Pressure vs Velocity help

[cdncowboy]

I have been reloading pistol ammo for about 5 years now and I have just followed the reloading data specs for the specific bullets/powder I am using. I just purchased a .44 mag revolver (new caliber to me) and I would like to load some max rounds (for possible hunting in the U.S.) and when comparing the various reloading data there are some different powders that have the same velocity but lower or higher pressure data... SO my question is... assuming I want the fastest bullet should I choose a powder with the lowest or highest pressure?

Thanks for your help.

 

[*MALICE*]

If you can get the higher velocity with lower pressures, you potentially save some wear and tear on your gun.

 

[mmattockx]

If you are hunting with the .44 you will want to use 240-300gr bullets. The best powder choices for these are H110 (my favorite) or 2400. Anything else is not going to work as well, these 2 have been tested many times and have proven to be the best.


Mark

 

[jethunter]

Burning speed of the powder has as much to do with velocity as pressure does. There is not a direct corelation between pressure and velocity although they are related.

Generally speaking you will get the best velocity from slower powders like IMR4227 and H110 powders in the 44 mag. Find a reloading manual and study it - most of them will give you pressure AND velocity, and you should be able to figure it out from there. You can get good online loading data at the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center here: http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[just having some fun]

You have several choices to make
lead bullets or jacketed
weight 240-250-260- to 300 plus
powder my first choice for a high velocity load in the 44mag is 2400
target load powder first choice = Unique

work up to what you can shoot and still be able to call your shots
when you go too fast you might loose accuracy (shot gun effect)

Unique is unique and might be enough to make you happy

 

[Eagleye]

Lil'Gun makes big numbers at lower pressures in both 357 and 44 mag with Jacketed bullets.
Eagleye.

 

[Headcase]

The pressure numbers are "peak pressure." The burn rate and density of the gas will determine the area under the curve, that is pressure on the vertical scale and barrel length on the horizontal scale. More area will generaly produce more velocity, and that's how sometimes less pressure (peak pressure) gets higher velocity. If there's a load in the manual that gives you the velocity you want and it's under max pressure, you're golden.