.44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver - The Firearms Forum

Airdale · 10-11-2011, 02:25 PM

My loading manuals list different loads and powders for .44 mag for rifles and
revolvers which kinda screws up the beauty of using the same Cal. for both.
My question is how much will I gain developing a different load for my Marlin carbine instead of using loads made for my Blackhawk? I know I won't get the same velocity as the rifle loads but it's gotta be pretty close.

Wouldn't a handgun load using Unique and a 240 grn. JHP leaving a 7 1/2" barreled Blackhawk at 1400 fps leave a marlin faster? Is there some kind of safety issue? If I was using the Marlin for hunting I could see the beauty of a load developed just for it but I'll just be punching paper, exploding inanimate objects and maybe vaporizing Zombies

Just wanna keep life simple. So what say ye TFFers?

Alpo · 10-11-2011, 04:05 PM

My opinion.

I'm making up numbers, here. Do not believe them.

If you load 11.0 of Unique under a 240 grain JSP, you might get 1100 fps out of your 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk. Shoot the same load out of your 20" 1894 Marlin and you get 1750, because of the longer barrel.

BUT, if you use a powder picked to make the best use of that 20 inches of barrel, you might can push that 240 grain JSP 2000 fps. Howsomever, if you fire those loads in your Super, you don't get 1100 fps, but instead only get 950 fps, and a HUGE fireball, since you don't have enough barrel for all the powder to burn.

So, if you just have the 44 rifle, then choose a "rifle load". If you've got both pistol and rifle, then pick a good pistol load and shoot it in your rifle too.

TheGunClinger · 10-11-2011, 04:28 PM

I was waiting to hear an answer to Airdales question as I have been shooting my S. Blackhawk loads in my Henry .44 and was going to use them in my new Rossi Ranch hand. Good to know that I can. Thanks Alpo.

American Leader · 10-11-2011, 05:19 PM

Yea, I use my handgun loads in my Marlin lever action and they work just fine. I don't know the exact difference, but agree with Alpo. If you're gonna shoot in both use the handgun load.

Airdale · 10-11-2011, 05:23 PM

Thanks Alpo, pretty much the way I was thinking but it is always nice to
have someone with more knowledge and experience confirm my swags.

Gotta admit the Huge fireball sounds like fun but I'm too cheap to try it.

Brisk44 · 10-11-2011, 06:09 PM

I always shoot the same loads in both.

Alpo · 10-11-2011, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airdale

Thanks Alpo, pretty much the way I was thinking but it is always nice to
have someone with more knowledge and experience confirm my swags.

Gotta admit the Huge fireball sounds like fun but I'm too cheap to try it.

Fireballs can be fun. My 357 "social" load is a stout load of 296 under a 125 JHC. Out of my 6" Python it has a fair-size flash. Out of my 2 1/2" Model 19 it lights up the night.

gdmoody · 10-11-2011, 07:54 PM

I don't know about the Marlin, but I can tell you about the Ruger Carbine. I normally load a mid-ranget load with any cartridge. I took a bunch of my normal .44 Magnum loads shooting a couple of week ago. They felt pretty "hot" in my Redhawk but absolutely would not cycle the Ruger Carbine. In this case I had to create two different .44 magnum loads. I can shoot the "rifle" loads in the revolver without any problems other than a stinging hand, but I cannot shoot my "pistol" loads in the rifle.

I use 6.1 grains of Titegroup behind a 240 grain bullet for the Redhawk and I use 20.0 grains of H110 behind the same 240 grain bullet for the Carbine.

mikld · 10-12-2011, 12:41 PM

Don't overthink the situation. Some of my .44 Mag. loads are for one particular gun (light Mag. loads for my 629, .432" bullets for my Puma, etc), but I can shoot them in any .44 magnum I own. I would say a load specific for your Marlin may gain some fps over the same load in your Ruger, but may be more accurate in the Ruger, or vice-versa. Develope a load for the Marlin, and try it in your Ruger (both guns are manufactured to .44 Magnum pressure standards so it'll be safe), you may have a truely dual purpose load, the only way to find out is to do it...

Regular Joe · 10-12-2011, 11:55 PM

Regardless of what else you do, I would suggest that you shoot ONLY jacketed bullets from the Marlin. Reason being that the stainless Ruger can be de-leaded easily with peroxide and vinegar, but the steel barrel of the Marlin is a tiresome chore to get the lead out. As long as you use one of the super duper powders like 296 or 2400 or H-110, you should get pretty impressive performance with the carbine. In the manuals, you'll find loads listed with even slower powders tho. If it were me, I'd load separately for both anyway, but plan on usually carrying both, and maybe packing only the rifle load.

carver · 10-13-2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpo

My opinion.

I'm making up numbers, here. Do not believe them.

If you load 11.0 of Unique under a 240 grain JSP, you might get 1100 fps out of your 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk. Shoot the same load out of your 20" 1894 Marlin and you get 1750, because of the longer barrel.

BUT, if you use a powder picked to make the best use of that 20 inches of barrel, you might can push that 240 grain JSP 2000 fps. Howsomever, if you fire those loads in your Super, you don't get 1100 fps, but instead only get 950 fps, and a HUGE fireball, since you don't have enough barrel for all the powder to burn.

