# Reloading the 44 magnum



## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Quick question for 44 mag realoaders........ Can you use 44 special loads in the slightly longer 44 mag brass? If so is their any performance gain or loss? Or should I just shoot 44 specials in the magnum gun , I hear 44 special is very accurate. Do you lose this accuracy in the magnum case? Thanks in advance!!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

You get slightly better accuracy with the 44 mag brass. The reason is there is less jump for the bullet from the brass to the forcing cone. As far as loads, you may have to switch powders. Some low end 44 mag loads go down to 750 fps. You should be able to duplicate the 44 special easily. The same velocity in the 44 mag case may take another couple of tenths grain powder because of more room in the mag case.

Many load manuals don't give you low velocity loads for 44 magnum. One that does verry good along those lines is the Lyman manual. They are well known for bullet moulds so have many suitable loads for cast bullets.

Here is an example for you from Lyman 45th Edition:
44 Special low load 240 gr jacketed bullet 15 gr IMR4227 gives 813 fps max load of IMR4227 is 17.5 with a velocity of 943 fps. With other powders you can get the 240 gr down to 609 fps.

44 Mag load of comparable velocity: Unique 9 gr for 974 fps, or 12 gr for 1237 fps or try IMR4227 again and the starting load is 20 gr for 991 fps and 25 gr for 1331 fps.

My favorite plinking load is a cast 240 over 9 gr of Unique. Unique about three years ago has a new formulation that burns much cleaner than it had the reputation for in the past. It comes out of my 4 inch smith at 1040 fps and out of my 8 3/8 inch at 1157 fps. I have shot cottontails to deer with that load. More often I shoot heavy loads of 2400 or H110 for deer.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Thank You , Was looking at a Blackhawk 44 special and said to myself "self why not a superblack hawk in 44 mag"? Does a Blackhawk Ruger in 44 special make sence when you can just get a Superblackhawk in .44 mag? I am real close to getting one of these six guns.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The 44 mag will do everything the 44 special will do, but the 44 special will not duplicate the things a 44 mag can do. Even Elmer Keith got tired of stoking his 44 special to the hilt and talked Smith into producing the magnum. Then there is trade in value. If you decide to trade some day you would have to find just the right person to get a half decent price out of hte 44 special.


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## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

I havebeen having problems with my 44 mag reloads. For some reason most of them will not allow the cylinder to cycle, therefore I have to eject the shell before i can cock the hammer back again. The loads are light too. I have a Ruger super blackhawk bicentennial edition, and I know there is nothing wrong with it because factory loads work great. Any help is appreciated


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

There is a chance that your primers are backing out slightly. Do they feel like they stick out slightly. Set them on a level table and see if they tip back and fourth or set steady. A primer backed out will act just as you described.


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## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

you know i forgot that did happen a few times. we were thinking it was something to do with the case not being crimped well enough but didnt exactly think that that was it.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I forgot to mention that I find backed out primers happens with light loads. Try boosting your load just a bit. When your loads are light one other thing you will notice is more soot on your brass. This will happen in rifles also and it means your load isn't swelling the brass and sealing the chamber as well as it should.


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