44 magnum loads with H110 or W296...can anybody help me out

mr00jimbo

mr00jimbo

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I know nothing about reloading. I had some .44 mag cartridges loaded up for me to shoot out of my 20" 1892 rifle. They're jacketed bullets, 240 grain. On the box, the load used says 22.0 gr of H110 on some and W296 on others. I understand that they're identical powders. But is 22.0 too low for jacketed ammo out of a 44 magnum? I find very conflicting answers online from min load of 23.0 to published loads from different manufacturers going below that.

Thanks
 
296 is a strange powder it can make dangerous pressures when underloaded always start at the bottom of the reloading data and work your way up never start below the data with 296.
 
farmboy108 said:
296 is a strange powder it can make dangerous pressures when underloaded always start at the bottom of the reloading data and work your way up never start below the data with 296.
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This is one of the great reloading myths. H110/W296 isn't dangerous with lights loads, but what can happen is hang fire or a failure to ignite, just follow proper procedure if you get a click and no boom.

As for the OP's ammo, 22gr is right around where a lot of people start there load development, but otherwise it's fine to shoot.
 
I've chronographed some wild velocity swings with H110 and light loads. Enough that I won't use them. Dangerous? There's only so much powder in there, unless you screwed up and double charged it, I can't see it being dangerous. In general I found the closer i got to 24 grains the more stable it became. Most of the trouble was below 18 grains.
22 to 24 grains under a 240 grain bullet should be fine in the '92 assuming the rifle is in good condition, and you weight your charges, and follow basic reloading safety.
 
Agreeing with JYC and LouF, H110 and 296 have worked better for me the closer I get to max loads.
22 gr of h110 is where I started and settled at 23.5 for my lever and 24 for mt 77/44.
Now if I could only find some H110...

David
 
John Y Cannuck said:
I've chronographed some wild velocity swings with H110 and light loads. Enough that I won't use them. Dangerous? There's only so much powder in there, unless you screwed up and double charged it, I can't see it being dangerous. In general I found the closer i got to 24 grains the more stable it became. Most of the trouble was below 18 grains.
22 to 24 grains under a 240 grain bullet should be fine in the '92 assuming the rifle is in good condition, and you weight your charges, and follow basic reloading safety.
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How do you account for the velocity swings? Would that not be pressure difference s? I am assuming that you are careful and the charge weights primers seating depth and crimp were the same.
 
I use 24 grains of H110 with 225 FTX in my 77/44 and model 94's... drop down to 22.0 grains with 240's and work back up.
 
mr00jimbo said:
I know nothing about reloading. I had some .44 mag cartridges loaded up for me to shoot out of my 20" 1892 rifle. They're jacketed bullets, 240 grain. On the box, the load used says 22.0 gr of H110 on some and W296 on others. I understand that they're identical powders. But is 22.0 too low for jacketed ammo out of a 44 magnum? I find very conflicting answers online from min load of 23.0 to published loads from different manufacturers going below that.

Thanks
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Sounds like you didn't reload them yourself. If I reloaded for you, you would get a starting load from me as well unless you gave me the gun to work up a load in.
 
John Y Cannuck said:
I've chronographed some wild velocity swings with H110 and light loads. Enough that I won't use them. Dangerous? There's only so much powder in there, unless you screwed up and double charged it, I can't see it being dangerous. In general I found the closer i got to 24 grains the more stable it became. Most of the trouble was below 18 grains.
22 to 24 grains under a 240 grain bullet should be fine in the '92 assuming the rifle is in good condition, and you weight your charges, and follow basic reloading safety.
Click to expand...

Is the 22 gr 110 240 gr considered light? I don't have a chrony and this is plinking ammo but what kind of m/e and velocity should i expect from a 20" barrel?
 
For starters, a 20 inch barrel will get maximum velocity with a 44 mag and H110 or 296.
Also, rifles are more proficient, reliable and accurate at the pressures the cartridge was designed for. This is why world class bench rest shooters never load lighter loads in their rifles. In fact, they use heavier loads than what are recommended for sporting use.
In the old Winchester pamphlets about their powder, they state that 296 is the powder loaded in their 44 magnum cartridges. Right on the can of 296 it states to not load them down, but to load 24 grains of 296 with the 240 grain bullet. When further quizzed about this, they state there is no danger in loading lighter, it is just that 24 grains is the right load.
Thus, it can be assumed that 24 grains of 296 is the factory loading of their cartridges.
So why are you guys all talking about loading down? If you buy a box of Winchester 44 magnum factory loads in 240 grain will you be afraid to shoot it in your gun?
And to sort of answer your question, yes, 23 grains of H110 or 296 is a light load and will likely not perform as well, or be as accurate, as a cartridge with 24 grains of the same powder in it.

Edited to say that I again checked the Winchester pamphlet and it states 24 grains of 296, as I stated, with a 240 grain jacketed bullet.
But it also states that with a lead alloy bullet the correct load was 25 grains of 296.
With H110 p owder I have as often used 25 grains as I have 24 grains, with a 240, or so, grain cast bullet.
 
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When you buy your powder ask the clerk for a Winchester book that they get for free . if they don't have any go to the Winchester site and print off thier specs . I have used 24 grains or H110 in a 44 Marlin and I'm still here to talk about it . LOL. I would rather reload my stuff then trust someone else. I have a select few friends that I would trust to shoot thier reloads and they as I said are a select few.

at my target club one time some fool wanted to see what the least amount of powder he could use to push a 44 mag bullet out of a model 629 . a brand new one at that . well he admitted to me he ended up getting a bullet stuck in his barrel . and then he admitted to me he tried the same garbage again and he blew the top strap off his revolver it ended up going through the ceiling of our club .

lucky no one was hurt . and get this he talked S&W into giveing him a new revolver . Dumb and lucky what a combo . anyways follow the spec's in the reloading book and do what they say and you will b okay to talk about it . I have heard that H110 and 296 are one and the same and this came from the guy I buy from . if you want to down load use 231 Unique etc. be safe .
 
22.0 gr of H110 is the starting load for a 240 Jacketed using IMR or H 4227. 23.0 is the starting load for H100. One grain isn't going to do any damage(especially a rifle) nor will starting loads ever do any damage, I'd take that stuff back where you got it, get your money back. The guy who loaded it(assuming he's legally doing it) should not mark it with two powders. Even though they are the same thing according to Hodgdon.
 
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