77/44 hunting cartridge - no reloads

T

tolesy

New member
I am looking for any advice on factory rounds for deer hunting this season with my 77/44. I have read all the accounts of people saying that their gun shoots each type different and you just have to find "what works."

Basically, I am looking for a starting point where I can eliminate the rounds that are too long to cycle through the rotary magazine.

I have a box each of Hornady LeverEvolution 225gr and the 240gr XTP. Any other suggestions?
 
I have taken deer with Hornady xtp handgun ammo. Look no further, it is top notch hunting ammo. Excellent penetration and it held together well. In 44 mag I would stick with the 240 gr. XTP
 
I use whe winchester white box 240gr jsp. they give me around 1'' groups at 100 yards and have dropped hog and deer in there tracks or as we like to say it only went 3 feet down. such a versitile gun but you have to find out what your particular gun likes the best.
 
Ruger

Ruger got the twist rate right with the newer .44's and they should do heavy bullets well. I had not considered the rotary mag issue, but if they fit and feed, and of course are acceptably accurate, I would not go lower than 240 for deer hogs and I guess b-bears.

Sage old Elmer KEITH believed, as do a lot of us, that the pistol cals come into their best with heavier bullets. From the longer barrels of carbines, they should do even better.

The XTP family is a good slug and lots of folks like it. Oddly, given my advice above, I shoot a much lighter one in my early carbines, as heavier slugs just don't group in them. (pie plate accurate).
 
I know when it comes to a .22 rimfire, certainly some ammo brands will be much better than others. I'm not so sure that it is the same story when it comes to the Ruger 77/44 with an exception for the Hornady. When I zeroed mine, I used the Remington 44Mag, the Winchester Hunting rounds White box as well as Magtech and all of them were well within the vital zone as far as deer goes. The Hornady did seem to hit higher and I felt I needed to re-adjust the scope lower to use those. If you begin with the Hornady brand alone, and adjust your sights just for those, you should be fine. I really think there is no need to sample all the different brands at all. I firmly believe any of them would do well (as long as they operate in the rotary mag).
 
.

Don't over-think it........... A .44 mag rifle will easily drop any Whitetail deer alive, using any factory fodder (within 125 yards or so) - IF the shooter does their part.



.
 
I have a 94 Win( saddle ring ) in 44 mag. The Hornaday Leverevolution stuff is simply awesome. Inside 100 yards it easily out does my 30-30's.

Boomer
 
Hornady 240xtp are about the best I have used. This 240xtp bullet was recovered on the opposite side of the hide from a 175 yard pistol shot. I loaded it to mid power. The big doe dropped in its tracks, not even a kick. The 240xtp will open up as low as 800fps.

44bulletnet.jpg


Huntingscenenet.jpg

Entryholenet.jpg
 
Don't care for XTP's because they tend to do what's pictured in the post above, the core and jacket separate and they don't exit. A big bore sixgun bullet should produce an exit wound. For deer I like the 240gr Gold Dot because unlike the XTP, it stays together and exits. Or the old standby, a 250gr Keith style semi-wadcutter.
 
I have to disagree, about the exit wound part. I have never used the new flex tip ammo, don't see the point in a handgun. point is, as I see it, is that a bullet should, ideally, expend all its energy internally in your quarry, hopefully killing it instantly. Exiting bullets do no further damage and make two holes in the hide. More bloodshot meat also. The shot in the photo was a shot that I wish I had been able to make. at 40-50 yds you could shoot through, but that was a 170+yd shot with a pistol. Wow!

I do own, shoot and reload for a Super Blackhawk, stainless, 5 1/2, 44mag. The last loads I made are Sierra JSP, 300gr., chrono'd at 1200fps. My big bear protection load, used while camping in Beartooth-Absorokee wilderness. Signs every few miles saying Grizzly country.

I have read in the revolver forum of this site about reloaders getting 1800fps with the same load in long guns. I can't speak as to the 77/44, but most rifles in handgun chamberings are supposed to be more forgiving than handguns about COAL.
 
The problem is not the ones that drop on the spot, it's the ones that don't. Energy transfer is bunk. Two holes bleed better than one. Any experienced handgun hunter of repute will prefer two holes over one.
 
The problem is not the ones that drop on the spot, it's the ones that don't. Energy transfer is bunk. Two holes bleed better than one. Any experienced handgun hunter of repute will prefer two holes over one.
Click to expand...
I swing both ways. In some situations, I want the bullet to dump all of its energy into the vitals (but at handgun velocities, that doesn't do much for you). In other situations, I want a pass-through.


All I can really say, is that exit wounds bleed much more than entrance wounds. If you end up in a situation where you're going to have to track a deer, you'll want that exit wound.

I can't even begin to count the number of animals I've seen taken, that had an entrance wound that didn't bleed at all, or only had a couple drops of blood come out. But exit wounds... they gush, unless they get plugged by some kind of tissue.


And .44 Mag ammo? Pick just about anything that will work in the magazine. Out of what you've got, I'd use the XTP. It'll do a deer, just fine.
I, personally, don't like the 225 gr FTX (LeveRevolution). It's too fragile for me, even at handgun velocities. But, I'm sure it would still be acceptable for Whitetails.

If you still want to buy something else... just avoid the Remington 240 gr JSP and JHP loads. Those bullets are inconsistent, love to fragment, and always lose their jackets.
 
I do not have a lot of experience hunting with a .44mag, but have killed a very large hog in Georgia with a Marlin 1894 shooting 270gr JFN Speers and a large Indiana buck with H&R single shot shooting Winchester 240gr JFN. One shot on that buck (well over 225 live weight) at 70 yards with full penetration on high shoulder shot. I was impressed with the performance.

I am sure lots of loads will work well, tho I'd prefer SP vs HP bullets and those of heavier rather than lighter weight. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Im sure if my Marlin 357 magnum will work that your Ruger 44 mag will be just fine.

Id find what is most available and buy a few boxes of that and sight in for that round.
 
Hornady 240xtp are about the best I have used. This 240xtp bullet was recovered on the opposite side of the hide from a 175 yard pistol shot. I loaded it to mid power. The big doe dropped in its tracks, not even a kick. The 240xtp will open up as low as 800fps.
Click to expand...

One fine shot! I would have thought it would be moving at walking pace at that distance (grin). Doesn't look scoped either.

Great advances in bullet design in getting good and reliable expansion at that low a velocity.
 
Ruger 77/44SWC bullets

I recently purchased a Ruger 77/44. Love the rifle but semi-wadcutter bullets hang up on the face of the chamber and will not load. Any suggestions?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top