Best hunting ammo for the .44 mag.?

JagMagMan · 03-04-2004, 09:00 AM

What is the best bullet for deer hunting out to 75 yards or so in a .44 magnum revolver?
The gun is a Ruger SRH with 7.5 inch barrel.
Are the solid soft points better than a jacketed hollow point or not? Also what weight is best?
Thanks! Frank

rkbo · 03-04-2004, 05:57 PM

Trust me on this. Any bullet will drop a deer . I use cast 240 gr shooting a mild 1200 fps and they drop like being hit with a 30-06. I've also taken them with the 180 gr hollow point. A well place shot out to 150 yds will drop them with any bullet. Find the one that your handgun likes and use that. It's a little tricky to be acurate over 80 yds or so and I usually limit myself to 100yds.

handloader1 · 03-04-2004, 10:49 PM

For deer I like to use Ballistic Advantage Boar-Slammer Premium Hunting Bullets in 250 gr. WFN GC, and for elk the 300 gr. WLN GC. These are Hard Case LBT style bullets. Good luck.

DM · 03-05-2004, 07:17 AM

I use a 255 grain hard cast "Keith" style bullet at about 1300 fps. (i have used many other loads and bullets over the years) I've owned a lot of 44 mags over the years, and not one of them would sight in with the std sights useing any bullet heavier than 255 grain. Even with my 255 grain load, i have to keep the rear sight all the way down.

As for the above quote: "Trust me on this. Any bullet will drop a deer . I use cast 240 gr shooting a mild 1200 fps and they drop like being hit with a 30-06."

I've shot a of "lot" animials with my 44 mags includeing everything from small game up to and includeing moose, and all i can say is they only "drop like they have been hit with an 30-06" when you break enough bones to drop them where they stand!!! I've yet to shoot a big game animial in the heart/lung area with my 44 mag with ANY load, and see it drop like it was shot with a 30-06. I won't say it "can't" happen, but in all the years i've been shooting 44's it hasn't happened to me!!

In fact, i've always said that a .243 win with 100 grain Nosler partitions will kill deer better than a 44 mag EVEN when shots are under 100 yards!! I'm NOT saying that to make the .243 look better than it is, in fact i think the 44 mag, although is capable of killing big game animials is a bit "over rated"!!

Drilling Man

James B · 03-05-2004, 01:46 PM

I have shot quite a few deer with the 44 mag. They went down as if the world had been jerked jerked out from under thier feet. I have used mostly the 300 GRn Hornady XTP. The LBT LFN and WFN should be very good bullets as well. I just haven't got a chance to try them yet. For really big game I would use them for sure. I shoot the same Hornady XTP 300 grain in my TC Muzzle loader with great results.

rkbo · 03-07-2004, 06:09 PM

DM if you will notice I alway have a disclaimer. Notice the "well placed shot" part of my post. All cal. need a well placed shot. I will add that all bullets have had exit wounds even the 97 yd shot shooting through some bone......that's my experience anyway.

bronko22000 · 03-13-2004, 05:47 AM

This was an interesting and enlightening topic guys. I didn't post it. And altough I have 4 guns in 44 mag. (3 revolvers and one rifle), I have yet to use them on deer. I've alway opted for a rifle. After reading this I may use my scoped S&W 29 this year with 240 XTPs.