Alright 44 Mag ammo round for deer...

T

tynimiller

New member
My SKS is going to be turning into something more practical, a .44 Magnum Lever Action today...my question is what round do you .44mag shooters have for deer hunting? Buffalo Bore is the one recommendation I've received from one person...but want other options? It's a Rossi 92 .44 Mag Lever, so if you have the same please share especially!
 
Speer 44mag 'Deep Curl' a premium bullet designed for big game . I've heard many favorable comments from hunters !
 
Something that you might want to consider is that the .44/.45 has been considered a proper whitetail deer caliber since flintlocks. I'd hesitate to guess how many whitetail deer have been dropped since the late 1600s with a ~130 grain round ball pushed to black powder velocities. It's true that the new bullets give better performance, opening at velocity to match the design of the bullet, but it's also true that if you shoot a .44 caliber hole all the way through a deer you'll likely find a dead deer at the end of your walk.

Certainly, use a Deep Curl or similar design if you feel better about it, but standard lead projectiles have been bring home venison for several centuries.
 
PawPaw, didn't you get the memo about today's deer being armor plated so that they don't go down unless you use the latest whiz-bang magnum?:D
 
.44-40's with LRN or, at best, LFP bullets have probably killed more deer than any other cartridge except .30-30, so I'd think that a .44 Magnum loaded with any decent 240gr JSP bullet would be plenty for deer. Were it me, I'd load the gun with whatever 240gr JSP proves to be most accurate.
 
If it says .44 Mag on the box it will work,Have shot several deer with a 44 hand gun with different ammo all went to the cooler.
 
.44 mag carbines and deer

I've had a a thing for .44's and deer since my Dad bought a M94 so chambered in the mid- 70's. He killed a number of deer with it.

I bought my own .44 (an early tube feed Ruger semi) about 1985, ahd have since bought a second. One is scoped, the other has XS sights.

The .44 mag is at its best with slugs of 240 grs an up. You won't need boutique ammo to kill whitetails with a .44 carbine. See who's 240 JHP groups best and have at it.
 
I have one hunting load for .44 mag...

It is a Hornady 265gr JFP (#4300) over 22gr of H110...It is not a max load either by Hornady, or Hodgdon's specs...

What it is, is accurate in both my Super Blackhawk, and Marlin 1894...

The reason I use this bullet is that our deer and bear season's overlap, and where we hunt, there is a real chance of getting a shot at a bear...I'd rather have the bone smashing ability and deep penetration that this bullet gives, than chance having to track a wounded bear that was shot with a hollow-point...
 
Winchester White Box 240 JHP.

With my Marlin 1894 in 44 mag, the bullet profile and overall lenght are critical factors to proper cycling. I have been told to stay away from semi wadcutters as the shoulder tends to catch on the edge of the chamber. I have never shot anything but the Winchester white box ammo, with 240 grain jacketed hollow point. Which I believe is an XTP bullet and can't imagine any other bullet working better on deer. I have killed three Whitetail deer. Two shots were pass throughs behind the shoulder, the third bullet hit the neck and though destroyed the bullet was mostly intact. None of the deer required a follow up shot. Also Winchester White Box is probablly the least expensive ammo you will find at a store.
 
Doyle said:
PawPaw, didn't you get the memo about today's deer being armor plated so that they don't go down unless you use the latest whiz-bang magnum?:D
Click to expand...

People keep sending me that memo, but maybe I'm to curmudgeonly to understand it. Or maybe all my years of hunting deer with front-stuffers and a patched round ball have inured me to common sense.

Actually, it is my firmly held belief that the bullet manufacturers have done great work over the past decade in giving us lots of good choices. They've really stepped up their game, and some of the newer manufacturing methods have given us some outstanding bullets, while some of their marketing has been a bit weird. Zombie bullets? Really?

I've gotten out of the front-stuffer business in the last several years, mainly from a nod to practicality. It is really practical to put a brass cartridge in my pocket instead of hanging a five pound possibles bag over my shoulder. That same practicality is leading me to one rifle, in my case an old Savage in .30-06. I don't load it very hot but I've found that it does everything that I want a rifle to do.

Still, I understand guys asking the questions and I normally don't tell anyone that they are on the wrong track. The bullet manufacturers are doing great work, and they've got to sell those bullets that they spent all that time developing.
 
I loaned my .44 mag. lever gun to a friend, he brought down a whitetail at 50 yards with one shot of XTP.
However, Elmer Keith liked the hard cast SWC. Who is to argue.
Basic thing with a pistol round is do not try to overextend the range. It is still a pistol round. Unless you have practiced extensively and know it's drop, do not try over about 50 yards.
 
I'm a handgun hunter and for the last 15 or so years all my ammo has been either 240 gr LSWC, (my favorite), or 240 gr SJHP and my Ruger Super Blackhawk is dialed in for 100 yards. I prefer 60 and under but it will do the trick at 100. I recently acquired some 300 gr double tap that I will try, I already know it's pretty accurate and no harder to shoot than the 240 gr stuff but I suspect I'd better keep that load under 60 yards because of it's reduced velocity.

I'm with Big P, if it says 44 mag on the box it will work, especially out of your Rossi 92. Buddy of mine took his only black bear with a Marlin 94 at about 20 yards and dead is dead. He used the same ammo I do the 240 gr SJHP in both his rifle and revolver. If it will take a cape buffalo it will certainly take a deer.
 
Quite adequate

My father, before his passing took two Adirondak deer with standard Remington 240gr JHP from a S&W 29-2. He did ask me if there was a .44 Mag load that wouldn't go all the way through a deer....

I suggested he try some of the 180gr, but sadly, he never got to the woods again to find out.

With a carbine, I would expect it to be a bit easier to connect well at longer ranges than a handgun. Since the handgun clearly works, the carbine will also clearly work for the job, if you do your part.

You don't need 300gr monster loads for whitetail. Any 240/250gr will do the job just fine. I expect (but have no personal experience) that a 180gr would also.

The cartridge has plenty of power for the job in all common loadings. The biggest drawback to a carbine is that often their sights and triggers are less than the best possible. If that isn't the case with your carbine, you are well set to bring home the venison.
 
One of my friends got me started with the Barnes Copper bullets for hunting. The 225 DPX works very well.
 
I have a 1894 Marlin in the 44Mag. I haven't hunted with it yet, but I have hunted with my DW 44Mag pistol and taken hogs. DRT on the hogs. The rifle will do the same with just regular WWB from Walmart and I intend to find out this November on deer.
 
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