What grain would you guys recommend shooting in this caliber?

240 always worked for me.

In .44mag, I prefer 300grn XTP's for most of my work these days, but not all rifles like them. A close second place is the 240grn XTP. As I mentioned above, 240grn Win JSP's and PMC 240grn TCSP's kill well also. I'm not as big of fan of them as I once was, simply due to their dishonest marketing (lower BC's than other bullets in their class), but the 225grn FTX Leverevolution bullets do well on game also - huge expansion, so I don't push them too fast in hand loads. I never have found 180grn bullets of any flavor to shoot as well as the 240's, nor kill as well.

You have to figure that out for your self. These are great guns but they are not all the same gun. I've had one for years, know a few other guys who have them and I studied Graybeards H&R and NEF forums for several years and those guys go in to minutia details on them.

All that said with the right shooter and the right gun with compatible ammo those are 100 yard guns pretty easy but I'm not calling that pie plate stuff a deer gun. Tennis ball groups on the range is a maximum shot in the field far as I'm concerned.

This was mine when it was new.


Same gun probably 15 years later.


Killed a lot of deer and a few beavers to with that gun shooting my own 240 grain, cast wheel weight bullets w/gas checks, 1600 fps with Blue Dot. The load is in the Hornady manual. Never had a deer take another step after I pulled the trigger on that gun. Shot one right in the eye with one shot.

I never lost an ounce of meat off this guy.

LOL didn't even hurt the cheek meat!!!

That buck didn't even have time to know he had a headache.
-Jake

just got a cva hunter in the 44 mag & have put a banner 1x4 scope on it & i'm either going to try the hornady ftx or the winchester 225 platnium. i think the hornady willperform better in longer yardage due to the areodynamics

You would think that he should have seen it coming on!!!!!:eek:

Sorry boys, been in the woods since Thursday! Thanks for the replies. Think I'm going to try out the 240 grain first and see how that shoots. As of which cartridge brand to use, I'm still undecided. I'm leaning towards Hornady because of the success I've had with them with my .270. Dropped a 6 point about 120 yards out Friday with 130 grain SST's. Boy I was pumped!

I thought so, he was keeping an eye out for me.