I, too, am setting up a 44 Magnum project. Some of the loads will be with the 180 XTP and H-100. I reviewed the Hodgdon rifle data site after reading the above post, and 29.0gr is the published starting load. Their test barrel length is listed at 20".
But my loads will be for an 18" 94AE Trapper Carbine, and previous post on another site have suggested that long barrel loads for the 44 mag should use charges near the upper end of the published load range for reasons suggesting stuck bullets in the barrel. The published max is 31.5, and I intend to try 30.5 as a starting load.
Is there anyone reading this who would advise I hold off on that and start lower? If so, I'd like to understand their reasoning.
Later, there will also be a project employing H-110 and 300gr XTP's. Hodgdon published H-110 load data shows a range from 18gr to 19gr.
TIA,
Greg