So, if you just have the 44 rifle, then choose a "rifle load". If you've got both pistol and rifle, then pick a good pistol load and shoot it in your rifle too.

Right on! I load a pistol round that will give me 1250fps out of my 5 1/2" ruger, and I shoot the same load in my Marlin. I expect that the rifle will produce 1300 - 1400fps with this load, but I have not fired it across a chronograph.

10-11-2011, 02:25 PM	#1
Airdale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: N.W. Arkansas Contributor Posts: 750	.44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver My loading manuals list different loads and powders for .44 mag for rifles and revolvers which kinda screws up the beauty of using the same Cal. for both. My question is how much will I gain developing a different load for my Marlin carbine instead of using loads made for my Blackhawk? I know I won't get the same velocity as the rifle loads but it's gotta be pretty close. Wouldn't a handgun load using Unique and a 240 grn. JHP leaving a 7 1/2" barreled Blackhawk at 1400 fps leave a marlin faster? Is there some kind of safety issue? If I was using the Marlin for hunting I could see the beauty of a load developed just for it but I'll just be punching paper, exploding inanimate objects and maybe vaporizing Zombies Just wanna keep life simple. So what say ye TFFers? -->

10-11-2011, 04:05 PM	#2
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,661	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver My opinion. I'm making up numbers, here. Do not believe them. If you load 11.0 of Unique under a 240 grain JSP, you might get 1100 fps out of your 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk. Shoot the same load out of your 20" 1894 Marlin and you get 1750, because of the longer barrel. BUT, if you use a powder picked to make the best use of that 20 inches of barrel, you might can push that 240 grain JSP 2000 fps. Howsomever, if you fire those loads in your Super, you don't get 1100 fps, but instead only get 950 fps, and a HUGE fireball, since you don't have enough barrel for all the powder to burn. So, if you just have the 44 rifle, then choose a "rifle load". If you've got both pistol and rifle, then pick a good pistol load and shoot it in your rifle too. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

10-11-2011, 04:28 PM	#3
TheGunClinger Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SW Florida Contributor Posts: 2,382	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver I was waiting to hear an answer to Airdales question as I have been shooting my S. Blackhawk loads in my Henry .44 and was going to use them in my new Rossi Ranch hand. Good to know that I can. Thanks Alpo. __________________ New England Patriots Rule Next year.

10-11-2011, 05:19 PM	#4
American Leader Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,630	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver Yea, I use my handgun loads in my Marlin lever action and they work just fine. I don't know the exact difference, but agree with Alpo. If you're gonna shoot in both use the handgun load.

10-11-2011, 05:23 PM	#5
Airdale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: N.W. Arkansas Contributor Posts: 750	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver Thanks Alpo, pretty much the way I was thinking but it is always nice to have someone with more knowledge and experience confirm my swags. Gotta admit the Huge fireball sounds like fun but I'm too cheap to try it. __________________ "The Utopian schemes of leveling [redistribution of the wealth] and a community of goods [central ownership of the means of production and distribution], are as visionary and impractical as those which vest all property in the crown.[These ideas] are arbitrary, despotic, and, in our government, unconstitutional." Samuel Adams

10-11-2011, 06:09 PM	#6
Brisk44 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,747	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver I always shoot the same loads in both.

10-11-2011, 07:54 PM	#8
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,328	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver I don't know about the Marlin, but I can tell you about the Ruger Carbine. I normally load a mid-ranget load with any cartridge. I took a bunch of my normal .44 Magnum loads shooting a couple of week ago. They felt pretty "hot" in my Redhawk but absolutely would not cycle the Ruger Carbine. In this case I had to create two different .44 magnum loads. I can shoot the "rifle" loads in the revolver without any problems other than a stinging hand, but I cannot shoot my "pistol" loads in the rifle. I use 6.1 grains of Titegroup behind a 240 grain bullet for the Redhawk and I use 20.0 grains of H110 behind the same 240 grain bullet for the Carbine. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

10-12-2011, 12:41 PM	#9
mikld Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 573	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver Don't overthink the situation. Some of my .44 Mag. loads are for one particular gun (light Mag. loads for my 629, .432" bullets for my Puma, etc), but I can shoot them in any .44 magnum I own. I would say a load specific for your Marlin may gain some fps over the same load in your Ruger, but may be more accurate in the Ruger, or vice-versa. Develope a load for the Marlin, and try it in your Ruger (both guns are manufactured to .44 Magnum pressure standards so it'll be safe), you may have a truely dual purpose load, the only way to find out is to do it... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast.

10-12-2011, 11:55 PM	#10
Regular Joe V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 269	Re: .44 Mag Rifle vs. revolver Regardless of what else you do, I would suggest that you shoot ONLY jacketed bullets from the Marlin. Reason being that the stainless Ruger can be de-leaded easily with peroxide and vinegar, but the steel barrel of the Marlin is a tiresome chore to get the lead out. As long as you use one of the super duper powders like 296 or 2400 or H-110, you should get pretty impressive performance with the carbine. In the manuals, you'll find loads listed with even slower powders tho. If it were me, I'd load separately for both anyway, but plan on usually carrying both, and maybe packing only the rifle load. __________________ Around here, we don't say "Oh shucks", or "oh man". We say Oh BAMA!!