Basic questions - .44 magnum reloading

[Rcjackrabbit]

Hello. I am considering buying the necessary gear to start reloading for .44 magnum. Can anyone help me with some basic questions:

1. With the shortages we are seeing, will I be able to find primers and powder?

2. At today's prices, what would be the ballpark price per round to reload .44 mag?

3. I only shoot 100 rounds a month. Can someone recommend a basic setup to learn on?

Thanks in advance.

[Imageview]

1. Yes, but it'll be annoying. Hopefully you live close to a major metro area and can use the marketplace on cg to reliably get stuff.

2. So 44 mag brass should have a long life, especially if you don't go nuts on loading hot. Get some brass somehow (either factory ammo you fire or once fired from a reseller). We won't count that in per round cost for right now, but over time you'll end up averaging x number of rounds per case. The cost is really low if you find once fired, maybe up to a few cents each for factory brass.

Primers we'll call 12c each right now. Gunbroker is more, maybe you can find some for 10c each on marketplace if you are diligent.

Powder is hard to estimate, but let's figure 2400 which I like. We'll use a generic charge of 25gr per round, which should account for some waste. 7000 gr to a pound, so that's 280 rounds per pound. I've paid $30-60 per pound in last 3 months, let's call it 20c powder.

Last per round cost is bullets. This can vary widely depending on what you want to shoot. Cast lead is cheaper, available right now I see stuff out there from a non cheap source for 20c a round. You can do better than that with some searching.

So rounding up, say 55c per round would be easy and if you hunt for bargains could get it down to 45-48c per round without too much work just paying attention to the marketplace and waiting for good deals. This is similar to the costs I've had for 357 in last couple months, just a little more due to the caliber. That would be a terrible per round cost pre pandemic, but right now it's not so bad. If you want jacketed hp rounds it's a little more, but still well under retail prices currently if you can even find supply. $500 of components would last you almost a year at your shooting rate. Again bad comparatively, but it keeps you able to shoot.

3. I like a turret press with index rod removed. Good for learning, then if you want later you can use it to be a bit faster. Single stage is also fine. Will also need dies, I'd get a digital scale, some calipers, a funnel for powder, a bullet pulling tool, and a couple reloading manuals.

[Imageview]

For a cheaper option go 44 special. Major difference there is using much less powder (say 16gr per round instead of 25), or even cheaper a powder like bullseye or titegroup drops your powder cost to like 5-7c per round (including factoring for waste). You have to be very careful with these powders, making sure not to double charge, but a 44 mag pistol gives you some safety margin. You can load 44 mag cases with these powders for a 44 special equivalent load, stick to the absolute lowest end of reccomended charges if you do imo.

There is data for a mild 44 magnum level load for these powders, but I would not reccomend it for a new reloader. A double charge there, which is very easy, could be dangerous at max loads and the savings aren't worth it.

[RNE228]

Can't answer 1 and 2. For 3, I loaded a lot of 44Mag on a RCBS Rockchucker single stage press.

In retrospect, if I was starting fresh I think I would consider one of the RCBS, Lyman or Redding turret presses. Single stage or turret, you can't go wrong with one of their starter kits.

Before you buy anything, get a couple of good reloading manuals. Speer and Lyman come to mind. Read reloading portion. READ, not just browse.

When I did 44M, I was shooting a Magnaported Desert Eagle. Between the weight, the gas operation and the porting, it was very comfortable to shoot. Would go thru 200 rounds a session without blinking. Started out running 240JHP over 2400 in classic Keith fashion. Later moved mostly to 240JHP over H110.

Me and a buddy used to shoot in Lincoln when they had the steel on the range. It was a ton of fun shooting 100m steel offhand. Pigs and Turkeys were easy. Chickens provided more challenge. The 44M is a surprisingly accurate round...

[Divernhunter]

you are a couple years late to the party.
Supplies will be hard to find and costly.

The BEST thing you can do is buy the Lyman #50 Reloading Manual and read it. That will answer 90% of your questions.

You can buy junk stuff(lee) or buy quality stuff which is every other manufacture.
A turret press in not needed at all if you batch process your brass. I suggest hand priming all brass---except in my Dillon 650

If you decide to load pistol ammo(straight walled brass) be sure to buy Carbide type dies and same lubing the brass. Starline is an excellent place to get brass.

If you live near me I would be glad to walk you thru the process and give you some tips/tricks on reloading.

[hermosabeach]

Watch Craigslist.

Lots of reloading deals pop up

A single stage press is where I started reloading.

100 -500 a month is easy with a single stage.

I like 44 mag. You can do light loads that are gentle to shoot.

I only buy 44 mag brass / 44 mag Ammo to reload the once shot brass.

I don’t want to deal with 2 sets of brass

That’s just me.

The panic - it is what it is. The low volume calibers is where reloading really makes sense.

Lots of savings with the 44 and reloading over time

[Rcjackrabbit]

Thanks. What do you guys think of the Lee Classic Loader? I was thinking that might be good for learning since I would be doing very low quantities.

[Imageview]

I use a lee turret. Works well for me, not fancy.

[Cheep]

You can use the Lee, it's not junk.

[edgerly779]

I have a spare single stage with new lee scale in sfv. All you need is dies and powder measure.

[NeilMo]

Start reloading, and with 44 Magnum?

[Eat Dirt]

/\
A Man's gotta do , what a Man's gotta do !

[pennstater]

OP, what is your general location? This could get you some help.

MLC

[orangeusa]

Not sure about the Classic Loader. I fiddled with one and ended up with the Classic Turret. I load 45ACP, 45Colt and 44 Mag mostly. I quit the Magnum loads, just too silly to shoot.

On second thought, try the hand loader, what do you have to lose?

[ptmn]

Get a Lee Challenger Press with the full reloading package. Pretty inexpensive. I do all my reloading on a 25 year old Lee Challenger, which was an upgrade to the $19.95 Lee C Press that I started on. Over the years I picked up an RCBS Rockchucker, a Lee Loadmaster and the newest Lee Progressive press, but in the end, I've stuck with the old Lee Challenger for my reloading. I think it would be perfect for your straight wall 44 Mag reloading at the state volume you require. If you start shooting competition or lots of 9, 40, 45, you better upgrade to a Dillon progressive(Lee progressives suck in comparison). Best to learn on a single stage before going progressive. Another reason to save money on a Challenger instead of a Rockchucker.