Just wondering if anyone has any suggesstions on a good factory 44MAG ammo for whitetail?
Dont have time to get reloads worked up yet.
Just got a new bisley 44 mag yesterday.
Bought a box of 240 grain blazers to get it on paper (as I installed a ragged hole sight as soon as I unboxed her)
Im going to Cabelas next week ,so they have a good selection.
Thoughts?

I would look for Hornady XTP in 240gr. or 300gr. However, I have had Federal 180gr hollow points perform devastatingly on deer many years ago.

I personally use handloaded cast bullets exclusively now, but I am not sure what their selection of these would be.

I'm using doubletapammo.com for my 45Colt loads until my bench is up and running. 50 rds for under $50 is hard to beat and the accuracy has been pretty good. They have a 300gr Nosler JHP and a 240gr swc that look promising in 44 Mag.
Quick shipping too.

I have tried all of the DT's offerings in .44 mag and was particularly impressed with the accuracy of the 225 XPB load. But my favorite load by DT is their 320 grain WFN. I've killed a number of critters with that load. DT's offering are definitely priced right.

You can't go wrong with the 240 gr and 300 gr. XTP in Hornady's, however I have had good luck on Deer size game with the 225 gr Barnes XPB , never recoverd a bullet always pass thru's that does a lot of tissue damage.

Hornady's 300 grainer is another good one. I got outstanding accuracy with that load. You have many choices for deer and the .44 mag.

Both the Winchester JHP and the Remington JHP (my favorite) are excellent deer bullets, and will fully penetrate small to medium sized deer. Many years ago (before the introduction of the SBH), I hunted with my uncle and cousins in the pine hills of Louisiana. Our weapon of choice was the Ruger 44 Carbine. They preferred the Winchester loading, and I used the Remington.

We killed a number of Louisiana whitetails with those combinations, and recovered a number of perfectly mushroomed bullets (both brands) from those animals. I still use the same bullet in my 44 Handguns, and it still works equally as well. I use the Hornady 300 gr. XTP in my SRH because of its phenomenal accuracy at 100 yds., but I find this bullet is too heavily constructed for deer i.e. it does not mushroom, but performs like a cast bullet of similar profile, which is certainly not a bad thing.

I used the Hornady 200 gr. XTP hollow points. I took a whitetail with 1 shot about 100 yds. He went down and never got up again.

You know, this may be a result of too low a velocity. Hornady doesn't load this round very hot at all, but it sure is accurate. I've shot some pretty big hogs with that load and they didn't look like they expanded on a much denser animal than deer. Maybe if they were traveling a couple hundred fps faster.....I'll have to load some and find out.

I have not shot a 44 factory load in a long time --10+ years

But If I had to buy some it would be a hornady 240 XTP or a Buffalo Bore 310 WFNGC

Festus,

I'll vote again for the XTP - I have used the 200 gr bullet in handloads since the bullet became available. Works very well on whitetail-sized game, and I believe the factory loading would serve you well...wouldn't hesitate to shoot the 240 either.

Shooting the Federal Fusion in one of my Casull's and have had good performance on whitetails and hogs. I would assume that the 44 loading would be great too.

Good luck and happy hunting!

I love Either one will put them down hard.

The bullet is .429 that will kill very well with proper bullet placement even without a mushroom.

On another forum this was posted



for some reason the photo will not show up in the quote box, so here it is



here,

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=96648

Chronographed velocity is 1,297 fps., which is well within the Hornady recommended velocity window. I shot a very large old boar (not a farm pig) at 30 yds., and the bullet was barely riveted over. On the other hand, I shot a black bear at 50 yds. using this same bullet out of a .444 Marlin Rifle at 2,014 fps, and the bullet went to pieces. Obviously too much velocity.

This would put the "guesstimated" ideal velocity at somewhere around 1,400-1,600 fps. Too much for the .44 Magnum, but maybe ideal for an Encore, or Contender, in .444 Marlin.

Hornady claims that load goes 1,150 fps. I think I chronographed that load and it wasn't far off of the factory claim out of my 6.5-inch Model 29. I would like to load some up into the 1,400 fps range -- not as a regular load, but to see if the higher impact velocity will get them to open. Standby......

I've taken several deer with Remington factory ammo with 240 grn JSP. Produces around 1200fps and 900flbs energy. I use a S&W 29 classic with 6.5 in barrel.

Jeff