Does anyone have a good homegrown 44 mag. shotshell load that will reach out to 25-35 ft. and tip over a grouse?

Thanks-

I don't have any homegrown loads for 44 shotshells, but you can buy shot capsules from Speer for a reasonable price that include load data. You fill the capsules with the shot of your choice and load according to the provided data. I haven't used them on grouse, but I suspect they would work well to the range you mention with #9 shot.

You can buy them at www.midwayusa.com if you can't find them locally. If you don't load for shotshells, you might want to find someone who does and get a small amount of shot from them so you don't have to buy a 25lb bag just to fill a few capsules. The capsules usually run about $10 for a box of 50 and work better than some of the other methods that I've tried with gas checks and such.

Try this, use 444marlin cases trimmed to the OAL, for the .44mag, use one card and one felt wad (bore buttons for a muzzle loader)over the powder, shot enough to fill the case and one card wad over the shot, roll crimp and you are in business. Swany

The only shot loads I messed with had a rather poor pattern at ranges over 10 or 15 feet. Longer barrels and higher velocities tend to make patterns worse.

I have seen a suggestion to cap your shot loads with a roundball, instead of a card wad or gas check.

If that was reasonably accurate, might be the best of all worlds - a solid ball for slightly longer ranges, and shot for a rattlesnake at your feet.

Check over on www.gunblast.com and see if you can find the article on snake loads.