Just bought a lever action Rossi R92 .44 and am trying to decide what loads to use at the range.

I have loads for hunting already but need some plinking loads.

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44mag.htm

6.5gr of HP-38/win231 / 240gr.hardcast,  makes a nice mild plinking load

In English please?  Haha not that familiar with the .44 yet ...

6.5grains of HP-38 or winchester231 powder with a  240grain hardcast bullet,  makes a nice mild plinking load

Sorry,...thought I was in the ARFCOM reloading forum

His brother reloads, but I don't think he does yet.

OP,   start saving your spent brass

magnum revolvers really shine when you can taylor your loads

Yeah, that, LOL

I think I need more sleep LOL

Love my Rossi 92



testing handloads with my chrony...

7 grains of Unique with a 240gr LSWC is an absolute joy to shoot and is accurate too. Also has more energy than a typical 45ACP round.

 

same here..   I like2400 or imr4227

I seem to recall that the cartridge was developed using 2400, based on Elmer Keith's work with .44 S&W Special and .45 LC..

Interesting.   2400 seems to be one that gets forgotten about.    It works great for some of the milder loads with lead cast bullets as well (  I was using with 185g cast out of my SBH)      It was also the first thing I tried out of my .41 which also seems to like it.      

The funny part is long before I started loading handgun I was looking to a load for my old Sav. 24v in .222.  After exhausting most of the standard rifle loads, I started trying T/C loads and 2400 worked like a champ.     4227 I was using because I was shooting IHMSA with my .445 supermag.  

For general plinking, 6.0gr to 7.0gr of most of the faster burning pistol powders with bullets ranging from 180gr to 260gr. Last year I was looking for plinking loads for a 6" bbl'd beater 629 truck gun. I cast my own bullets & had several different fast burning pistol powders lays around. Wanted a load that would do 1 1/2" or less @ 25yds. It didn't take long to find a couple plinking loads that fit the 1 1/2" criteria.

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Clays, american select & bullseye did extremely well and clays was top dog. No need to burn 18.0gr to 20.0gr of 2400 in a plinking load when loads with 1/3 of the powder will produce accurate loads that will put a pretty good thump on anything it hits. You'll easily get 100fps+ out of the long tube on that rifle compared to the 6" (allaint) or 8" (hodgdon) reloading data.

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Those were shot using a rest and a 4x scope on that 6" bbl'd 629, I'm sure you could easily tighten those groups up using a rifle. Years ago (90's) I had a 1895 marlin in 44mag, it was a hoot to plink with. I gave it a steady diet of 240gr cast bullets (keith) and any fast burning powder I could get my hands on.

Enjoy your new range toy & look up some of the cowboy action reloading data. That's what other people with the same equipment are using for plinking/playing/competitions.

I used to load straight out of the old Speer No 10 manual- 21.2 grains of 2400 under a 240 gr bullet. That was a midrange load between min of 20.2 and a max of 22.2. Flattened a few primers with that, I did. The newest No 12 Speer manual has backed that down quite a bit (min 15.2, max 17.7!!!!). I think a lawyer got into the woodpile!!  

I have had good luck with LAX Ammo's 357 and 44 magnum reloads. Clean and uniform. Good crimps and no high primers.

There are light loads available.   Look up cowboy ammo.

You can easily make up light loads if you start handloading.   It is about the only way to shoot a 44 Magnum, unless you are rich.

I'll second the advice about using Unique in a lever action, although my preferred load is 8.0 grains of Unique under a 240 grain hardcast bullet.  My mid-80's Marlin 1894 with the microgroove rifling does 50 yard cloverleafs using the factory front sight and a Williams rear peep.  Box of reloads I just looked at says ~900 fps, but I think that was in a 7.5 inch Redhawk.

Paladin