44mag & 303 starting powder weights

[Mike357]

Can anybody give me a starting powder weight for the following -

44mag using Vectan AS and pushing 200gn RNFP through a Marlin and built to std. COAL

303 using N140 and 180gn bullets and built to std COAL

I'll start from these loads, should 0.5 gn increments be sufficient in both?

[ovenpaa]

The .303 with N140 will be around 39.0 working up to 41.0 grains, I work at the bottom end of this range with my .303's

[Alpha1]

The sweet spot in my .303 is 41grains of N140. I use this load in all my .303 rifles.
As ovenpaa says start at 39 grains and work up in .5 increments until your group tightens .

Dont have any experience of 44mag.

[mr smith]

Can anybody give me a starting powder weight for the following -

44mag using Vectan AS and pushing 200gn RNFP through a Marlin and built to std. COAL

I'll start from these loads, should 0.5 gn increments be sufficient in both?

Mike i use use 6.something AS in the .44,can't remember exactly what,the lee auto disk was set-up for the .44 a while back.I'm gonna use the same load with the 200 grain jobbies when i get round to it and work from there either way though i suspect i'll have to up the load a little.

[Dougan]

I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds.

[Alpha1]

I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds

Dougan I regularily shoot my .303 smle at 300yds and its right on the money with 41g of N140 may be you need to experiment a bit.

[ovenpaa]

I use just under 40 grains to 650 yards with my 4(T)

[Dougan]

I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds

Dougan I regularily shoot my .303 smle at 300yds and its right on the money with 41g of N140 may be you need to experiment a bit.

No, I'm very happy with the load - I only shoot the smle at 200yds. I took advice from this forum (Ovenpaa I think?) that as I only shoot it at short range, then the lighter load would be 'kinder' to the rifle, and as I shoot rapid (15 per min) and snaps, I think it's wise...

[Alpha1]

If you are happy with that load then thats all that counts my freind. :goodjob:

[Dougan]

Sorry Alpha, I've just re-read my last post, and it may have come across a bit 'snotty'...

With the .303, I got good advice and was lucky enough to get the round right pretty much first time - with .357 I 'experimented' for 2 years, and ended up very close back to where I started :roll:

However, I'm about to start loading for .308 and 6.5, and I am looking forward to experimenting with that ...especially the .308 as it'll be the first time I've loaded for distance, and I can use plotting to judge the results..