44 Magnum Bullets

James B · 12-12-2006, 10:47 AM

I have taken about twenty animals with the 44 Magnum bullets. This in a Revolver, Rifle and Muzzle loaders. I guess most all of them have been takes with the Hornady 300 grain XTP. What bullets have you folks used with good results on deer and bigger game like Elk and Moose. I am wondering if the 300 XTP is more than needed.

I have taken a few animals with the heavy hard cast bullets but always seem to come back to the 300 XTP. I did shoot clear through a big Mulie at 200 yards with that bullet. The shot exited through the off shoulder. It is a sure penetrator for sure.

12-12-2006, 11:12 AM

I took animals with 240grXTP. And have always been impressed with its performance. But recently decided to take something witha 300gr silverbullet

James B · 12-12-2006, 11:19 AM

I load the 200 grain XTP for the Ultra-lite Tausus for carry and the 300 Gr GC for animal defense but I have not settled on a load for the Bisley Hunter as yet. Anyone tried the 270 Speer GD. I have shot the Partition just a little but not enough for any conclusions.

Soilarch · 12-12-2006, 03:25 PM

I like Lead Cast Bullets. Only taken one deer with them out of my Ruger Bisley Hunter (Love mine, hope you like yours as well.) Beartooth Bullets has a site with excellent reading if you've not come across it yet. I shot my one doe with a 44mag with Hornady's 240 HP/SWC. I didn't have time to order bullets and work up a load before season. These were the only lead bullets I could find in a store and I but them in front of a max charge of Blue-Dot. I'm sure its quite biased towards lead bullets but the articles on Beartooth's sight have me convinced so far that when I find a 260-280gr bullet that I can have hitting my game at 1100-1300fps its all I'll ever need of a 44mag load.

Duckbutter48 · 12-12-2006, 04:24 PM

I've used the 240XTP's in my Mloader and my Ruger Deerfield. Ive recovered a few and they look pretty good. All shots under 100yards and all dropping the deer within a few yards of shot if not straight down.

DM · 12-12-2006, 06:10 PM

James,

I only use 250 grain hard cast KT style bullets in my 44 magnum revolvers... I just don't like the extra recoil and the extra abuse heavy bullets provide..

My most used mould is a RCBS 44-250 KT mould, and i like the hardness of the lead so that my thumb nail will just barely scratch it... I lube with ALOX and generally size to .430"..

DM

James B · 12-12-2006, 08:54 PM

Thanks to all for the replies. I like the cast bullets as well but never really got the bug to cast my own. I did for a while for the 45 ACP whils combat shooting because I was shooting about 500 rounds per week. I have used the 300 FNGC in the ultra-lite. I have not shot my Bisley Hunter much yet as I took it to a smith for a trigger job and new sights.

TUK101 · 12-12-2006, 09:06 PM

I havent shot any game with mine yet, but I have been reloading 240gr swc Meister bullets and have been very happy with the accuracy and thump that I am getting out of them. I am loading these with 21gr. or H110 powder, and have just loaded up some with 22gr to see if there is much difference. I know that at 50 yards they are penetrating clear through a 14 inch thick pitch stump and still throwing lots of dirt up behind them. I cant wait to try the gun out on a deer next year. I am shooting these out of a Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum rifle. I will be getting a 44 mag pistol in the near future, not sure which one but so far have been leaning towards a Taurus or Ruger.

handloader1 · 12-12-2006, 10:50 PM

I have seen two mule deer killed with "Boar Slammer" 300 LBT heat treated solids, andtwo cow elk. The deer were killed with a muzzleloader, an elk with a Taurus .44 Rem. Mag., and the other with a muzzleloader. They all died with in 40 yrds. Good luck.

James B · 12-13-2006, 06:13 AM

The FNGC that I have been using are a LBT style bullet that Cabelas sells. I really like the way they shoot. I will have to check and see what other weights they have them in. I think as DM says, the lighter bullets would be more pleasant to shoot and in a hard cast bullet the 300 grain is probably more than needed for deer and Black Bear. For elk and moose the 300 would be fine. I shot one elk with the 300 grain XTP. He went down like a bag of rocks.