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Found THE .44 Mag load today !
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7044
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.

Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Winter storm moving in this weekend so I hurried down to the range to try 5 different loads in search of one my 1873 44 Carbine really likes.
Out of what I had to work with regarding bullets and powder I setup at 35 yds shooting from kneeling position for a steady hold and put the red target dot on top of my front sight bead for all shots. Each target to get 5 shots of the different loads.
The WINNER was that Xtreme plated 200 gr. RNFP bullet with 9 gr. Unique. Remember 5 shots fired !!
A close 2nd was same bullet with 6 gr. of Red Dot and the Uberti Winchester 1873 DOES NOT like the 200 gr. Missouri Bullet.
Tried the Matt's Bullets 245 cast RNFP and had an interesting result with what looks like 2 bullets in one hole....5 were fired and no other 5th hole found. That top hole looks a bit elongated you think? Plate on the top right.
Now I'm down to just a few of those 200 gr. Xtreme bullets and will place another order for them!
The work you do to find the right load.
NOTE the bottom right target was last one for the shoot and I fired 2 additional rounds which were 240 XTP with 9 Unique.
Out of what I had to work with regarding bullets and powder I setup at 35 yds shooting from kneeling position for a steady hold and put the red target dot on top of my front sight bead for all shots. Each target to get 5 shots of the different loads.
The WINNER was that Xtreme plated 200 gr. RNFP bullet with 9 gr. Unique. Remember 5 shots fired !!
A close 2nd was same bullet with 6 gr. of Red Dot and the Uberti Winchester 1873 DOES NOT like the 200 gr. Missouri Bullet.
Tried the Matt's Bullets 245 cast RNFP and had an interesting result with what looks like 2 bullets in one hole....5 were fired and no other 5th hole found. That top hole looks a bit elongated you think? Plate on the top right.
Now I'm down to just a few of those 200 gr. Xtreme bullets and will place another order for them!
The work you do to find the right load.
NOTE the bottom right target was last one for the shoot and I fired 2 additional rounds which were 240 XTP with 9 Unique.
- Attachments
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- Finding the perfect load for the 1873 .44 carbine.jpg (152.74 KiB) Viewed 1128 times
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- Matts Bullets 245 gr RNFP 44.jpg (152.75 KiB) Viewed 1128 times
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- THE load ! 200 gr Xtreme with 9 Unique.jpg (100.92 KiB) Viewed 1128 times
- Rifletom
- Deputy Marshal
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- Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:26 pm
- Location: California Territory

Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Dang forty, that Unique load shot well, as did that one Red Dot load. Unique for the win tho! Hunker down during the snow and handload some more.
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7044
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.

Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Thanks Tom! We are supposed to get maybe 2 inches and then later sleet to all rain. We will see how all that unfolds!
Now just need to place an order for those Xtreme bullets.
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7044
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.

Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Amazing how the finger prints and light combine to make for a nice color case look on the receiver even though it is nicely blued. Must be the Ballistol!
Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Hmmm nice job Forty. I figured you would do well with that 9 grain load
Don't let the old man in
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7044
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.

Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Outstanding!
Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
Agree on the right bullet but the right bullet also needs the right powder charge. I suggested that load because it has worked well for myself with quite a few bullets in 44 mag when I was experimenting in the past. I also like xtreme bullets they shoot well in all of my guns. I use them more than I do lead cast anymore. Have fun with the 73 there great rifles.fortyshooter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:43 pmThink the big part of it was the bullet that the bore liked. The MB 200 bullets just like to scatter a bit in this particular rifle.
Don't let the old man in
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7044
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.

Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
I agree Al. I went back thru my reloading notes and I have used 9 gr. Unique with good results in 45 Colt and 44 Mag.BigAl52 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:07 amAgree on the right bullet but the right bullet also needs the right powder charge. I suggested that load because it has worked well for myself with quite a few bullets in 44 mag when I was experimenting in the past. I also like xtreme bullets they shoot well in all of my guns. I use them more than I do lead cast anymore. Have fun with the 73 there great rifles.fortyshooter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:43 pmThink the big part of it was the bullet that the bore liked. The MB 200 bullets just like to scatter a bit in this particular rifle.
Looks like this rifle shines with a 200 gr. bullet for low level 44 Magnum plinking. Looking at the MB and Xtreme bullet with same 6 gr. Red Dot load the MB bullet doesn't want to settle down wandering a bit. It does shoot much better in the revolver though.
Re: Found THE .44 Mag load today !
fortyshooter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:33 pmWinter storm moving in this weekend so I hurried down to the range to try 5 different loads in search of one my 1873 44 Carbine really likes.
Out of what I had to work with regarding bullets and powder I setup at 35 yds shooting from kneeling position for a steady hold and put the red target dot on top of my front sight bead for all shots. Each target to get 5 shots of the different loads.
The WINNER was that Xtreme plated 200 gr. RNFP bullet with 9 gr. Unique. Remember 5 shots fired !!
A close 2nd was same bullet with 6 gr. of Red Dot and the Uberti Winchester 1873 DOES NOT like the 200 gr. Missouri Bullet.
Tried the Matt's Bullets 245 cast RNFP and had an interesting result with what looks like 2 bullets in one hole....5 were fired and no other 5th hole found. That top hole looks a bit elongated you think? Plate on the top right.
Now I'm down to just a few of those 200 gr. Xtreme bullets and will place another order for them!
The work you do to find the right load.
NOTE the bottom right target was last one for the shoot and I fired 2 additional rounds which were 240 XTP with 9 Unique.