RE: 44 special level loads in 44 Mag brass
Look into using Trail Boss. It has a large volume to density ratio that will fill the case so you don't have to worry about stuffing additional medium (i.e. cotton) ontop of the powder to ensure a proper burn. I am shooting 240 grain hardcast bullets for plinking; the bullets are cheap and Trail Boss was created for the cowboy action loads that you are looking for.