.44mag Small Game Loads?

**mokwepa** · 09-11-2011, 05:29

Morning guys. I am looking for some data to load up some reduced loads for hunting small game, ie: guinnea fowl etc. I have allot of 255 swc (all I have at the moment)on hand as well as S265 (not allot) and MP200. I'm looking for velocities well below 1000fps.Can any of you point me in the right direction?I have also read about loading .430 round balls??? Any of you tried this?Thanks in advance for any help.Dylan

**wrm** · 09-11-2011, 07:36

What firearm? 8 grains of MP200 gives about 900fps from a Ruger revolver, but over a thousand from a rifle.

**mokwepa** · 09-11-2011, 08:55

Oh yes, sorry, its a Ruger Superblackhawk Hunter 7'5".

**Sweet** · 09-11-2011, 09:04

Originally Posted by wrm

What firearm? 8 grains of MP200 gives about 900fps from a Ruger revolver, but over a thousand from a rifle.

Hi WRM

I have a bunch of questions:

WOuld you use a case filler (e.g. dacron) with the 8grn of MP200 in a 44Mag? I imagine that 8 grns does little more than cover the "floor" of the mighty 44Mag case ;-).

Do you use specific primers (e.g. CCI350s) for your 44Mag loads or have you found your loads to be relatively insensitive to primers? (BTW, do you perhaps know of shops in the Cape that have stock of CCI350s?)

Thanks

Sweet

**wrm** · 09-11-2011, 10:07

I didn't use any filler, but I was playing around at the time. If you see a lot of variation in velocity you probably need a filler.

8 grains is not that little, it's a standard load for 357 magnum, I'd guess (without checking) 1/3 to 1/2 case volume, depending on the bullet.

You can also try "deep seating" the bullet -- google is your friend.

I've been using whatever cheap primers I can find :-) CCI 300s, Russian and Fiocchi. They all seem pretty much the same -- but as I said, I've been playing around. If I wanted to work up a subsonic load I'd first get the velocity right, then check six rounds pointing the muzzle down before each shot and another six shots pointing the muzzle up before each shot, to check whether I need filler, and then I might try different primers to check accuracy.