So I guess I'm going to get a 23inch .44 mag. barrel for my G2. In talking to another reloader, I could use a slower powder like Lil' Gun and get just as much velocity as H110, and less pressure(?). Sounds like a great deal. I'll be using BTB 250gr. and 300gr. bullets. Can you guys give me an idea of start grains. I'd like to see maybe 1800fps from the 250, maybe even 1800 from the 300gr.

Terry, I thought somebody would chime in by now, but...

I don't load for the .44 Maggie, but there is plenty of LilGun data on the Hodgdon website. Oddly, they do NOT show loads for the .44 rifle using Lilgun, but there are many shown under pistol loads. Never fret, there's no difference between loads for one and the other (except in lever actions, but that's more of a bullet issue tham powder.)

I haven't done this so take this advice for what it's worth.... but.... I'd be real surprised to see a big velocity difference with any of the usual slow burning powders in a .44 mag rifle.

The little tiny pressure curve changes that could affect things in a handgun barrel are sort of going to be reduced to background noise by the time you hit 18" or more.

No matter what powder you're using the pressure will have dropped off a LOT by the time the bullet hits the muzzle. Something in the range of 20+ grains of powder in an 18" .44 bore just isn't very much. Consider say a .308 Win in a 24" bore and how with the top 2 or 3 powders you still only have a few FPS difference between them, generally. And that's a LOT more powder in a lot less bore volume.

Like I said.... it's all a guess on my part but I'd sure like to hear the explanation if I got it wrong.

Last thing.... with blunt handgun bullets in a rifle, 100fps one way or another isn't going to make much trajectory difference downrange.

Hope you get the information you need. If you get a chance to chrono both powders side by side, let us know how it comes out.

I thank you for your input. Velocity is not much of an issue to me, but drop at a certain yardage is. I think a 250 gr. or 300gr. BTB large meplat bullet will go thru both shoulders of a deer at anything above 1500fps. I would like a trajectory so that I could be plus or minus 1.5 inch to 100yards. Simplifies aiming. Can't see to shoot more than 75yrds. on my land anyway. I have H110 and 2400 on hand, but my friend talked like I could darn near turn my .44mag. into a moderate vel. .444 with the right powder(Lil' Gun). I'm still green on reloading, but I'm learning. Got all my life to do that....thanks again guys...Terry

Those bullets will go through both shoulders of a deer at velocities well below 1500fps, I can assure you.

In fact they'll go through pigs lengthwise at something just over 1,000fps.

I'd just sight in for 100 and not worry about it. Aim for the middle of the shoulder and you'll have a dead deer.