Hello everyone, first time poster here. I wanted to ask for some opinions while also giving my own experience hunting with the Henry 44 mag.
I have taken more than a few deer with the 44, it quickly became my favorite deer rifle after my first season with it. For the area I hunt, it just seems to be very effective. Now the 30-06, 270, and 7mm collect a bit of dust.
My preferred load for whitetail has been a 200 grain xtp over a stout charge of h110 and it has worked wonders on whitetail. This off season while doing some load development and range work, I found the most accurate load in my rifle so far (roughly 1.5 MOA) using a 240 grain Sierra JHC over h110. So I decided to use this new load for hunting this season.
I took my best buck yet on the opening morning of PA rifle season, a 21.5” wide inside 8 point. I was able to get a clean shot off into the vitals of this buck from roughly 100 yards out. The shot hit just behind the shoulder, through the heart, and into the opposite shoulder with no exit. I found the intact bullet under the hide on the opposite shoulder.
While the buck did expire quickly, I am a little concerned with the lack of pass through on this buck using the new to me Sierra’s. All the deer I’ve taken with the xtp’s and Winchester white box SP’s have been clean pass throughs.
Is the lack of pass through something to be worried about? Should I switch back to the xtp? What bullets do you guys run out of your 44’s for whitetail?
Thanks for looking everyone! I’ll try to post a picture of the buck shortly.
I have taken more than a few deer with the 44, it quickly became my favorite deer rifle after my first season with it. For the area I hunt, it just seems to be very effective. Now the 30-06, 270, and 7mm collect a bit of dust.
My preferred load for whitetail has been a 200 grain xtp over a stout charge of h110 and it has worked wonders on whitetail. This off season while doing some load development and range work, I found the most accurate load in my rifle so far (roughly 1.5 MOA) using a 240 grain Sierra JHC over h110. So I decided to use this new load for hunting this season.
I took my best buck yet on the opening morning of PA rifle season, a 21.5” wide inside 8 point. I was able to get a clean shot off into the vitals of this buck from roughly 100 yards out. The shot hit just behind the shoulder, through the heart, and into the opposite shoulder with no exit. I found the intact bullet under the hide on the opposite shoulder.
While the buck did expire quickly, I am a little concerned with the lack of pass through on this buck using the new to me Sierra’s. All the deer I’ve taken with the xtp’s and Winchester white box SP’s have been clean pass throughs.
Is the lack of pass through something to be worried about? Should I switch back to the xtp? What bullets do you guys run out of your 44’s for whitetail?
Thanks for looking everyone! I’ll try to post a picture of the buck shortly.
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