44 mag loading versatility feedback wanted

R

Road_Clam

New member
Hey guys,
I'm seriously thinking about picking up a Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 mag. I already own a DE44 and love it but my DE44 is VERY fussy about feeding ammo so im very limited as to my loads. I'd like to dabble and expand my 44 mag handloading and buy a revolver. Seems like the Ruger SRH's come with a long cylinder allowing the utilization of 300+ gr bullets ? Would like some feedback from those of you that load the slow and heavies in 44 mag. Thanks !
 
I’ve owned a SRH for probably 30 years. I have shot lots of 300gr loads for the SRH....and it loves them. But, I generally shoot the 240’s as they are cheaper and shoot great too. I keep the 300’s for bear and use the 240’s for deer. And yes, the SRH has a longer cylinder so you can load longer/heavier bullets.
 
I can’t speak to 300 grain bullets but out of my 5.5” Super Blackhawk I use 240 grain lead cast and copper plated bullets to run very mild (840 fps), to low end magnum rounds (1160 FPS) with Universal powder. For my favorite full throttle magnums ( 1460 FPS) I use jacketed 240 grain hollow points with H110 powder.
Because of reloading, .44mag is by far my favorite round, versatility is an understatement.
 
You can't go wrong with a Ruger Super RedHAwk Mine is 25 years old and I usually shoot 180gr HP but I have used Hornady 240gr and 300gr XTP's without any problems. Very accurate handgun. These days, due to age, I can't hold offhand without some wobble, but when I was younger I was shooting bowling pins off hand at 200 yards with the SRH trying to see the difference in trajectory with cast and jacketed bullets. I had a red dot sight. Another shooter saw me and asked what I was using, so I showed him. Later that week I stopped in the local gun shop and the guy was at the counter with the owner. As I approached he turned and said, "That's Him!!" He was buying a buying a Ruger SRH......
 
The SRH is a fine pistol. Versatile, accurate and durable. It will "shine" with any reasonable load.

I personally load 180 grain JHP bullets exclusively, however if I ever felt the need for "punkin rollers" there is no question in my mind the SRH would handle them well.
 
A DE44 is a critter unto itself. Shouldn't be any different to load for than a revolver though. I don't know if a DE will cycle with .44 Special loads in a Magnum case.
Only DE I've ever shot was at Second Chance 30 years ago. Friggin' thing was so big I had to shoot it with my hand sideways to get my finger anywhere near the trigger. And it had been reduced a bit in size by Cylinder and Slide I think it was.
The Rugers are well known for being able to handle "Ruger only" loads. 300 grains isn't a Ruger only thing though. Hodgdon shows cast data going to 355 grains at 1.710" long.
The Super Redhawk is a great big thing too. 3.3 pounds, but it fits normal sized hands. Same grip as the GP100(some of us have been needing one for years for that reason) The DE runs about 4.5 pounds and requires very big hands.
"...Hodgdon discontinued H4227..." They decided one 4227 was enough and rebranded The 'H' to 'IMR' 4227. Sniff. My .30 Carbine load used IMR4227.
 
DE's are by nature require to run in a window and that window is full throttle with SLOW powders.

My SRH has run most anything from balls out 300 gr. XTP long loaded to 180 gr puff ball loads. I stumbled upon an accuracy load that is 7.0 gr. Red Dot (old as in 1980's formula), CCI 300 Primer, Starline brass, and 240 gr. Xtreme Plated. It just works in my gun. Clean AND accurate it just does what needs doing with minor recoil and stellar accuracy.
 
I shoot Missouri's 300gr Hammers, loaded with H110, COAL 1.728" in my 629. I use a firm roll crimp using Lee's FCD. It's pretty accurate and fairly recoil-manageable. Great fun!
 
Most is not all my .44 magnum shooting has been with my cast bullets. That's because the first deer I shot was with a jacketed factory load, 240 gr. by Remington. At the shot the deer dropped. and when I pulled the hide the jacket was embedded in the shoulder blade but the core passed clean through the deer. The next year I shot a deer in almost the exact same place, location where the deer was and bullet placement but this time the bullet punched through the shoulder blade and exited through the other shoulder blade but this time it was with my home cast Lyman #429421 and 22.0 gr. of 2400, Elmer Keith's pet load. The gun was a New Model Super Blackhawk.
These days, most of my .44 Mag. shooting is done with 10.0 gr. of Unique and that same cast bullet. Feels like Skeeter Skelton's pet load for the .44 Spl. I've since then acquired a couple of the Redhawks and a Keith style mold for a .300 gr. gas check bullet but it shoots way too high, roughly 6" high at 25 yards regardless of the powder charge. I'll save that bullet for the Redhawk once I get a pair of higher front sights for the two I have, one 5.5" and the other 7.5". One of my .44s is a super Blackhawk with 4.5" barrel and the grip frame of the standard Blackhawk. Nice gun but it does rap the knuckles some. I've thought about replacing the grip frame and using one from a Bisley. That style seems to handle recoil a lot better.
Paul B.
 
The Super Redhawk is a nice gun. But my standard Redhawk handles Cast Performance 320s at a COL of 1.707 no problem. Can't go wrong with either one, although the Super has a better setup for scope mounting. And yes, you can easily load the .44 Mag from .44 Spl plinkers to the afore mentioned light artillery.
 
Where the cylinder length comes from is taking a 44 Mag case and seating to crimp into the lower crimp groove some bullets have that is actually intended for a 44 Special case to make its Max COL with.
 
After shooting for over 40 years I've come to the conclusion that a strongly built 44 magnum revolver is about the most versatile weapon I could want. I've shot handloads from gallery type loads (200 grainers @ 650 fps) up to full bore magnums (300 grainers @ 1300 fps) with equal accuracy. For a handloader, you have the advantage of not having to scrounge for your brass after firing, always a pain in the you-know-what with an auto. Great fun and great performance at the range, in the field, or for home defense. Match the ammo to the situation, and you're well set.
 
black mamba said:
After shooting for over 40 years I've come to the conclusion that a strongly built 44 magnum revolver is about the most versatile weapon I could want. I've shot handloads from gallery type loads (200 grainers @ 650 fps) up to full bore magnums (300 grainers @ 1300 fps) with equal accuracy. For a handloader, you have the advantage of not having to scrounge for your brass after firing, always a pain in the you-know-what with an auto. Great fun and great performance at the range, in the field, or for home defense. Match the ammo to the situation, and you're well set.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more ! I got sick and tired of recovering semi auto brass very quickly especially during the winter months when our outdoor pistol bays at my gun club are covered with ice and snow. Over the past several winters i've moved in the direction of just shooting my GP100 357 mag or my 460 mag revolvers. I do shoot some 9mm as I have a TON of extra brass, but not .40 or 10mm as that brass is more valuable once fired. So a 44 mag revolver will be a nice addition for winter shooting.
 
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