I used my dad's 44 mag ruger rifle last deer season. I used it open sight and most of the deer was over 75 yards. I didnt really know the gun. My dad used it more in a tree stand when the deer are really close, like under 50 yards. Im more of a distance shooter. I shot a deer about 150 yards (I know thats not that much) with my 30-06 during antlerless season. Some people told me to get a scope on the 44 mag. it would be a good 100 yard gun. Are 44 magnum rifles god elk guns (except that they dont go far) just curious. Also, how far do they usually go?

Thanks,
Melissa

sorry, mispelled good....not god, good elk guns.....

How far it goes depends on several variables, probably the most significant of which are the barrel length and the load you're shooting. How far it will go is not so important as what it has left to do the job when it gets there. Shot placement is just as important as ballistics.

If I were hunting elk with a .44 mag, I'd shoot the heaviest bullet I could find, something in a jacketed soft point. With proper shot placement, I think a 240 gr. JSP would do the job out to a hundred yards.

Re: scopes, iron sights and 'knowing the gun,' you have a responsibility to the game to be able to hit what you're shooting at. No one wants wounded game running around out there. There's a deer around my home right now with a front foreleg shot off. She's making it, but it's not a pretty picture. Choose your rifle and load and practice, practice, practice. It doesn't matter what the effective range of the gun is, what matters is the effective range of the shooter. The range at which you can put all of your shots in a 10-12" circle is your effective range.

I was recently telling a friend of the deer I harvested with a .357, and how it was 30 yards out but I didn't shoot. He said 'that's handgun range.' My immediate reply was 'not for me.' Because I had practiced and knew my effective range.

Have fun and good luck.

Like I said, there were deer a little over 75 yards, and I didnt shoot. I practiced with the gun and shot dead center of a horseshoe hanging on the tree at 35 yards. It shot really well at 50 yards, but after that it was pushing it. For me to shoot knowing that I can have a clean kill on the animal would be at 50 yards or less. I had a fawn 10 yards away from me when I was hiding under a cedar tree. I knew I could clean kill the animal, but I didnt want the small fawn. Where it's mother was...I had no idea, but I wish it's daddy would have came looking for it at 10 yards away....I could not believe it didnt smell me...

Didn't mean any offense, it wasn't clear to me whether you were taking those shots, without knowing the gun, or not.

I'm not too proud to take a yearling. For years I had to have the meat and shot the first thing that came along. Those young'uns are good, tender eating.

The .44mag is perfectly capable of taking elk, easily and ethically. I personally have only used my .44mags on elk out to about 75yrds, using a scope or a good set of sights (NOT what is on the Ruger).

It really depends on how well you shoot the rifle as to what range it is effective. It doesn't matter how much power you have if you can't hit the broad side of a barn.

It's alright, you didnt offend me....I should have made it more clearer.....Im the same way. Last antlerless season I took a button buck at 150 yards....I was hoping it was a doe, but it wasnt. He was a pretty good size button, about 100 pounds, it was good eaten..