Hodgdon Titegroup load for .44-40 - low recoil

[Rover SASS 28073L]

Switching from Hodgdon 700x , 4.3 grains with 200 gr bullet (low recoil)

                                                             to

Hodgdon Titegroup with a 200 gr bullet.  How low can I safely go with the Titegroup for a low recoil load.?

 

Thank you for any help!

 

Rover  28073 Life

 

 

[Leroy Luck]

In cross referencing several manuals I’ve come up with anywhere from 5.0 to 6.4 grains of Titegroup w/ a 200gr lead bullet in 44-40. 
 

Since I don’t yet reload 44-40 this is just book data. I’m sure others with actual experience will chime in. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Rover SASS 28073L said:

Switching from Hodgdon 700x , 4.3 grains with 200 gr bullet (low recoil)

                                                             to

Hodgdon Titegroup with a 200 gr bullet.  How low can I safely go with the Titegroup for a low recoil load.?

 

Thank you for any help!

 

Rover  28073 Life

What does your reloading manual show?

[El Sobrante Kid]

I tried to come up with a low(ish) recoil load with titegroup for my 44-40 (200 gr. RNFP). When I got below moderate recoil I had a lot of unburned powder, so I was not able to come up with a "low" recoil load. I tried Perfect Pattern and was much more successful. Fairly mild recoil and no unburned powder.

[Slow Poke]

I like 4.2gn of titegroup under a 200gn head. Very mild recoil, still gives a positive report. 

 

I also found the 160 gn head from busten head lead works well in the 44-40 with mild recoil.

[Rye Miles #13621]

I loaded 5.4 grs of TiteGroup with a 200 gr bullet for .44-40. Not very much recoil but I like a little. You could probably go down to 5.0 no problem.

[Bailey Creek,5759]

4 grs Titegroup 200 gr, bullet.

[Griff]

The only .44-40 I load for is an AWA Lightning with a 24" bbl.  The Hodgdon minimum for a 200 grain in a rifle is 5.0 grains of TiteGroup.  Which they show developing 956 fps in a 20" bbl.  I'm unwilling to reduce any load by more than 10% below the minimum, and always check my assumptions against what QuickLOAD predicts my results will be.  My chrono'd 4.5 grains of TiteGroup come pretty dang close to the QL predictions of 969 fps from my 24" bbl.  Since I only use that rifle (mostly), for WB, I prefer the slightly faster fps for a bit more range.  Also, I'm using a .428 bullet, similar in design to the RCBS 44-200-FN.  Which seats to the crimp groove with .365" of the projectile in the case.  With a bullet like the Lee .429" 200 RF, the crimp groove puts your seating depth at .325".  That shallower seating even with the bigger diameter, lowers chamber pressures.  When you start playing with reduced loads (or max loads for that matter), you need to pay particular attention to the specific bullet seating depth.  As that can severely affect the pressures generated, either overcharging at the max end, or giving you squibs on the lower end.  Not all 200 grain bullets are created equal.