Best .44 Magnum Defense Load?
- Thread starter Model12Win
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Pond James Pond
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This!!
.44 Mag is after all a hunting cartridge and will go through and through on all sorts of animals that are thicker and tougher than Johnny BG.
So if people plan on carrying .44Mag, I think they need to choose really carefully...
Not necessarily. The photos are long dead but the text tells most of it;
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2051372&postcount=32
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2051372&postcount=32
300gr+ at 1100 fps is going to penetrate anything soft really, really well.
Penetration of soft things is basically a function of momentum - big and slow pretty much excels at penetrating even when the kinetic energy of the bullet is really moderate, because little of it is spent on deforming the projectile. For instance, .45 ACP is a very good "gold standard" of large caliber bullets, and non-expanding bullets penetrate very deeply in the standard 220-ish grain, 800-ish fps package.
I'd use 300 gr+ at 1100 fps for hunting without worries, but a "limited penetration" load it isn't! Not that I'm very much worried about overpenetration.
*Penetration of water is directly proportional to m*v. I've read some research (it was for archery hunting, but the underlying principles are similar when expansion is out of the picture) that muscle tissue penetration is proportional to m*v^1.2.
Last edited:
From testing by the 'Jello Shooters' ....
Ammo Wan Kenobi
Member # 582
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5 Icon 1 posted 04-03-2003 23:02 Profile for DocGKR Email DocGKR Send New Private Message Edit/Delete Post Reply With Quote
We recently initiated a test of .44 Magnum loads to determine the best general purpose load to be used in both revolvers and carbines for self-defense, field use, and hunting. The following loads were fired out of a 5” barrel S&W 629 revolver and 16” barrel Marlin 1894P carbine:
Federal 180 gr JHP (C44B)
Federal 240 gr JHP (C44A)
Federal 240 gr JHP Hydrashok (P44HS1)
Federal 300 gr LWC Cast Core (P44E)
Hornady 180 gr JHP XTP (9081)
Hornady 240 gr JHP XTP (9085)
Hornady 300 gr JHP XTP (9088)
Remington 180 gr JHP (R44MG5)
Remington 275 gr JHP Core-Lokt (RH44MGA)
Speer 270 gr JSP Gold Dot (23968)
Winchester 210 gr JHP Silver Tip (X44MS)
Winchrester 250 gr JHP Partition Gold (S44MP)
The load with the clearly SUPERIOR performance in both the handgun and carbine was the Hornady 300 gr XTP, with 20+ inches of penetration, consistent expansion in excess of 0.70” and superb weight retention. Unfortunately, I do not currently have time to type out the complete results, but here are a few random comments--the Hornady 240 gr and 180 gr loadings also performed well, the Remington 275 gr Core-Lokt was a good overall performer, the Remington 180 gr and Winchester 210 gr Silvertip loads had excessive muzzle flash, the Hydrashok fragmented badly, the Silvertip did well in the revolver and not the carbine, the Gold Dot did well in the carbine and not the revolver, the Cast Core has VERY deep penetration, but no expansion,
Bottom line—BEST overall .44 Magnum load is the Hornady 300 gr XTP.
http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bin/tacticalubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=78;t=000281#000000
Ammo Wan Kenobi
Member # 582
Member Rated:
5 Icon 1 posted 04-03-2003 23:02 Profile for DocGKR Email DocGKR Send New Private Message Edit/Delete Post Reply With Quote
We recently initiated a test of .44 Magnum loads to determine the best general purpose load to be used in both revolvers and carbines for self-defense, field use, and hunting. The following loads were fired out of a 5” barrel S&W 629 revolver and 16” barrel Marlin 1894P carbine:
Federal 180 gr JHP (C44B)
Federal 240 gr JHP (C44A)
Federal 240 gr JHP Hydrashok (P44HS1)
Federal 300 gr LWC Cast Core (P44E)
Hornady 180 gr JHP XTP (9081)
Hornady 240 gr JHP XTP (9085)
Hornady 300 gr JHP XTP (9088)
Remington 180 gr JHP (R44MG5)
Remington 275 gr JHP Core-Lokt (RH44MGA)
Speer 270 gr JSP Gold Dot (23968)
Winchester 210 gr JHP Silver Tip (X44MS)
Winchrester 250 gr JHP Partition Gold (S44MP)
The load with the clearly SUPERIOR performance in both the handgun and carbine was the Hornady 300 gr XTP, with 20+ inches of penetration, consistent expansion in excess of 0.70” and superb weight retention. Unfortunately, I do not currently have time to type out the complete results, but here are a few random comments--the Hornady 240 gr and 180 gr loadings also performed well, the Remington 275 gr Core-Lokt was a good overall performer, the Remington 180 gr and Winchester 210 gr Silvertip loads had excessive muzzle flash, the Hydrashok fragmented badly, the Silvertip did well in the revolver and not the carbine, the Gold Dot did well in the carbine and not the revolver, the Cast Core has VERY deep penetration, but no expansion,
Bottom line—BEST overall .44 Magnum load is the Hornady 300 gr XTP.
http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bin/tacticalubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=78;t=000281#000000
I'd go with something ballistically close to .45 ACP; 200@1000, or slightly heavier/slower.
I would rank the ability to quickly apply follow-up shots way ahead of "Thor's Hammer" ballistics.
If I thought the varmint might have more than two legs, then I'd adjust ballistics upward.
I face the same thing when considering 10mm ammo; around the house, 200@1000 is great, but if I were out in the woods, I'd go 200@1200.
I would rank the ability to quickly apply follow-up shots way ahead of "Thor's Hammer" ballistics.
If I thought the varmint might have more than two legs, then I'd adjust ballistics upward.
I face the same thing when considering 10mm ammo; around the house, 200@1000 is great, but if I were out in the woods, I'd go 200@1200.