.44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

[hairy spotter]

I know this is not a very "sniper" caliber, but I have a nice lever action rifle in .44 Mag I would like to deer hunt with this fall.
I am not sure though that the various pistol loads are adequately powerful, so I want to roll my own. Do any of you have a load for this caliber that will maximize power from a 21" barrel for a 240gr load?

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

The powder to go to is 2400. Just make sure you use a heavy crimp. 2400 needs a good heavy crimp to give full burn, and keep the barrel clean. I use a Redding Profile Crimp in mine.

I load 20.0 grains of 2400. You need to make sure you work up to that load. However I cast my own 240 grain bullet. 2400 wil also give good case fill in the 44 magnum, and I think case fill is important in a lever action rifle.

I also use WLP primers. I have used magnum primers but I could not see any difference.

The 44 magnum is a very effective round in that Marlin. Tom.

 

[Grumulkin]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

Don't worry about the power; the handgun 44 Mag. loads are plenty powerful enough to take deer with out to 150 yards or so which is probably as far as you would be shooting anyway. There is a popular misconception that powders for short barrels are different than for long barrels and that just ain't so.

 

[bohem]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

Don't discount H110 over 2400 (both are exceptional)

Hodgdon's site lists a rifle specific load for 44 mag, just pull down the "rifle" loads instead of teh "pistol" loads.

I'm pretty sure about this but double check. Max load for 240 JHP's with H110 is 20.5gr in a pistol and 23.0 for rifle load.

Just look it up to be sure, Hodgdon's done it. Greg Langelius shoots a similar setup, he can probably tell you exactly what his load is.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

2400 is a good powder, but H110 will get you a little more velocity. I've used my 44 mag lever gun with the Hornady 240 XTP on several pigs, turkey and deer with great success. My Marlin 44 mag lever gun is my preferred rifle for close-in hunting. I'm a little over 24 grains of H110 with a LP mag primer at 1760 fps in a 16" lever gun. 24 grains is max, so be cautious loading anything over that.

 

[GSPKurt]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

I load 21.0 gr. of H110 with the 300 Gr. XTP for my Marlin.

 

[buffybuster]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

24grs of H110/W296 with a 250gr SWC lit by a Magnum Primer = over 1800fps out of a 20" barrel and over 1500fps out of a 7.5" barrel.

 

[hill billy]

Re: .44 Rem Magnum Rifle load

I shoot the exact same load out of my handgun as I do out of my lever gun. The Hornady manual shows it to be within .1 gr of each other so it's good to go. Don't recall the weight off the top of my head but I use Win 296.