Andrew,
You lost me on the LBT .330-325-LFN. Is this a 44 Mag bullet?
I did not see any 325 gr LFN moulds on The Lead Bullet Technologies page.


What load do you use for the 245gr RCBS bullet?

Jim

I use the RCBS 245gr. Kieth and the LBT .330-325-lfn in my M94. I use the same loads as for the pistols. With the LBT bullet accuracy is awesum, under minute of angle. I've use it all the way out to 600 yards. The only problem is the recoil, it shakes both me and the rifle to bits.

Guys,
Does anyone have load data for a 44 Mag rifle? Lots of info for the pistol, but rifle data is hard to come by. I'm interested in your bullet selection (for whitetail treestand hunting) as well as powders. I understand H-110 is very popular in the handguns.

The rifle is a Browning B-92 and I have not yet started handloading since it shoots the 275gr Rem Core-Lokt pretty well. But as with all my rifles, I want to reload for this one too.

Thanks in advance,
Jim

I have a Marlin 1894S with a 20", 1 in 38", ballard rifled, 44mag. I've really enjoyed mine and have tried about all the powders and bullets up to the 270grn Speer. I have shot a few 300grn hard cast at max velocity and they did alright. I have a new box of 300grn Sierra jkt sp's to try when I get a chance. My favorite powder at the moment is LilGun at 23.5grns to 24.5grns for around 1800fps and a hard cast bullet using the Lyman #429421-245grn mould. I've been using the regular primers for my loads but do not know if it makes a difference. Anyway, it's the most accurate load for my rifle out to 100yds. The main worry I had with this Keith type plain base bullet was OAL. I had to seat the bullet out to a OAL of 1.690" to catch the crimp groove and did not know if it would cycle through my rifle. It did.

There is not any difference in revolver or rifle loads. What works best in a 7 1/2" revolver barrel will work good in a rifle barrel with the slow powders. In some cases, with some powders, you need to load a grain or two less powder for best results in a rifle barrel. The max load of Unique in a pistol is too much in a rifle barrel and accuracy will decline.


What is the twist rate of your Browning? It's probably a little faster than the 1 in 38 in mine. BM

Bill

If it works in a pistol, it will shoot in a rifle. Probably. The terminal performance might not be what you're looking for though. A lot of pistol bullets aren't geared for the higher velocities of your rifle and will come undone. Solution is to shoot stronger bullets or slow 'em down.

Try the Nosler Partitions, or perhaps the Hornady XTP's @ 300 grains. I shoot paper patched pure lead in my 77/44, 300 grains over Li'l Gun. The heavier bullets will give stout recoil, but their performance is what makes a rifle cartridge out of a pistol case. I have loaded Hornady 240 XTP's and am unimpressed. I perfer Li'l Gun as it does not have the need for heavy crimps like H110, or so my experience says. Velocities run in the 1535 fps range for my rifle for accuracy, I suspect you may go a bit farther with jacketed bullets at that weight.

I have a Winchester '94 Trapper Carbine (lever action) in .44 mag. I've been shooting 240 grn Hornady XTP with Hodgen 110 between 24.7 and 25.5 grns. That's getting warm so work up. Hope to take a deer this year with it, I get plenty of shots under 50 yrds so it should not be a problem.



also most of the manuals will show .44 mag data in both the pisol and rifle sections.

I had a Browning 92 and the load it liked as 23 grains of H-110 and the 265 grain Hornady for a 1,730 fps average. you do want to wear a sweat shirt when you shoot it as it does hurt a little bit. I sure wish I would have kept that rifle. it is a good shooter

.44 Remington Magnum (Rifle)
Bullet: Sierra 240 Grain Jacketed Hollow Cavity
Powder: 25.8 grains of Hodgdon H-110
Primer: CCI-350
Case: Remington
Firearm: Original Ruger .44 Carbine
Velocity: 1919 FPS @15' from muzzle
Accuracy: 5-shot, 50-yard groups of 1-1/4" or less

Other .44 Mag. loading data at:
http://stevespages.com/429_1.html

Your choice in ammo is great with the 275gr bullet,but i load the Hornady 300gr XTP with H-110 20.5gr shoots great in my marlin 1894 44Mag.

I have had 3 different 44 mag rifles, and I now have a Winchester Trapper. As I also shoot 44 Mag revolvers I just always used 240 gr factory ammo [in the early days] or 240 grain bullets with 2400 or H-110. Killed a lot of deer with several different 240 grain bullets with excellent results. Only recovered one bullet from a whitetail buck shot at 85 yards with a 6.5 inch S&W model 29, a Speer 240 grain Soft Point loaded with 24 grains of H 110.

Lyman #429421-245grn

This is also the bullet I used in my Win. M94 .44 Mag. My load was 22 grains of Herc. 2400 (pre-Alliant). It was accurate, and hell on armadillos!

Thanks for the info and links, I was hoping to find something for a 275 gr bullet, Thanks again. Does anyone have the 275gr JHP bullets (only) I've never seen them except in loaded ammo.

Quote:

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I had a Browning 92 and the load it liked as 23 grains of H-110 and the 265 grain Hornady for a 1,730 fps average. you do want to wear a sweat shirt when you shoot it as it does hurt a little bit. I sure wish I would have kept that rifle. it is a good shooter

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I know what you mean!!! it's a little mule even with the 275grs. Although I would never consider a recoil pad, no way.



Mine is off at the 'smith getting a Marble Peep Tang and I should be ready to shoot some this weekend.



Thanks again for the info. Keep the load data coming!!



Jim

I've never seen a 275grn. 44 cal. bullet. Is it new? I know about Hdy's 265 and Speer's 270grn. Seems you could use the 270grn data and work up. To my way of thinking, it would be hard to beat a hard cast bullet in 44 caliber and you can buy some hard cast if you don't cast your own. BM

Bill

I've not seen it as a bullet only. Only loaded in Rem Core Lokt, I was wondering if anyone else had seen it as a component.

What is the benefit of a hard cast bullet? I do not wish to cast my own. I assume they are cheaper, other than that, tell me why you recommend them.

Thanks
Jim