The sierra max and Hod. min are not that far apart.
You have two reputable companies there that may not agree. Did Sierra do their testing with a "hot" batch of powder? Or did hodgdon do their testing with a "not" batch of powder???? Hard to tell.
If I ever get some 210s, I am starting exactly between the two unless I call and talk to them (I'll load a couple and see if I get pressure signs..etc.). So far I've only loaded 240 and larger,..so I cannot comment on anything smaller from experience. I just know that 24 gr. of H110 has kind of been MY standard for all my 240 grain loads so far (that is..when I'm using H110). If I'm using 2400..I feel like I have more leeway loading down. And if I'
m using unique...I feel more leeway than that.
A friend loaded some 240 grain bullets down to 21.0 G H110 and gave me a few when I was younger,..and I shot them all,...they all fired. But I have read in more than one place since then that there is a danger involved and it is not referring to squibs...but rather, blow ups..when things are below minimum. I'm not sure if it's true or not. So I am not sure what to tell you on that one.
I believe if you are shooting a ruger, John Linebaugh has written that there is research out there that the cylinder blows up at 80,000 psi...
There may be information out there referring to the pressure at which your particular gun will blow sky high. BUT REMEMBER... few guns are as stout as a ruger revolver, so do not assume it is the same. Assume it is NOT.
If there is a detonation danger due to an underloaded round. On my 44 mags. I'd rather have it slightly hot...than slightly not. But that's just for me.
Why don't you call sierra and talk to them on the telephone,...and then call Hodgdon and talk to them.
I'm sure you'll probably know a lot more after 5 minutes of phone calls than you would with hours of reading and reading.
Nowadays, much factory 44 mag. ammo. is around 1200 fps., But originally, I believe the standard was 240-250 grain bullets at 1400 fps. I chono'd some of those expensive silver winchesters one time,...and I think they chronoed over 1400 fps (and if I recall..they are 250 grains, not 240)...even though they list their speed lower than that. But the "run of the mill factory ammo. I can afford to actually shoot"...usually chronos 1100 to 1250.
ANYWAY, AFTER ALL THAT BABBLE, I'D THINK YOU SHOULD CALL HODGDON AND THEN CALL SIERRA.
EVERYTHING ALL OF US MIGHT SAY TO YOU WON'T AD UP TO NEAR THE KNOWLEDGE YOU COULD GET BY MAKING A COUPLE PHONE CALLS.
I do suspect they'll both ask what gun you are going to shoot them out of.
I have a tiny question,..Why are you shooting such light bullets? Just curious.
By the way,..the difference between 22.4 and 25.4 is WAYYYYYYY more than the 3? (I'm pretty sure it's 3) percent download hodgdon recommends. So you can Sierra why they've got something like a ten percent spread in there.
Hodgdon's max pressure for that load doesn't even show that high of a pressure (slightly over 30K???)
So, does sierra list their pressure?.
Call them. Both of them.