44 mag rifle loads

A

ACKLEY ABE

Regular
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Location
ST ALBERT, ALBERTA
Anyone shooting a 44 mag in a Marlin 1894? Any suggestions on loads? I am leaning towards 240 gr in both jacketed and gas-checked cast. I am lookin at Hornady 265's as well. It will be used as a light "walking rifle" for w/t in heavy cover, but mostly of course just for havin some fun. Anyone have some experience ? Manuals show it with 110/296, 4227 and some others, but I'd like to know what actual shooters have found.

Thks
 
You can never go wrong with H110 in a 44 Mag. It's a great powder for magnum loads. Don't shoot reduced loads (below published mins) with powders like H110 or IMR 4227. I have found that my rifle likes max powder charges with cast bullets and near min loads with jacketed using H110. My rifle, a Browning 92, will not stabilize 300g bullets. Not sure if it will stabilize anything between 240 and 300g. A common 240g LSWC and a max charge of H110 will shoot 1.5" groups at 100 yards from my rifle so that is the bullet I'm going to stick with and eventually start casting for. I don't plan to experiment with lighter 44 Mag loads because my rifle shoots my 44 Special revolver loads very well.
 
ACKLEY ABE said:
Anyone shooting a 44 mag in a Marlin 1894? Any suggestions on loads? I am leaning towards 240 gr in both jacketed and gas-checked cast. I am lookin at Hornady 265's as well. It will be used as a light "walking rifle" for w/t in heavy cover, but mostly of course just for havin some fun. Anyone have some experience ? Manuals show it with 110/296, 4227 and some others, but I'd like to know what actual shooters have found.

Thks
Click to expand...

For 240gn bullets, 24.0gn of 296/H110 is master race of loads ;)

I shoot it in my Ruger Carbine and it cycles like nothing else. Factory loads stovepipe nearly every shot.
 
You absolutely must try Lil'gun in your 44 Mag. It is the only powder I have used that will outperform H110/296 in the three regular mags [357, 41 and 44]without excess pressure.
Dave.
 
Been getting decent groups with 200's using (Bullet Barn's cast) and 26g's of H110.
Tossing darn near the same receipt for my 1892 44-40 with the same results.
 
Dave, how much LilGun are you using in the 44 mag with about a 240 grain bullet?
Bruce
 
The majority of my 44 magnum work, and chronographing, has been with the five revolvers I once used quite extensively. There is such variation in revolvers, because of the gap between cylinder and forcing cone, plus harder to judge accuracy, so determining exactly what powder and charge is best, is a bit difficult.
However, my new Magneto Speed chronograph is in the mail, so I will do some testing with the 44 Marlin rifle.
 
Thks guys. Picked up a cpl of hundred Hornady 240 xtp's yesterday at lunch and I will get a few hundred gas-checked cast 240's from Jethunter. Great guy to deal with and delivers quickly. Any of you folks looking for cast bullets, I would highly recommend him. A gentleman to deal with and there's very few of us left :)
 
I'm running 21gn's of H110 behind the Hornady 265 Interlocks. If I remember correctly, my next step up in power shot without pressure signs but the 21 grain load shot really well. This my for my close-range bush hunting 77/44 so the small drop in speed did't concern me.

I took a nice little whitetail 5x5 with this load last year, great shot, right through the heart with basically no shot-up meat. Just a big-ol half inch hole right through that deer.
 
I wish you luck with the cast bullets. My Marlin shot Ok with the 240 jacketed/H110 combo, but nothing I fed it in cast form was worth while. Marlins tend to have very loose barrels, some as large as .432.
 
I use 20 grains of H110 and 300gr Sierra JSPs, CCI magnum primers and seated for a 1.7" COL which is short enough to feed in my 70s era Marlin 94. It still crimps on the cannelure.

I know I chrony'd it but apparently I didn't write it down. It would have been very close to what was in the Sierra manual. It is the max load.

I also use this in my Ruger Super Blackhawk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom