Beep, where did you find a listing with the .44 Spl. that was loaded with black? I've never heard of that. I have a couple of early boxes and lots of loose rounds, and never saw any ads or catalogs with black.
What'd I miss? Or did that list you had intend it to be the .44 American or Colt? I wonder, because I don't recall either of them in solid head- could be wrong there, though.

Gentlemen - don't over study what grade of powder to use for this 44 Magnum reload because whatever grade of BP is used they all will go Boom and there is no concern about excessive pressure due to a charge because BP is a weak powder.
* Bullet weight will factor the velocity
* Grade of powder is immaterial because BP is weak to generate excessive pressure
* Grade of powder will determine fouling
* Compression depth determines burn rate & SD's
* Quality of the powder will factor all of the above
- Olde Eynford is a relative moist burning powder as is Swiss then KIK then Goex and Elephant
- With the same powder charge, the difference between fps using the same bullet weight will be no greater difference than 100 to 150 fps between FFg & FFFg
Here's some fps examples using different 45LC bullet weights (close case capacity to 44 Mag)
40gr FFFg - 250gr bullet - 833 fps
40gr FFg - 250gr bullet -  779 fps
40gr FFFg - 200gr bullet - 901 fps
40gr FFg - 200gr bullet -  907 fps

So again, for more velocity - moist foul ... my recommendation again is Olde Eynsford FFFg, charged so the base of the bullet not seated touches the top of the charge that has not been settled with no wad.  Then just seat the bullet that compresses the powder no more than 0.25" and put a hard factory crimp on the case.  Might want to start with 42gr of powder

Thanks for the .44 Spl. tutorial, guys. And, here I thought I knew the ol' cartridge! Long a favorite of mine, and yet so little knowledge.

Well, black powder didn't work worth a crap in my origianl '92 rebored to 44 mag.  If you really want to know how it works in your JapChester try it yourself and see what you come up with.  Every rifle is different.  If you want to know what your's does, experiment instead of asking.  It is the only realy way to see what works. 

George

Longcarbine wrote on Apr 1^st, 2017 at 9:07pm:

Longcarbine,
Have you checked to see if 44Mag brass is even made to use small regular or small magnum primers?
If you find out that it isn't, well then, you can cross those primers off the list before you start...

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First of all, let's define the ignition difference between smokeless powder and black powder (gunpowder) ...
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Accordingly, to obtain the better deflagration, ignition of BP, where the whole powder ignites ... one wants to use a low brisance primer ... (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Low brisance primer - Federal 205 SR
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High brisance primer - RWS LR
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I have no brisance pictures of SP or LP primers.  But pressure curve graphs of LR primers and the brisance picture of the Federal SR and Federal LR has the lowest comparative pressure curve. So since LP primers are used for the 44 Mag, give Federal 150 LP primers a try for the best deflaguration of the powder column in the 44 Mag

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BP, I don't have the $800 testing equipment to do any pressure curve testing.  What I used was from a site I copied down for smokeless LR curves which didn't identify the use of any over pocket material.   
But theoretically, I would assume the BP curve would increase or remain the same,primer dependent -  due to the decrease in brisance from the primer.
The subject of better ignition has been discussed many times over the years on  Shiloh Rifle forum but not measured.  I used construction paper, not cardboard, for a couple of years with reloads of 500gr bullets.  Found that with and without with either in the pocket and behind the pocket - no significant improvement in velocity or accuracy.  And no, never measured the reloads with a chrono for fps - ES or SD 
Sorry, can't  factually answer your question