When working up a good hunting load for a new handgun and caliber what size increments do you use? With rifles I use .3 grain increments but I don't recall reading what is typical with a handgun.

I am trying to get good loads for .44 magnum with 240 grain and 300 grain XTPs and 280 grain A Frames. I am working with 2400 and H110 and may try HP38 as well.

I go by .2 grains till I feel that I'm getting close, then I go to .1 grains till I find what works the best. But I'm a bit anal about details, so probably doesn't need to be started with .2 grains at all. I would think .3 would do fine.

So far, I've just used .5 grains with good results. I'm just at the tip of the iceberg for reloading though. Also, I've just reloaded for rifle cartridges.

I'll be watching for more info on the handgun replies myself.

For straight walled cartridges, I see no need in going less than .5 gr increments. It's worked for me for years.

Thank you guys.

I usually like to see one ragged hole at 25yds with my revolvers. [5 shots] That is my baseline for accuracy, when that goal is achieved I move the target out further. So, I generally go .5 grains at a time until the load shows promise, than tweak .2 grains until I am happy.

23 to 24 grains H110?296 seems to be the sweet spot for 240gr XTP.
I use 23 as I use the same load in all .44s so I don't have to worry about pressure issues. I get 1400 FPS from 7.5 in Redhawk which is my benchmark/workhorse. This load will give one hole with a scoped Redhawk @ 50 yds I tested for a friend. I still use irons

I can only get 19 grains in 44 case with 300 grain Swift. Any more and the case crushes when you seat the bullet to the cannelure.
20 grains in case with 300 gr. XTP gave 1200 FPS with SD of 7.
This load gave one ragged hole out of FA 83 6in @ 25yds off bench
with irons

For me, it depends on the charge weights I'm working with. My 460 S&W and 300 Win Mag loads were in .5 grain increments, while I used .2 grain increments to work up my 221 Fireball.

I'm sure .5 grain increments will be fine in your 44, but .3 or .2 grain increments might be a bit better.