reply to post by WyrdeOne
now that's what I was waiting for... someone who who could reason and think things through.... I tip my hat to you...
Let me tell you why and keep in mind, I share many of your views about the very versatile .22lr... I didn't pick it because it cannot be reloaded
where the .44 can...
See I don't need to lug around a truck load of ammo crates... I just need a couple kegs of powder Couple cases of primers, my Lee press and a few
bullet molds... As long as I can find wheel weight... trust me when I say there everywhere, usually free if you know who to ask... I have all the
rounds I'll ever need... true there's not much rabbit left after a clean hit with a .44 325 gr. but that's what bated snares are for. True lowland
game would be scarce, for a while... getting past the first year or two is the real challenge and by them we'll have wild cows to add to the menu.
I think the more common rounds, .357 9mm .45 ACP even the 5.56
will be the rounds that become horded and hard to come by... .44's offered up for trade
due to my granddaughter I had to cut my post short.. I'll try to correct that flaw now...
Loading the .44 Magnum to full-power levels is what everyone has looked toward for decades. Huge mistake on most people parts... I go the other way to
great success!
At the basic level, we're talking loads that run at .44 Special or .45 ACP pressure levels. Maybe .45 ACP +P. But the difference between a
15,500-psi .44 Special load and a 23,000-psi .45 ACP +P load is nothing to the .44 Magnum case and the firearm for which it is chambered. The SAAMI
ceiling for the .44 Magnum is 36,000 psi. These light loads in a heavy gun like my Dan Wesson or RedHawk make for a low recoil steady shot
FOr light loads I use 180-grain lead bullet (Specal order Round nose mold from RCBS) and slow down to five grains of Titegroup.(No filler) At its
925-fps velocity, the load just makes major for USPSA/IPSC shooting, the cost in powder is cheap, and the bullet shape is conducive to quick
reloading. Were I loading for better accuracy--say, for a match where I'd want to use jacketed bullets--a 180-grain Hornady XTP over 6.3 grains of
HP-38 would deliver just under 950 fps--a soft load with plenty of accuracy.
Now a lot of you brought up small game Yes the .44 can do magic and to learn that trick I ask you go look at this web
site
Do it yourself Shotshells squirrels rabbits birds anything small with minimum reloading
skill. Factory made 44 magnum shotshells run about $1 each. Factory made 22LR shotshells run about 30¢ each. My 44 magnum shotshells cost about 10¢
each.
For larger game try Speer 240gr Gold Dot's.
The load is WLP primer and either Win or Rem brass and 24gr of 296.
I get just under 1800fps in my rifle. ( 1785fps to be exact.)
The factory ammo gets 1845fps in my rifle, but I can't match it without getting sticky extraction.
I have had excellent results with the Gold Dots on hogs, and recovered projectiles all look the same whether they've hit bone or not, perfectly
mushroomed with all 8 petals intact. They are a tough bullet.
I have used two jacketed bullets in my 44 mag,handgun and rifle. Hornady XTPS And Speer. The XTP has a chart on the box as I recall showing the
intended velocities that they are designed to be used in and I believe they go fairly high. The Speer 240 gr flat point,Semi jacketed, I have killed
elk with them using my Marlin94 and recovered the bullet.It looked just like bullets are supposed to look, nicely expanded,but not overly so.
Heavy loads for the .44 cause problems with to much recoil making it hard to get back on target for a quick second shot. I have looked at .44 special
loading data but I like to stay at the upper range of that data... Stick to large pistol primers... a large rifle primer will fit but they are a bit
taller and take a stronger hit from the hammer... In a SHTF the ability to use either is just another plus for the .44
So once again I contend... For general purpose use on anything from bumble bees to elk... the .44 is the best general purpose single cartridge many
guns round you can lay your hands on...