.44 Mag for hog?
 

Buy a 45-70 rifle if you are only allowed straight wall cartridges, it is good pretty much for all North American big game. I have killed many hogs with it and several deer.

You can do better than 44mag for a similar price. As mentioned the 45/70 and 444 Marlin might be better choices. Probably 450 Marlin also if this list has been updated since 2014

These specific straight-walled cartridge rifles are legal for Ohio deer hunting: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500 Smith & Wesson. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles may have no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined while deer hunting.

The current reg in the 2018 book just says So a 450 Marlin should also be legal.

Ohio simplified the regulations last year, and the .450 is good to go.

Somewhere along the line the .44 Magnum went from being the most powerful revolver ever made to barely capable.

But, I can assure you.... If you want a .44 mag, it will work just fine for deer and hogs.

There are better options out there, some of those were listed above.... But that doesn't mean the .44 mag won't work.

My uncle took this hog earlier this week in Florida with a .44.



-Jake

44 Mag in a rifle gets a reasonable performance gain vs a pistol and ammo is pretty much all over the place. Its fine within reasonable shooting distances but there are legal calibers that will greatly extend that range. Some being very easy to find also.

http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=41 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source =
44 mag....430 diam.....310 grain projectile at 1300 fps 1160 ft lbs
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
use a 95% WW alloy and 5% tin, size to .430 youll have zero issues killing hogs, with proper shot placement.
yes the ammo so loaded works in both my S&W revolver and marlin lever action carbine,
Id point out most hogs are shot in rather dense cover ranges seldom exceed 70-80 yards.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF


http://garage.grumpysperformance.com...oad-info.3409/

Unless you're shooting high volume, it's not going to make much difference. In my area .45-70 can be found relatively cheap. I saw Winchester super x 300 grain today for $28.

-Jake

I've got a marlin 44 mag and 45-70. Both are nice rifles. 44 mag holds 10, is light. While I have not shot a hog with 44 mag, I believe lots of people have. The henry's are very nice. But for me I didn't like the balance. But that is personal preference.

If you decide to shoot 45-70, I would start reloading. It is not cheap.

The truth of the matter is, how many times do you shoot your 45-70 except for making sure it is on target and when you kill game with it. I shoot Hornady Lever evolution ammo, it cost more than Winchester or Remington, but I do not think it is expensive because I do not shoot a box a year and neither do most people. It would cost a lot more to get set up in reloading for it than t costs me to buy factory and the factory is more than sufficient.