do you have a favorite 44 load, for hunting? for griz protection?

I'm thinking I'm going to try some 240grs and maybe that hornady 300 XTP load.

picked up a new toy...
going to be bow hunting elk in griz country in about a month, wanted to have something more than just pepper spray, perhaps for black bears, cougars, wolves, and griz, esp while camping etc...

I have a few pet loads for the 44 magnum. But I have different loads for different weapons. Which weapon are you shooting?? revolver?? short or long barrel?? Rifle??

My all time favorite load is 20.0 grains of 2400 with a 240 grain bullet(not hardcast) that I cast with a good heavy crimp(fairly stout, but not max).

But I do not live in big bear country. Just lots of the smaller black bears so my load would handle them very well.

If I lived in big bear country I think I would step it up to a 300 grain bullet that I would cast a little harder than normal(and water quech). As long as the firearm chambers them well. I have seen a few firearms where the 300 was too long for the chamber or got stuck in the elevator of the lever action. Tom.

The 300 XTP pushed by a powder like 296 is my heavy load for a .44 RM in a single action Ruger. I don't worry about really heavy loads in my single actions, but will not shoot them often in any double action revolver. Double action revolvers like a S&W 629 get a 240 bullet pushed by 296 as my heavy load. The 300 grain loads recoil much harder.