Sanity check - new to reloading. 44 Magnum.

[ShootistPRS]

Years ago there were several double based powder dealers that warned against compressed loads with double based powders. One caution was poor ignition and the other was for extreme pressures. The other warning was not to use with light bullets due to inconsistent pressures. Heavy bullets and heavy crimps are recommended. With poor ignition you could easily end up with secondary explosions so unless things have changed don't compress any double based powders.
296/H110 were often listed with the warnings. They are still the best accuracy powders for 357 and 44 magnum loads. As for heavy bullets, I use 140 grain in my 357 without a problem. In my gun it is the most accurate load I have found.

 

[Dufus]

Here is Hodgdon's view on compressed loads:

"Hodgdon notes in its reloading data if the subject charge is a compressed load. A full case, or lightly compressed charge is an ideal condition for creating loads with the most uniform velocities and pressures, and oftentimes, producing top accuracy."

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-education/reloading-beginners/compressed-loads

 

[black_hog_down]

Shot one. Does the primer look a little flat to you?

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[44 AMP]

IMO there is a reason Hornady doesn't list h110 for the 180 XTP.

Yes, I'm sure there is a reason, but you better ask Hornady what it is, because it's NOT because H-110 isn't suitable.

I base this opinion on the fact that on the very same page they DO list H-110 with the 200gr XTP, and with other heavier bullets.

ALSO because the same Hornady manual I grabbed (the 7th,) does list H-110 with the 180gr XTP bullet in their .44 AMP data.

Sometimes, a reloading manual does NOT list every possible combination. Sometimes, some powders are not listed, not because they are totally unsuitable, but because the testers did not get the desired results from their test gun. Sometimes some powders are not listed simply because they weren't tested with the bullet in question.

Looking at the manual I have I see 9 powders listed with the 180gr XTP, 12 listed with the 200gr XTP, 13 listed with the 240gr XTP, 8 listed for the 265gr XTP and 10 listed for the 300gr XTP.

Think about that. Yes, there is a lot of overlap, but there are also powders in some of the shorter lists that are not in the longer ones.

If you want to know why Hornady doesn't list a certain powder with a certain bullet in a certain cartridge, ask THEM. Don't assume that because they didn't list it, that there is no safe load. That MIGHT be the case, or it might be that they just didn't test that combination.

Oh, and that primer looks fine to me...

 

[black_hog_down]

So... Some level of flattening is to be expected. Mine looks like the second one in this picture I found.
This is the starting load from Hogdgon. Seems like if I went up to the 31 grain max they would really flatten.
This is large pistol primer. Are magnum primers tougher?

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[SARuger]

The primer you pictured is not showing any pressure signs. Looks normal and happy to me.

I'm using 19.2g of 2400 w/240xtp and the load looks compressed but I'm using Hornady's data.

I also load 19.2g of 2400 w/240g Sierra JHP's, which seats deeper than the 240 XTP. I'm using data from Sierra's book

I use 19.2g of 2400 with Miester 240g lead bullets. I'm using data from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

All of these loads look like they are compressing. None are showing pressure signs. All of the velocities are as published using the LabRadar. All three loads are from ladder testing and all are the most accurate of the test. I guess my SBH just likes 19.2g of 2400.

I'm loading for a 10.5" Super Blackhawk

 

[Salmoneye]

This is large pistol primer. Are magnum primers tougher?

As suggested earlier, you should already be using a Magnum primer any time you use H110/W296...

It can at times under the right conditions be hard to ignite...Mag primers ensure consistent ignition, and consistent velocities with this powder...

Mag primers are not necessarily "tougher", but they do have a greater flame front that most term 'hotter'...

 

[Damon555]

I just finished loading (and shooting a bunch of) the Hornady 180 XTP's. 29 grains of H110 is a fine load.....On the low end of the H110 data but that's just fine with that powder. Your primers look great. Load on with (careful) confidence.....I've loaded a bunch of these over the years with no problems at all.

 

[rodfac]

H110. 29 grains. 180 grain XTP.

Your load appears to be right at the top end to me. Checking with my copy of Sierra's Infinity Ballistic/Reloading program, they list 28.5 grains of H110 as the maximum load with their 180 gr. JHP. Sierra lists 25.2 as the starting load. Granted, the XTP is a different bullet, but if you're uncomfortable with the load, back off some.

HTH's Rod

 

[Reloadron]

This is large pistol primer. Are magnum primers tougher?

Primers in general vary by manufacturer. Yes, some magnum primers are thicker but it also depends on how we choose to define "tougher". It's not always about primer cup thickness, the alloys used to make the sheet the cups were cut from or the priming compound mixture, different anvil angles and anvil designs. There is a large collection of variables and even within a single manufacturer those variables are subject to change lot to lot.

This is a pretty good read on Primers and Pressure you may want to take a look at. I always found these Primer Flash Test Photos to be pretty neat to look at.

Ron

 

[disseminator]

Yes, I'm sure there is a reason, but you better ask Hornady what it is, because it's NOT because H-110 isn't suitable.

I base this opinion on the fact that on the very same page they DO list H-110 with the 200gr XTP, and with other heavier bullets.

ALSO because the same Hornady manual I grabbed (the 7th,) does list H-110 with the 180gr XTP bullet in their .44 AMP data.

Sometimes, a reloading manual does NOT list every possible combination. Sometimes, some powders are not listed, not because they are totally unsuitable, but because the testers did not get the desired results from their test gun. Sometimes some powders are not listed simply because they weren't tested with the bullet in question.

Looking at the manual I have I see 9 powders listed with the 180gr XTP, 12 listed with the 200gr XTP, 13 listed with the 240gr XTP, 8 listed for the 265gr XTP and 10 listed for the 300gr XTP.

Think about that. Yes, there is a lot of overlap, but there are also powders in some of the shorter lists that are not in the longer ones.

If you want to know why Hornady doesn't list a certain powder with a certain bullet in a certain cartridge, ask THEM. Don't assume that because they didn't list it, that there is no safe load. That MIGHT be the case, or it might be that they just didn't test that combination.

My statement was that there are better powders, not that it was un-usable.

The reason they might list H110 for a 200 and heavier and not a 180 or lower is no doubt because H110 is a slow burning powder. I used the Hodgdon load data instead which lists 29 as a starting load, and 31.5 grains as a max load. Since I don't ever just go to a maximum load, I decided that I'd try 30 grains to start. That is well below the maximum listed by Hodgdon.

In hindsight, I should have used the minimum load. Perhaps I wouldn't have had flattened primers at 29.

Point was, and is, In My Opinion: there are better choices for the lightweight bullets in the 44 Magnum.

If you have good results with it, by all means use it. But take note, that my Quickload workup shows 30 grains as over pressure. (I should have done the QL workup first but didn't)

Black_Hog_Down: your primers look good to me.