In a 44 mag handgun the Sierra reloading guide calls for 10 gr of Unique for a 240 gr bullet in a hand gun load. In the same guide they have a loading of 20.5 gr of H110 for a rifle load with the same 240 gr bullet. Both loads are starting loads. In the rifle loadings they do not list Unique. It is a fast burning pistol powder that is used in the 9mm and 45 ACP. They are both small cases, not like the 44 mag case.
Now they do list H110 for the hand gun and list a starting load of 21.1 gr in a 7.5" barrel. That will give you a claimed 1200 FPS. A charge of 20.5 will give you 1500 FPS out of a 16" barrel rifle. You are using less powder and getting a faster moving bullet because of the longer barrel. Could you use both rounds in a hand gun? Yes. could both rounds be used in the rifle? Yes. In the rifle you would gain about 100 FPS with the higher powder charge. The lower powder charge according to my Chrony in a 4" barrel will give you less than 900 FPS.
I don't use Unique in a 44 mag for fear of a double charge. I stick with H110. It gives me a FPS I am looking for in the guns I shoot and I don't have to worry about a double charge because if you get one you will have powder all over the place.
I hope this example helps you. Use rifle loads for rifles and handgun loads for handguns. Any ammo you buy you can use in both.
Now they do list H110 for the hand gun and list a starting load of 21.1 gr in a 7.5" barrel. That will give you a claimed 1200 FPS. A charge of 20.5 will give you 1500 FPS out of a 16" barrel rifle. You are using less powder and getting a faster moving bullet because of the longer barrel. Could you use both rounds in a hand gun? Yes. could both rounds be used in the rifle? Yes. In the rifle you would gain about 100 FPS with the higher powder charge. The lower powder charge according to my Chrony in a 4" barrel will give you less than 900 FPS.
I don't use Unique in a 44 mag for fear of a double charge. I stick with H110. It gives me a FPS I am looking for in the guns I shoot and I don't have to worry about a double charge because if you get one you will have powder all over the place.
I hope this example helps you. Use rifle loads for rifles and handgun loads for handguns. Any ammo you buy you can use in both.
Last edited:
