Reloading the 44 special

[radioman]

Does anybody reload this caliber?

I'm just starting to shoot in pin matches at my club. They don't allow 44mag because it destroys the pins. So I'm using 44spl. The cheapest I can find them in the area is 40 bucks a box of 50. That's 80c ea!! Ouch!! I bought a used press and am going to reload them from now on. At 18.5c ea it's very worth it.

I've been researching loads online and I've come up with a 240gr lead semi wadcutter with 6.5gr of Unique powder and large non-mag primer. At 1000 bullets, 1000 primers, and 1 pound of powder that comes to 18.5c ea. Not a bad savings!

Does anyone have a favorite load they'd like to share?

 

[gerrycaruso]

That's almost the exact load that I use. In my N frame S&W I load 6.6 of unique with a 240 grain semi wadcutter. The L frame doesn't like unique so I load titegroup for it.

 

[center442]

My .44sp load is 13.4gr of 2400 powder with a 215gr cast semi-wadcutter, usually with a gas check, but not always. I like CCI large pistol primers, but it worked equally well with other brands. I used that load when I was shooting metallic silhouette, it had no trouble taking down the steel chickens and pigs. I used the same bullet loaded in Magnum rounds on turkeys and rams but with a heavier charge of 2400. I would expect the .44 special load would take down pins without any problem. It was pleasant to shoot out of any N frame S&W.

I'm not an experienced pin shooter, so I don't know if that load data will be of much help, but it was an accurate load and had good take down power. Best of luck to you in reloading!

 

[RKG]

Ditto on 6.5 gr. Unique, 245 gr. plain-base SWCL, non-magnum primer, S&W M24.

 

[The Goose]

I really like Unique for the .44 Special. I also load 6.5 grs with the 240 gr SWC and 8 - 8.5 grs with the 200 gr RNFP. My wife likes to shoot the 200 gr bullet in my Marlin 1894 carbine.

 

[dwarven1]

That's almost the exact load that I use. In my N frame S&W I load 6.6 of unique with a 240 grain semi wadcutter. The L frame doesn't like unique so I load titegroup for it.

What doesn't the L frame like about unique?

Also, anyone have any suggestions for .44 Special range loads in .44 Magnum cases? (Since I have a bunch of once-fired .44 Magnum brass and no .44 Special brass!)

 

[RKG]

What doesn't the L frame like about unique?

Also, anyone have any suggestions for .44 Special range loads in .44 Magnum cases? (Since I have a bunch of once-fired .44 Magnum brass and no .44 Special brass!)

If I were doing that, I'd start with the same 6.5 gr. Unique. Your MV may (or may not) be a tad less than it would with .44 Special brass (on account of the larger case volume), in which case you can adjust to get the MV up to 700-750 fps.

 

[highlander]

I've used 7 gr Universal Clays over my cast 245 gr RNFP and have used up to a 300 gr cast bullet in 44 special brass.

 

[gerrycaruso]

The L frame just doesn't shoot well with unique. It does much better with titegroup. Both guns are 3". The L frame is a 696 and the N is a model 24. I'm going to try a case full of trailboss. It hasn't shot well in any other calibers I've tried it in but I'm not ready to give up yet.

 

[dwarven1]

What happens? Lack of accuracy?

 

[gerrycaruso]

Yes

 

[TonyT]

I use Trail Boss powder with the 245 gr. LSWC. I used the minimum load from the Hodgdon website for a nice mild plinking load. It's a great powder for those old long straight walled cartridgwes - almost impossible to double charge. I shoot both a newer S&W 696 and an older S&W 1950 Target.

 

[Manomet]

You can load many special loads in a magnum case, no need to use short cases. Titegroup works well with small loads in a big case and I have found clays to work well to. Get the loads from several manuals and you should be fine.

 

[radioman]

You can load many special loads in a magnum case, no need to use short cases. Titegroup works well with small loads in a big case and I have found clays to work well to. Get the loads from several manuals and you should be fine.

Problem being with this advise is there's no was to prove your shooting specials. As 44 mag is not allowed. I have to use the special case to be with in the rules.

A down loaded mag does not a special make.

 

[Manomet]

I have been to pin shoots where the other and much more experienced than myself shooters could easily tell by the report and impact that my magnums were not magnum and more than happy to let me participate. Sorry this won't work for you as well.

 

[Woodstock]

Problem being with this advise is there's no was to prove your shooting specials. As 44 mag is not allowed. I have to use the special case to be with in the rules.

A down loaded mag does not a special make.

Sure it does. Nobody has a chronograph? If it were me, I'd load some 800 fps rounds and take them to the next match along with some full-house factory .44 mags and let the range officer try both.
Or Midway sells .44 Special Starline brass at a reasonable price, and you might find it cheaper if you shop around.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I just tried the Trailboss. A full case with a 240 gr. lswc was 7 grains. Velocity out of a 3" model 24 was 720fps with a max. deviation of only 10 fps. Accuracy was 1 3/4" to 2 " at 25 yards. Velocity was about the same as the Unique load and accuracy was slightly better. I tried this load at 100 yards and would try it at 200 if my club would let me. It shot well.

 

[TonyT]

Try Trail Boss even with very mild loads and the 245 gr. LSWC is will knock the pins off the table.

 

[Knob Creek]

Loding Titegroup for these

 

[NavelOfficer]

Any published load for the .44 Special should be adequate for your requirements. For sure, a stout load in a Magnum will be better for clearing pins, but that is not an option in your situation, so forget about the Lee 310 RF for now.You also have the option of loading .44 Russian which would almost be like a .44 Special Special. No sense of going with less power than allowed, I suppose.
Work with whatever components you have available, hit the pins squarely and you'll do fine. Enjoy!