.44 mag for deer?
 

My girlfriend is going to start deer hunting this year and all of my guns are too much for her. I went and looked at an H & R .44 mag rifle for her today.She liked the feel of it. Is this going to be a good deer gun for her? I was thinking 50-75 yard shots. We live in Indiana so its a shotgun or a pistol cartridge rifle.

The 44 is quite capable out to 100yds with a handgun. A rifle, would stretch that a bit further, but not too much further.
About all available ammo, even the bottom line stuff, has been effective, and accurate for me.
One thing though, lots of times, light 44 rifles kick more than you'd think they would.
Overall it should make a nice package.

If the .44 mag is too much then try the specials. I think that they are interchangable just like they are in a revolver.

What about something like a .243 or 25-06? If it was for deer I'd much rather go with one of those two.

go with 7mm-08

I saw a pistol in .45-70.....does that mean you can use a rifle in .45-70 in IN?

The .44 should be just fine for her. Very effective.

Hornady's 357 Mag and 44 Mag LEVERevolution cartridges

44 Mag, or 357 Mag would be good at the ranges you stated.
357 would be a lot softer to shoot.

But you know how it goes, You see Mr.Big Buck.
After the shot, I didn't feel the recoil at all.

JMHO

Good Luck

The .44 would be way down the list in my choice of deer calibers. I would opt for the .243 to 7mm08 as has been mentioned. Add a quality scope and let her go. Can't ever tell when the over 100 yard shot will present itself.

I agree that .243, 7mm-08, etc would be better but I think he said shotgun or pistol only. That being said .44 mag is more than adequate at the ranges you said. recoil is pretty stiff in a revolver, but I think with a rifle it will be a little easier to control...certainly less than your average shotgun slug load.