Good load for .44 Magnum?

[Cactusboy]

I 'd like to try silhouette with my scoped CVA Scout 2 single shot pistol, 14-inch barrel. Any advice on where to start -- with cast boolits?

[jmoore]

The best load I've used with 240 gr swaged lead bullets has been 22.3gr of IMR 1498 or the same volume of RL-7. Basically it fills the case to the base of the bullet. Super low ES velocity and SD in single digits over a chronograph. No leading over however long you care to not clean your barrel. Works with cast boolits, too.

Downsides? it's not super fast (~1000fps out of a 10" revolver barrel) and there's scads of unburnt powder. Which is important only with DA revolvers as the unburnt grains can get under the extractor star. And powder isn't so cheap anymore....

[WA_SHTR+44M]

Using the 44Mag in a 10" Encore I have had decent results with 23.5gr IMR4227- CCI 300 and the 220FP Sierra- Starline brass. Still have a good supply of the Sierra's for the rest of my matches because I ended up finding some after they were discontinued years ago. I would buy the Sierra's in block of 500 as that was their stock sleeve packet and I could get all of the same lot number. I also use them in the Freedom Arms even though most of my guys are trying to convince me that Revolvers should be shot with cast booluts.

Steve 7771