. They’re all over the target (up to 8” group) at 50 yds. Mine needs .431 or .432 bullets to stay on target, Its the rifle in my case.
I find H110 near max load provides the best groups for me with 240 grain polymer coated bullets. Haven’t yet tried gas check bullets.
Sorry but I don’t have and cannot get IMR 4227. These days it’s not just primers that are hard to get. Powders are scarce too.
Last edited:
I tried to look up 'ridle' but seems that isn't a word 
.
Now if you meant rifle (big boy qualifies), then use the same loads you normally use in your .44 mag revolvers. You didn't specify what 'bullet' you'll be using with 4227, so can't comment on 22g. That said, looking over my load testing, I really didn't care for 4227 in .44Mag. Of course your mileage will vary, but that was my experience from 17gr to 23gr under 240g SWC in a SBH using a magnum primer.
. Now if you meant rifle (big boy qualifies), then use the same loads you normally use in your .44 mag revolvers. You didn't specify what 'bullet' you'll be using with 4227, so can't comment on 22g. That said, looking over my load testing, I really didn't care for 4227 in .44Mag. Of course your mileage will vary, but that was my experience from 17gr to 23gr under 240g SWC in a SBH using a magnum primer.
A quick look in a Hornady book shows IMR 4277 loads reaching max pressure at velocities about 200fps slower than max loads with H110 and about 100fps slower than 2400.
Test gun was a Ruger .44 Mag carbine.
results in your rifle might be different but I would expect them to hold to the same general pattern.
Test gun was a Ruger .44 Mag carbine.
results in your rifle might be different but I would expect them to hold to the same general pattern.
Sharpshooter284
New member
I'll agree with the H110. My Remington made Marlin likes .430 Hornady XTP better than .429 Nosler soft points, I'm sure because of the larger bore but I've never slugged it. You should be able to do well with heavy bullets too, compared to the Marlin. Marlin uses a slow twist of 1/38" vs your Henry's 1/20".
Dunitall,
Per Ciwsguy's observation, you may want to slug your bore and learn it's true groove diameter. Figure that jacketed bullets should be at least equal to that for good accuracy. Lead bullets are usually sized 0.001" over, but my Marlins and revolvers all seem to prefer about 0.002" over for accuracy.
H110/296 (both are canister-grade WC296; same powder, different brands) is great, but seems most consistent with magnum primers. If you don't have magnum primers available, Alliant 2400 does very well.
Per Ciwsguy's observation, you may want to slug your bore and learn it's true groove diameter. Figure that jacketed bullets should be at least equal to that for good accuracy. Lead bullets are usually sized 0.001" over, but my Marlins and revolvers all seem to prefer about 0.002" over for accuracy.
H110/296 (both are canister-grade WC296; same powder, different brands) is great, but seems most consistent with magnum primers. If you don't have magnum primers available, Alliant 2400 does very well.