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.44 magnum rifle

Old 12-01-2005, 03:58 PM
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Default .44 magnum rifle

I have always hunted deer in a shotgun only zone, but they just opened it up to rifle hunting this year. I happen to have a sweet shooting .44 magnum winchester lever action rifle that is very accurate at 50 yards. Just curious if anyone hunts deer regularly with this caliber and how effective it is on deer within 50 yards? I originally bought it to shoot cans, jugs, paper, and bowling pins, but it is so light and fun to shoot, plus accurate, that I would love to take it out hunting. I imagine shot placement would be very important. By the way, Ido have a .270 so hunting with the .44 is not a must.

KEJ
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Old 12-01-2005, 04:32 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

I have a Ruger 96/44 mag that i have used for deer & black bear. Excellent round out to 100-125 yards. if you are able to consistantlyhit a 6"-8" circle at this distance the game will not go far if you do your job. Know your rifle and it will serve you. At 50 yards it is pure death if you hit the right spot.

Good Luck
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Old 12-02-2005, 06:48 AM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

My sister hunts with one. Ballistically, the .44 Mag from a rifle is good medicine for deer out to 100 yards. You said it's a good shooter out to 50 yards. I'd say if you can consistantly hit a pie plate out to 100 yards, don't be afraid to use it on a deer up to that distance. Good luck!!

EDIT: The italics part... I'm talking about numbers I've seen in the Shooter's Handbook. Most ammunition maintains over 1000 lbs of energy and decent trajectory out to 100 yards. I would guess there are some loads that do not.
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Old 12-02-2005, 07:00 AM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

If people shoot .44 pistols and kill deer at 100 yards, then a rifle probably lengthens the range a bit. When the Handi-Rifle was introduced in 500 S&W the ballistics get much better, if you look at Remington.com they have ballistics for a .44 rifle/carbine I think.
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Old 12-02-2005, 01:36 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

From all the numbers I have seen a modern slug gun or inline ML would be better than a 44 carbine. Not that it won't work, especially at 50 yards. If you want to use it I say go for it if you don't mind limiting your range. Sounds like it might be fun.

Myself I would take the .270, but that is just the kind of guy I am.

Paul
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Old 12-02-2005, 09:07 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

The terminal performance of the 44 mag on whitetails is super. If the gun shoots accurately 150 yards is not a problem as far as terminal performance goes. If you are concerned it is a little on the light side take a look at the CORBON ammo.
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Old 12-03-2005, 07:49 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

I took a nice 8 pointer in 2002 with my Marlin lever 44, used 240 grain winchester white box. Pefect shot with pass through, bullet was logged in the front leg joint on exit, perfect mushroom. Shot was probally 30 yards. I think its a perfect cartridge, I would seem a slow moving heavy bullet would deflect less if it encountered a twig along its way to the target compared to a highspeed low weight projectile, but thats just a guess..
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Old 12-05-2005, 09:20 AM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

Chazy I am assumming that your from NYS and this is where the changed from shotgun to rifle took place for you. Ok, here is my take on the .44 mag in a rifle. I had a Ruger .44 (last model year 1986?) bought usedin 1992. It was a great short distance gun for me. I kept my shots w/i 75-80 yards andthe 3 deer I took with it dropped in their tracks. The farthest shot I took was about 110-115 yards. I did it cause thetrail the deer used that opening morning was further away than I anticipated. I decided to shoot the 4th deer that came thru since I did have a rock solid rest and it fell in its tracks. I had to give it a follow up shot as it wasn't dead when I reached it. I used 180 grain bullets not the 240 grain ones. My friend's dad had an original .44mag from the early 60's and he was quite happy with the gun. It's a great gun if you are walking and pushing heavy bush but if I was stand hunting and chances were good the shot would be over 100 yards I would stick with the .270 that you have in your possesion. I just traded away my .44 mag for a vexilar for ice fishing. The guy that wanted it still hunts up in 6P and to him it was the perfect gun once NYS changed from shotgun to rifle in that region. The original reason i purchased this gun was the lightweight and I assummed it would be good for a women if I ever got married(which still hasn't happened). I hope this helps you in deciding what to use next time out.
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Old 12-05-2005, 04:46 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

ORIGINAL: LIAF

The original reason i purchased this gun was the lightweight and I assummed it would be good for a women if I ever got married(which still hasn't happened). I hope this helps you in deciding what to use next time out.
My Ruger 96/44 mag delievers more felt recoil than than my bolt action 30.06. Light weight does not mean light recoil. Not a good choice for an unexperienced woman. Easy to carry doesn't = easy to shoot.

Best Wishes
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Old 12-05-2005, 07:14 PM
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Default RE: .44 magnum rifle

Yeah,

I actually am from New York. My wife's family is in Oswego county where they just changed to rifle zone this year. I currently am in Clinton County which is a rifle zone, just the deer are few and far between. I usually hunt in 8J which is still a shotgun zone. As mentioned, I originally bought the winchester .44 just because it was a beautiful little gun that I felt I had to have.Ironically, I wound up buying a .44 mag encore pistol the next year. It wasn't my first choice in caliber, but there was a real shortage of Encores a few years back, andmy dealer happened to have the .44 in the display case. I figured if I ever hiked into the adirondacks, the pistol would be a little lighter. I shoot the 240 grain winchesters in both and get really good accuracy. Had planned to get a 7mm-08 barrel and use the encore in the southern zone, but haven't done it yet. Most shots back home are 75-100 yards, so I haven't reallybeen using my handgun to hunt (though that is why I bought the Encore). At list point I have only shot deer with shotguns, so it is nice to get feedback on this cartridge.

Thanks,
KEJ
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