crimsondave
New member
can you go below starting loads with unique? I'm wanting 44 special type loads out of 44 mag brass.
Unique for 44 mag light loads
- Thread starter crimsondave
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AlaskaMike
New member
You can safely use .44 special loads in .44 mag brass, but I'd recommend you do so with cast bullets. It's a lot easier to lodge a jacketed bullet in the barrel with low velocity loads than it is a cast bullet.
In this specific case I also wouldn't use a starting load for .44 special--at the risk of alarming lots of folks here I'd actually recommend starting at the max load in the .44 special data and working backwards until you find the accuracy and recoil to your liking. This is normally exactly what you wouldn't do in load development, but in this case you're using .44 mag brass in a .44 mag handgun, and even max .44 special loads in the longer magnum brass are going to generate less pressure than the starting loads for .44 mag data.
When loading light charges in magnum cases, also be really careful you don't double-charge any cases. Unique is pretty bulky compared to others, but it's still something to keep firmly in mind.
Mike
In this specific case I also wouldn't use a starting load for .44 special--at the risk of alarming lots of folks here I'd actually recommend starting at the max load in the .44 special data and working backwards until you find the accuracy and recoil to your liking. This is normally exactly what you wouldn't do in load development, but in this case you're using .44 mag brass in a .44 mag handgun, and even max .44 special loads in the longer magnum brass are going to generate less pressure than the starting loads for .44 mag data.
When loading light charges in magnum cases, also be really careful you don't double-charge any cases. Unique is pretty bulky compared to others, but it's still something to keep firmly in mind.
Mike
crimsondave
New member
What about 8.0 gr Unique pushing a 240 gr JHP? I don't have any 44 cast on hand. I was given a bunch of 240 JHPs. H110 is all I've been loading in my 44. Needless to say, I need a plink round.
BurkGlocker
New member
This was the same load that I used out of my formerly owned Super Redhawk and was a great range load.
BG
AlaskaMike
New member
8 grains of Unique with any 240 grain JHP is perfectly fine. While it doesn't provide you with that "magnum" experience, it's a great plinking load. It's pretty close to the classic .44 special load of Skeeter Skelton's, which was 7.5 grains of Unique with a 250 grain SWC.
Mike
Mike