cayugad
I really do not want to say that I have given up on .44's because of the exact reason you mentioned but I nowam really only shooting 45's or .458
There are still a lot of 44-300's in the gun cabinet and I will eventually shoot them all (i hope) but it will be for recreational plinking..
Maybe later in the year I will be able to do a little more testing at a long range but can not get it done right now, and your home range is probably starting to feel the effects of winter and filling with snow.