MZS

To the OP: Nice buck and good job!

My philosophy is that if you can shoot whatever weapon accurately and consistently at a given long range, then go for it and more power to you. If you can not shoot accurately and consistently at that range, then do not use the weapon, what ever it is. If 20 yds is your accurate range, that is what it is. If 400 yds is your range and the weapon has sufficient force to kill, then that is your range. I know what my range is for each weapon I use, and I stay within those limitations.

Topgun 3006

*** That is a good philosophy and the reason I made the statement I did is because the 44 magnum doesn't have "sufficient force to humanely kill" an animal at 600 yards like that infamous shooting Elmer Keith was bragging about. Anyone who would do that with that cartridge, especially with an open-sighted revolver, is more than a pompous ahole, which was the term I used. If he did that on live game, he was completely unethical and damn sure wasn't even in the same category of the late, great Jack O'Connor, who not only knew ballistics, but also used the proper firearm for the job. Here is the writeup for the 44 Mag and please notice the last sentence in it:

The accuracy of the .44 Magnum is very good, with models from Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger producing bullet groups of 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 centimetres) at 50 yards, with most ammunition. The limiting factor of the .44 Magnum cartridge is not terminal ballistics. When fired from a 6" revolver, a typically loaded .44 Magnum 240gr bullet, will have more impact energy at 150yds, than a 246gr .44 Special has at the muzzle, when fired from the same weapon. The limiting factorof the .44 Magnum is the bullet's trajectory; the best hunting bullets are heavy, thus, relatively slow, meaning a significant drop-out of trajectory at ranges beyond 100 yards (91 m); with a 50-yard zero, the point of which the "line of sight" and the "bullet trajectory" meet, drop-out at 100 yards is about 2 inches (5.1 centimetres), and drop-out at 150 yards (140 m) is more than 8 inches (20 centimetres); with a 100-yard zero, drop-out at 150 yards is more than 6 inches (15 centimetres). Experts recommend limiting hunting ranges to 100 yards (91 m) when shooting .44 Magnum cartridges, less if practical accuracy requires it.

redgreen

Congrats on the buck.

SecondChance

H110 and Win 296 are the same powder, different bottle. Both are manufactured by Hodgdon. I won't give my load of H110 for it is listed in the loading section of what is used for reloading the single shot speciality pistols like mine and the TC Contenders. Too hot for revolvers. If you can not get H110/Win296 to give you good groupings, try Alliant 2400. A bit dirty, but is a real nice back up to H110. Really shines with lead loads. We shoot a 240grn SWC Lee bullet and gas check with wheelweights and it shoots better than any jacketed bullet we have shot. Absolutely no expansion!!!!! Really a nice round for shooting hogs through the gristle plates and breaking shoulders!!!!

burniegoeasily

Thanks secondchance. I was under the assumption win 296 was a finer grain powder. I have never used it, since I have always used h 110 for my hotter loads.