44 Mag. bullet choices for hunting?

I've always used JHP bullets for hunting, in various weights. I had a conversation with another handgun hunter that has had some serious success hunting deer with hard cast SWC bullets. This style of bullet was highly recommended by him.

After reloading some 240gr. SWC bullets and sighting them in at the range, they were very accurate. I shot my first deer with them, but was not impressed with the lack of killing power from this bullet style. Shot placement is everything, but I will be going back to the JHP bullets for hunting.

Would you prefer a 180gr. JHP at 1700 f.p.s. or a 240gr. JHP at 1400 f.p.s.?
What is your bullet of choice for hunting deer?

Thank you, Bowhunter57

I like the 240xtp for deer hunting. I push them with 24grs. of H110.

In all honesty, a semi-wadcutter will typically have a small meplat. Meplat size determines wound channel size. Not a good example or a large enough sample to draw conclusions in my opinion. For thin-skinned game like deer, I too am apt to using hollow-points, however, I have never shot a deer with a hardcast bullet with a big meplat (around 80%) that wasn't made very aware of my intentions.

Leave the lightweights for the smaller calibers. The 44 shines with 240's and up.

I agree completely.

Thank you, for the replies, gentlemen!

A hunting buddy of mine has three 44 Mags. and they all like the 240gr. JHP bullets, pushed by 2400 or H110. I'll have to purchase a box and get busy reloading.

As soon as I get some reloads sighted in, the coyotes in the area will be doing my "ballistics tests" for me.

Small to medium deer- Rem. 240 gr. HP-very soft and creates a lot of internal damage.
Larger deer- Swift 240 gr. HP- very large cavity creating damage, but bullet is bonded so it won't shed the jacket.
These have been consistent performers for me.
SWCs work best if a lot of bone is hit so the fragments create more damage. The heavier the lead bullet, usually lesser damage in deer.

I use the 240 XTP in all 5 of my 44 mags,4 of those loads is with H-110,the last is with 2400.

I really like PMC starfires. They create a lot of tissue damage.

I really like shooting 180's for general shooting and small game hunting. I like 300 xtp for big game. They are about the only 44 's on the shelf right now at the gun shops. My 10" sbh loves the 300's, and i loaded them down a tad, but still perform as designed.

l killed a half dozen deer w/44 mag over the years. All were broadside shots except 1. All killed w/180s except 1. The exception was butt shot w/240 home cast KT swc and 8gr Unique. Shot downward at an angle the bullet took out one lung and stopped in the heart... The 180s were factory Super Vels...After about a 25-30yr break from handgun hunting l am again in the woods with a 44 mag...l will be using 180 gr factory jhp ammo. All the 180gr kills were thru n thru. Big holes in. Huge holes out..l can no reason to use a heavier bullet on a South Carolina Whitetail

Good luck with that. I've been out 3 times this month and on only one occasion did we see a couple coyotes and they never got within "black rifle" range. Hope you have better luck.

I have killed about 30 whitetail deer, a black bear and 2 Russian boar with Hornady 265gr. flat point at 1400fps. Never a failure, best .429 jacketed bullet.

Remington 240 gr. JHP makes a superior deer load.

Hornady 240 gr xtp