44mag rifle load?

axis223

New member
Seeing what you guys like for 44 mag rifles? powder, primer, bullet.

I will be loading for a 44mag H&R Handi rifle.

Would like full power loads for deer hunting.

Going to pickup lee dies this week and maybe powder and primers.

also how hard is it to find a good 100yard hunting load for 44mag in a rifle?
 
"...how hard is it to find a good 100 yard hunting load..." Exactly the same process as any other cartridge/rifle. Think 240 grain HP's. It'd be IMR4227 for me. Only because I use that for .30 Carbine though.
Mind you, deer don't require big heavy bullets or really hot loads so a 165 or any cast bullet will do as well.
Deer don't need one hole groups either. A consistent 2 or 3 inches at 100 is dandy.
 
44mag ammo will get you about an additional 200 FPS from a rifle.That's certainly very effective at 100 yds and more .44mag is an accurate cartridge so one of the 240gr bullets with a good powder will hit the mark !
 
I will recommend what I use in my 77/44 for deer. A 240 gr Nosler JSP over 24 gr of IMR4227. Should give you about 1750 FPS with excellent accuracy and punch a hole thru both shoulders.
 
Here's the load straight from Hornady:

240 XTP
CCI 350
24.8 gr H110 (max load, so work up of course)
COL 1.588

This goes 1,852 avg/5 Std out of my Handi Rifle. Same load goes 1,454/7.3 out of a 7 1/2" Redhawk.

No problem at 100; I wouldn't hesitate at 150.
 
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Hornady 240 gr. XTP, CCI 350 primer, and 23-24 grains of Win 296 or H110 powder. Shoots very well in my 44 Mag rifle. I like 23 grains.
 
Back in the day when I deer hunted with a Ruger SBH 44mag with a 10 inch bull barrel I had a load using a 180gr JHP that was a fantastic round.
The 180gr JHP did a great job on penetration and expansion.
The lighter bullet gave more distance than a 200 or 240gr bullet.
Shooting out to 150 yards without a problem with half the bullet drop of the heavier bullets.
I am not near my load data but I used 2400 at around 15.0gr powder. I do remember the powder chg was a little over stated spec in new loading guides.
Anyway it was a great round in a revolver. I can only think that in a rifle it would be down right perfect.
Always work you loads up and never take load data via a forum for fact.
 
I haven't loaded 180s, but my brother used to shoot commercial 180s from this Handi Rifle. If I recall, they clocked around 2,000. Memory fails me, but I remember thinking, "Can't be!" What I'm sure of is he put a big hole through a PA whitetail with it. Hadn't thought of that till now - maybe I'll go back and try some.
 
I usually use Hornady XTP 240 or 300 grain bullets in my Henry with a mid range charge of 4227. I've had great success with 4227 and going to try some Noslers as soon as they come in. Just don't get frustrated if you don't get the results you were hoping for. I had high hopes for Barnes 200gr a few years ago in my Henry and 629. Neither held a consistent group, looked like a buckshot pattern.
 
I'm pushing a 180JHP chrono'ed @ 1890ft/sec out of a 20" Marlin using 22 grains of Alliant 2400.

If you want a little more oomph, the Alliant data published 23.3 grains as a max load for this bullet for 1760ft/sec out of a 6 inch barrel. Add approx. 200 ft/sec for a rifle.
 
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