.44 Cal. – Pistol Shotshells

.44 Mag as well as .44 Special can both be used for this fun project! I shoot mine through a smoothbore chamber adapter installed in an SBS single shot shotgun so my range capability is much better than listed below.

Handloading or reloading .44 Magnum and .44 Special pistol caliber shotshells using traditional wads or cards involves a process that is both traditional and practical for those looking to customize their loads for specific uses, such as pest control or small game hunting at close range. Here’s how you can go about it:

Basic Method for Loading with Wads or Cards:

• Case Preparation: Start with clean, resized brass cases for either .44 Special or .44 Magnum. Ensure there are no defects or excessive wear on the cases.
• Powder Charge: Choose a fast-burning pistol powder. Common choices include Unique, Bullseye, or Red Dot.
• Wad Placement:
  • Overshot Wad: Place a card wad over the powder. This wad prevents the powder from mixing with the shot during handling.
  • Shot Charge: Fill the case with your desired shot size. The amount of shot will be limited by the case capacity, so experiment with different loads to find what works best for your needs.
  • Overshot Card: After adding the shot, place another card wad on top to keep the shot in place before crimping.
• Crimping: Crimp the case mouth over the top card wad. A roll crimp is often used for these loads to ensure the shot and wads remain in place. Instead of crimping try using white glue.

Recommended Load Data:

• .44 Special:
  • Powder: 6 grains of Bullseye, with #9 shot, and card wads at both ends. This should give you a pattern suitable for snakes or small rodents at close range, roughly up to 10 feet, where the pattern starts to spread significantly.
• .44 Magnum:
  • Powder: 7 grains of Unique, with #7 1/2 or #8 shot, using card wads. This load will provide a slightly more robust shot pattern, potentially effective up to about 15 feet, but remember, the patterns will spread quickly due to the rifling’s effect on the shot.

Notes on Effectiveness and Safety:

• These loads are designed for short-range use due to the spread of shot caused by the rifling in the barrel. Do not expect accuracy beyond a few feet; they are typically used for pest control or very close-range small game.
• Always wear eye protection when loading and shooting these rounds due to the possibility of wads or shot fragments escaping the barrel.
• The use of wads helps control the shot pattern and prevent the powder from blowing through the shot, but the choice of shot size and powder charge can dramatically affect the outcome.

Remember, the effectiveness of these loads can vary based on the firearm’s barrel length and the specific components used. Always start with the lowest recommended powder charge and work up while checking for signs of excessive pressure or poor performance.

This information is drawn from general handloading practices and specific mentions in forums and articles discussing traditional methods for loading pistol shotshells without the use of Speer capsules.

Not as appealing to me as .45 Colt Shotshells but they work well.