44 Magnum 200g LRN plinking load?

Gunboat1 · 03-25-2012, 15:57

I'm hoping to load up some mild plinking and small game loads in 44 Magnum cases, using a 200 grain LRN Flat Point cast bullet and Unique powder I have on hand. I want to keep velocities between 850-950 FPS to avoid squibs and leading, and to try to keep the burn as clean as possible with Unique. My Speer manual doesn't carry any data for this bullet, and online research is also proving fruitless. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'll be firing these out of a 5-1/2" Ruger Redhawk.

I was thinking of using 8.0 grains of Unique as a starting point. What do you think? Thanks, everyone.

OJ. · 03-25-2012, 16:54

Not too relavent to you post except I have the same redhawk, I tried many loads for plinking and settled on Bluedot. 14 grains and a 200 grain plated bullet shoots great.

ColoCG · 03-25-2012, 17:56

I would think somewhere between 7 to 8 gr. of Unique would accomplish what you are looking for. I have loaded 6gr. of Unique behind a 215gr. LSWC in my 61/2" barreled .44spl. and got between 875 to 925fps.

With your larger cases and shorter barrel and lighter bullet, I think I would start around 7gr.

For small game at close range you could try Speer shot capsules with 8 or 9 lead shot. It works great on Blue Grouse out to about 10 to 12 yds.

Pat T · 03-25-2012, 19:22

7.0 grains of Green Dot with bullet of around 12 BHN, 950 fps out of my 8 3/8" M29. 5 shot group at 25yds from rest about 1.5"

sig357fan · 03-25-2012, 19:35

try looking at 44 Spl load data, use to load a 240 gr. LSWC over 7 gr. of Unique, would have been on the high end for 44 Spl but under min. for 44 Mag, very accurate and mild shooting out of a RSBH.

sig357fan

gwalchmai · 03-26-2012, 07:26

8gr of Unique under a 200gr LRN sounds like a great place to start. I use 8.5gr under 240gr LSWC for middlin' loads.

Zombie Steve · 03-26-2012, 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwalchmai

8gr of Unique under a 200gr LRN sounds like a great place to start. I use 8.5gr under 240gr LSWC for middlin' loads.

8 grains of Unique with my cast 240 grain lswc gets me 935 average from a 4" 629.

gwalchmai · 03-26-2012, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

8 grains of Unique with my cast 240 grain lswc gets me 935 average from a 4" 629.

Yes, that's middlin'