44 Mag 180gr JHP Loads

I was digging through my reloading stuff and found a long forgotten stash of 44 caliber 180gr JHP's, Remingtons I think, and was hoping someone might have a proven load for them. If I was planning on using them as a go to hunting load, I would spend the time doing load work up, but I have long since settled on 240gr, 275gr, and 300gr bullets for my mags. I am really just looking to use them up in a S&W 629 and a Marlin 1894, but with some semblance of accuracy. Minute of beer can or better.

Thanks

l killed quite a few Whitetail deer with 180gr Super Vels and

my old Model 29-2 8 3/8'' 44 Magnum.. 180s will ruin a deers'

day Quickly... Most 180gr 44Magnums seem to be loaded to around

1650-1800FPS. Hand loading w/H110 seems to work well @28gr. for

me

sw282, I believe your the first member, that I can think of, that`s used 44 caliber 180gr jacketed bullets on whitetail.. How did they perform??? I bought some 200gr Speer`s but never got to use them... I know schunter used 200gr bullets with success and that`s the lowest bullet weight, in 44, that I`ve read about...

James, I've killed quite a few with the Remington UMC 180gr JSP over the years - they worked well on southern whitetails. My cousin currently uses those and has kill three the last two years. I never retrieved a bullet and neither has he. I'm not sure what bullet they use in that ammo, but it seems to be a good performer.

I've not discussed the 180's on hunting forums cause....well...you know... they're not heavy enough to hunt with.

The outfitter i use in NM and colorado prefera 180 gr bullets out of 44 for elk sooooooo keep killing deer withem.

Earlier this year I found quite a few .44 180 gr. XTP's that I didn't realize I had and I had bought a pound of Hodgdon's CFE Pistol powder back when reloading supplies were tight and I figured that I'd give them both a try.

Hodgdon (using a 8" test barrel) shows a minimum of 12.6 grs. @1466 fps and a maximum of 14.0 grs. @1595 fps.....I've got a stainless 5.5" barrel Ruger Redhawk with factory iron sights.

After determining my pet load and shooting off bags at 30 yds.....slow firing single action I was able to easily keep all six rounds in the 2" orange bullseye.

Taking into consideration my old eyes and the fact that I was using factory iron sights I'm pretty content with a 2" group at 30 yds.

My load is 13.6 grs. of CFE Pistol under 180 gr. Hornady XTP's with a FIRM crimp and WLP primers.

The load has not been ran across a chrony.

Dick Metcalf used to tout the virtues of the 180 gr. bullets in the 44 Mag. I've loaded and shot several, usually Sierra's, but never hunted with them. Accuracy was always outstanding with 296/H110 powder.

I did take a deer once with a 200gr. Gold Dot in a 44 Special. Performance on that "one" kill was very good.

Dan

I've used the Speer 200 gr. Magnum hollow point on occasion, and it kills deer like a lightning bolt. A friend of mine regularly uses 180 JHPs with great success and won't use anything else.

wow.... here I`am thinking its a first to hear about using 180`s from a 44 on whitetail and here are handgunners taking elk with them.... that`s two first`s for me today... amazing

My first handgun kill of a deer was with 180gr Super Vels. l

thougnt those 20 rd boxes were kinda neat too. l killed 3

from that 20 rd box.. Twas maybe 78-79 and our Silh Match

director had just gotten an 0hler P Chronograph. We clocked

the last 3 Super Vels in the box The avg was 1803FPS!!!

Sadly, no more Super Vel was to be had because they were out

of business... l bought a box of 180gr Sierras hoping to make

my ''0wn'' Super Vels... Bad ldea:-(.. Taking data strait from

my Sierra manual l loaded a few w/28gr 296.. l was rewarded with

sticky cases and badly flattened primers.. 28 was the starting load too..

After that l just hunted with my Silh load.. That being 9 1/2 gr

of Unique topped by a home cast 240gr SWC.. l have always wondered

what powder Super Vel used in their factory 180s... l guess that

secret went with Lee Jurras when he passed away earlier this year

tradmark, I"m curios why?

James, I used 180 gr. Sierra JHCs in a scoped M29 years ago. Shot several deer with them AND a turkey at 150 yds. high in the back with minimal damage.
sw282 I believe my load was 26 or 27 gr. WW296. Never had problems with them.