44 Mag. for deer

[ArchAngelCD]

The 150gr 30-30 is a well established Deer load for 100 years or more. A 150gr .308" bullet traveling @2200 fps will generate 1611 ft/lbs of energy. A 240gr .429" bullet traveling @1833 fps will generate 1790 ft/lbs of energy. I'm sure the .44 Magnum will do just fine filling the freezer even if you use a 240gr bullet instead of a 265gr bullet. I'm fairly sure of it...

As a side note, even though Hornady XTP bullets are good bullets they might not stand up to hitting bone @~1700 fps. Nosler makes a tough handgun bullet in both JSP and JHP for the .44 Magnum and other calibers too. EVEN BETTER, Sierra has outstanding "Sports Master" hunting bullets and for the .44 Magnum in 180gr, 200gr, 240gr and 300gr bullets. I have used Sierra JHC (jacketed hollow cavity) bullets for my .357 Magnum Carbine ammo and the bullets are exceptional hunting bullets.

Check on the Sierra .44 Magnum bullets HERE...

 

[flipajig]

I'm sold on cast Boolits for my 44's
1660 fps in my Winchester
1450 fps in my super 14 Contender
1240 fps in my SBH
Any one of these will put the meat in the freezer and has done for quite some time.

 

[JLDickmon]

In light of Ssyoumans post, I reread my original post. My post for Alliant 2400 should read 21.5 and 22.5 grain charge. I worked these loads up in my gun and the bullet is seated out longer than what is called for. I have an older manual that was written around the same time I first bought this powder,and according to it and my load development I am ok. But I am having a problem finding a load that will cycle the action of my handi rifle. I edited my post

Cycle the action? This is a break-open NEF/H&R were talking, right? You having extraction problems?

A lighter JHP will kill them deader faster, and leave a bigger blood trail to follow if it doesn't.

ahh.. the old KE vs. Momentum argument..
done that waaaayyyyyyy too many times on Stickbow.com to do it here.. :banghead:

 

[StretchNM]

I've ended up with 23.4gr of H110, a Winchester LP primer, and 240gr XTP bullets. Very fine accuracy at 100 yards. Like you, EAM, 75 to 100 yards or so is fine for that little carbine. I'm getting about 1650fps, I suppose.

 

[[email protected]]

Extraction is fine I was just making a joke by saying that it would not cycle the action

 

[CraigC]

ahh.. the old KE vs. Momentum argument..

Not really. I'm a big believer in cast bullets for everything including hunting. I am NOT a believer in energy figures. The world would be a better place if they stopped publishing them and people stopped believing in them. However, for deer, which are fairly light critters, a good standard weight (~240gr, not 180's) JHP or JSP will typically anchor them more quickly. Although I still want a tough one that will exit 99% of the time.

 

[bangbig]

The intended deer will not complain about any of the loads you listed. Taken several myself with similar loads through a 8 3/8" revolver.

+1. The 240gr XTP work well in both my 629 Classic and in a sabot in my .50 cal muzzleloader.

I prefer IMR4227 for the handgun though.

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I do want to point out again that I am not trying to make these go to super speeds, as my concern is that I will actually push them too fast. I would like to also respond to ssyoungmans post of where I got my load data for 2400. I used Hornady's #7. Like I said in my first post, hornady has three sections for the 44 mag. syoungmans pointed out that one section listed 21.2 grains as the max. I checked my #7 and a friend's Hornady #8. Using the load data for the TC encore, it shows 22.8 grains as max. This is what I based my work off of, as I worked up my load.

 

[JLDickmon]

Not really. I'm a big believer in cast bullets for everything including hunting. I am NOT a believer in energy figures. The world would be a better place if they stopped publishing them and people stopped believing in them. However, for deer, which are fairly light critters, a good standard weight (~240gr, not 180's) JHP or JSP will typically anchor them more quickly. Although I still want a tough one that will exit 99% of the time.

10-Roger on that, good buddy.

you poke two holes in a deer, you're gonna be using your skinning knife in the very near future..

 

[JLDickmon]

As a side note, even though Hornady XTP bullets are good bullets they might not stand up to hitting bone @~1700 fps. Nosler makes a tough handgun bullet in both JSP and JHP for the .44 Magnum and other calibers too. EVEN BETTER, Sierra has outstanding "Sports Master" hunting bullets and for the .44 Magnum in 180gr, 200gr, 240gr and 300gr bullets. I have used Sierra JHC (jacketed hollow cavity) bullets for my .357 Magnum Carbine ammo and the bullets are exceptional hunting bullets.

Check on the Sierra .44 Magnum bullets HERE...

The 300 gr JFP is my "go to" hunting bullet for .44 Mag.. over 18.5 gr of 2400.

 

[ssyoumans]

With my Marlin 1894, and its slow twist, I stay with 270gr and under. Using a 240gr, which is better, JHP or JSP?

Full penetration with a JSP, capable of punching through a shoulder and still exiting, or a JHP with maximum tissue disruption?

What do you think?

 

[JLDickmon]

full penetration.
You find them easier when they leak faster

 

[dgod]

240 Gr JHP (Hornady), over 17.3 Grains of Blue Dot. A Tack Driver. I have shot thousands of them.

Not knowing your Gun,I would work up to it, starting around 10-12 Grains, But, it is VERY Accurate. End result should be 17.3 Grains BlueDot, Not 17.1 nor 17.5, must be 17.3 to be accurate.

I think you will like it, I Graphed mine at 1725 Fps, and a 3" tube out to 125 Yards from a Pistol (8" Dan Wesson with Optics).

Good Luck
Dan

 

[jlineman]

I handload 44 for a handi rifle and a cva scout. Found after lots of shooting that the handi likes 24.3 of little gun with the 240 xtp and the cva like 19 grains of 110 with the 300 xtp. The 300 is overkill for whitetail, but it will shoot 1.5 at 100 yards all day.

 

[[email protected]]

jlineman our two guns must run the same. I finally had the time to take this gun and a few others to test some loads. I only shoot handguns at my makeshift range at home, so I have to go to my parents to shoot rifles. I tried four different loads through my H&R. I must say that at first I was worried of what they would look like. I only shot this gun at 50 yards and my load of 24 grains of Lil gun was the best. At 50 yards all three holes were touching and overlaping. The group would have been well under an inch, but these bullets make really big holes in paper. On my next trip I will try them at 100 or 125 yards just so I know what they do.
Off the subject but I also found a good load for my 7mm mag. I use the grid sight in targets that has one inch squares. A three round group at 100 yards would fit in one square. I also lengthened the COL on a 270 load that I use that normally gives me a group a little over an inch. This opened the group up to almost two inches.

 

[jlineman]

glad to here you had good luck at the range. Another load that I tried and had very good luck with was the ftx in 225 and 265. the 225's shoot good with 23 grains off little gun. The groups were a little better but I have already loaded 100 of the the 240's. the best load i have ever found for groups at 100 yards was 19 grains of 110 with the 265. 3 shots in almost the same hole, but dont know if I can push the fast enough to get them to expand. GOOD HUNTING