Hi Everyone. My first post here and thought I would ask about hunting Whitetail here in PA with a 5.5" Ruger SBH using 180gr. Hornady XTP's? Shots where I hunt will be under 50 yards and only taken broadside. Is my combo adequate or do I need to bump up to the 44Mag? Thanks................JRM404

JRM,

Welcome to the forum. It might help to know whether you hunt an area that can tolerate a well shot critter running a little ways without hopping a fence or being claimed by another hunter. I have never hunted whitetail, nor used a 44sp, but there are lot of others here who will be able to help.

Craig

If you can hit your spot, you will do fine. I prefer a little heavier slug tho.

If I understand you are talking about using Hornady factory 44 special ammo. This is a good self defense load but is minimal for deer. I would only use it if I had a classic archery shot -- slightly quartering away just behind the near shoulder. A shoulder hit would likely result in poor penetration. I would only shoot at a distance that I could shoot a 3" group at the range. You could increase your margin for error with Buffalo Bore 255 SWC 44 spl loads which will shoot through the shoulder. If you're looking for less recoil you might try to find Black Hills 240 gr JHP in 44 mag. It's loaded a good bit lighter than Hornady 44 mag but still way more powerful than the 44 special factory ammo. I like to hunt deer with a 44 special but reloads are the way to go for this cartridge.

I have shot several deer with the 180XTP and got marginal penitration from it. The 200gr XTP is a much better choice if you handload. It is tougher as it is made to stand .44 mag velocity but it will give expansion as low as 800fps. I prefer cast SWC bullets on deer. One of the best deer killers from the specials that I have seen is the Magnus 240gr BBSWC. In your strong gun 8.6grs U-Clays will get 1000fps and punches a nice big non closing hole. I have lost count of deer shot with the special. it works just fine. reflex264

I'm not a re-loader although I wish I was. I appreciate all the advise here and it looks as though I need to find perhaps another round for my gun. I might try to find some Black Hills 44mag ammo but it's hard to find like anything else. Anyone here have some info on where to find it? Thanks............JRM404

Sorry to say I don't see the Black Hills currently available. However, Natchez Shooters has Federal American Eagle 240 grain JHP 44 magnum in stock. This would be excellent deer ammo.