Finding myself financially unequal to the task of feeding the new 629 a steady diet of Hornady 240 gr. ammo, at 6 bucks a cylinder full, I decided I would have to reload. The big gun was so much fun to shoot, and so stunningly accurate, that I would burn up a box or two of ammo, just to catch the buzz........
Elmer Keith seemed to think a lot of Alliant, (back then Hercules) no. 2400.....And I had a good stock of that on the shelf in the reloading room. So........
The assortment of rotors for the RCBS Little Dandy Pistol Powder Measure included a number 22, which throws about 18 grs. of 2400, and a number 26 which throws about 21 grains. So I had a good practice load, and a nice, hot, handsmacker.
A visit on the internet to the Nosler Pro Shop, and I had a thousand 240 gr. "blems" on the way. And in my primer stash, I found a couple thousand Win, large pistol primers.
Brass was not a concern, in these days of high prices, as I already had a good stock of .44 mag brass for my old M29.
By the way, check out Blue Star Brass in Searcy Arkansas. They buy once-fired brass from the Remington ammo plant near there, and it's good stuff. Pretty good prices too. I ordered 500 pcs. of 44 mag for a buddy of mine, and liked it so well, I bought myself a thousand also. Tell Mr. Garrett "Grant" sent you.
Dillon had sold me 400 nickle, new, unprimed, empties, so I started with them.......Be glad when they get wore out!
They seem rather "harsh" to reload, as opposed to brass cases. The primers go in a little harder, they don't crimp as smooth.......but they look good loaded. And they shoot OK...
I go shooting with my 26 year old. He's kinda husky, with big forearms, and strong hands..... Shoots full-power .44 mags like they were .38 special wadcutters. Don't hardly give the new RCBS dies time to cool off.
Speaking of reloading dies; RCBS still knows how to make good dies. Been using them for close to forty years now, and this new carbide sizer set are better than ever.....
Yep, when it comes to new S&W handguns, and RCBS dies, "the good old days" are now!
A Cabela's store near me has a bunch of Laser-cast 240 gr. semi-wadcutters on sale....... Guess I'll stock up before the high metal prices hit............. Next time I'll relate how the new 629 likes hardcast lead in it's diet..................Grant.

Now you're hooked. The .44 just lends itself to handloading.
My favorite loads are a commercial 240gr lswc pushed out the barrel by 10.0 gr of Unique, 240gr XTP over a max load of W296 or a 320gr lswc/gc over a shotglass full of W296.
Those loads are probably not what everyone else likes, but the .44 will usually like whatever sane load you feed it and still kill very well...

I cut my teeth handloading with my first M29 in college and if it weren't for handloading, I wouldn't have been able to shoot the big Smith at all (starving student!). Now, Rick R had a great suggestion: hardcast bullets. Cheaper and in my opinion, better than jacketed in many cases. Oh, and did I mention cheaper???? I used to shoot 22 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain SWC.......can't go wrong........

Just took my new M29 blue 4" out with 19gr 2400 thrown from my Little Dandy. Using 240gr SWC was brisk, but surely more comfortable than 22gr of 2400. The mentioned load of 10gr of Unique is my other go to load with the SWCs. I finally realized that these load kill hogs and deer as well as anything hotter and are gentle on the S&W. As I get older I dont like to fight with my guns, food, or women anymore. The Macho self image is just that self image. Reason is a lot more gentle on the body and soul.

Estacado

Have a Ruger SBH custom Bisley for stiffer loads.

estacado -- point well taken, but I was a 20-something former Marine at the time...... But now I'm older and seemingly none-the-wiser and I have stepped up to a .454 Casull and a .475 Linebaugh and I have realized that you can't load a .44 magnum hot enough to compete with either of these calibers with regards to abusiveness! After shooting either of those brutes, even 22 grains of 2400 is quite pleasant.......JMHO.........

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
estacado -- point well taken, but I was a 20-something former Marine at the time...... But now I'm older and seemingly none-the-wiser and I have stepped up to a .454 Casull and a .475 Linebaugh and I have realized that you can't load a .44 magnum hot enough to compete with either of these calibers with regards to abusiveness! After shooting either of those brutes, even 22 grains of 2400 is quite pleasant.......JMHO.........

Or performance on game either...

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
estacado -- point well taken, but I was a 20-something former Marine at the time...... But now I'm older and seemingly none-the-wiser and I have stepped up to a .454 Casull and a .475 Linebaugh and I have realized that you can't load a .44 magnum hot enough to compete with either of these calibers with regards to abusiveness! After shooting either of those brutes, even 22 grains of 2400 is quite pleasant.......JMHO.........

I shot my 44 Mag the other day. I forgot how little it recoiled, even loaded with 17.5 gr. of 2400 and 300 gr. hard cast bullets...lol

Funny how after shooting the 500 Mag for so long, make a 44 Mag seem a pleasure to shoot.

Redhawk -- it puts things into perspective! I just found some of my old load data and I was sometimes running 24 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain bullet.......yikes.......

quote:

Originally posted by estacado:
As I get older I dont like to fight with my guns, food, or women anymore.
Estacado

Amen brother, Amen!!!