Looking for a good “working load” for 44 special revolver and lever gun
To borrow the phrase from the late great John Taffin, what’s a good all around load for my ruger blackhawks, super Blackhawk’s and Redhawks chambered in 44 magnum and 44 special? About the only one I see that fits the bill is the Buffalo Bore 44 special Outdoorsman Keith load. I see an Underwood load that’s close buts it’s out of stock everywhere. Anything I’m missing? BTW, I dont reload but may have to start.This message has been edited. Last edited by: ruger357,
Black Hills did a .44 special load back in the day. 240 Grain Keith SWC at an honest 1000 fps. Have a few boxes but it hasn’t been in their catalog in a while.
May 14, 2026, 10:49 PM
xmod
In my marlin and ruger I’ve been happy with this Underwood 44 SPECIAL 245GR. FULL METAL JACKET-FLAT NOSE FULL METAL JACKET HUNTING AMMO.
Handloading is definitely the way to go with 44 Spec. It is one of my favorite calibers, and can be loaded mild to wild with no problems.
May 16, 2026, 11:08 AM
ruger357
quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC: Handloading is definitely the way to go with 44 Spec. It is one of my favorite calibers, and can be loaded mild to wild with no problems.
I think you are right. Where is a good place to get the Keith hardcast 250-255 grain bullets?
If you decide to hand load, I cast the Keith 429421 semi wadcutter and several other good 44 bullets.
May 16, 2026, 01:26 PM
parabellum
I used to handload 44 Special.
Swaged 240 grain LSWC over 7.2 grains of Unique. Standard pistol primer.
I wouldn't recommend it in a Marlin Micro-Groove barrel.
May 16, 2026, 06:15 PM
sig operator
Rimrock bullets is my go-to for cast bullets. They have a 260 grain Keith style. As I have gotten older, jacketed bullets make life easier for my use in rifle barrels.
May 16, 2026, 11:59 PM
usp_fan
Have you looked at High Desert Cartridge Co?
They likely have a load that will do what you want. Here’s one: 200 GRN XTP
May 18, 2026, 10:37 PM
ruger357
quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
I wouldn't recommend it in a Marlin Micro-Groove barrel.
Good reminder. I should be able to use a hardcast bullet in the microgroove though, correct?
I thought I would report back with my success for a good working load for the .44 Magnum. For range usage, plinking, just general purposes shooting, excluding hunting. Handguns and lever rifles. I picked a Berry's Bullets copper plated swaged lead projectile. This one here: https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bp-44-429-220gr-fp/ Round numbers for cost, if you buy two boxes of 500 bullets, it's free ground shipping. Excluding tax, each projectile is $0.19198, and that's less than half the cost of Hornady XTP jacketed hollow points.
From the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center, that Berry's projectile and the starting load, 8.5 Grains of Hodgdon CFE Pistol Powder, 16,700 PSI pressure, and 948 FPS advertised velocity from a handgun barrel. I loaded 100 rounds yesterday. I used .44 Magnum cases, not .44 Special cases as I didn't want the burnt-in carbon rings from the shorter .44 Special cases in any of my .44 Mag revolvers or rifles. The fired cases just barely obturate in the chambers, with "soot" coming back about halfway on most of them. Soot cleans up easily, burnt-in carbon rings using .44 Special cases do not clean up easily.
Today, three generations of the family did a range trip and shot that new Berry's Bullets reload in a Ruger Redhawk 2.750" bbl, a Ruger New Vaquero 5.5" bbl, and two different .44 Mag lever action rifles. My son brought his new scout scoped Ruger manufactured Marlin SBL, and I brought my Henry Big Boy brass frame.
My iron sights Henry rifle easily spanked a 6" x 9" steel plate target at the 100 yard berm from a benchrest with sandbags. Every shot! With the Henry rifle iron sights zeroed for 50 yards with the Hornady 200 grain XTP moving about 1400 FPS, The Berry's Bullet reload shot about 1.25" high at 25 yards. At 100 yards, the Berry's Bullets reload shot to the same 100 yard point of aim as the much hotter Hornady XTP jacketed hollow point hunting load.
There is a serious downside to this Berry's Bullets reload. You could easily shoot 500 of them all by yourself in an afternoon range trip. Without feeling even slightly abused. They shoot like a laser beam for accuracy, they are about as cost effective as you can get for .44 Magnum, no leading in the bore, and no packed grease/bullet lube in your reloading dies. At about 100 FPS faster than .45ACP 230 grain FMJ ball ammo, it's really pleasant shooting and certainly no slouch with energy. It also feeds great in the lever action guns, I loaded them to an OAL of 1.600" and the Hodgdon recipe called for OAL of 1.610"
I am extremely pleased with the results!
NRA Benefactor Life Member NRA Instructor USPSA Chief Range Officer
Also consider these. They are ever so slightly oversized at .431 as opposed to the standard .429. This makes them a good fit for Marlin .44’s which are known to have generous bore dimensions that can sometimes adversely affect accuracy with narrower pills. I can attest that they are quite accurate in Marlins whether microgroove or not. They also have a wider meplat giving more surface area on the target.
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May 28, 2026, 06:48 AM
ruger357
Thanks. So no one is making the original Keith bullet any longer?
I'm sure if you search for hard cast lead projectiles for sale you will find plenty of the old Keith bullet. Now many bullet manufacturers powder coat them instead of the wax/grease in the groove. Why? They shoot much cleaner. No smoke, no leading, easier barrel cleaning.
This place is where I get my 125 grain cast lead round nose for my 9mm standard range/plinking/IPSC competition reload. Call them on the phone and they will ship to you. Here: https://statelinebullets.com/ (located in northeastern Pennsylvania) Don't pay any attention to the website telling you they are out of stock. Call them on the phone and they will take your order and cast/size/lube them just for you.
