need a more lethal .44 mag deer round

[longbowhunter]

Hello,
I have a 20 inch match grade machine .44 mag barrel for my Thompson contender that is a absolute track driver. the problem that I am having is that unless I see the deer fall it make for a Very long day due to a lack of a blood trail. I am shooting a Winchester 240 grain soft lead point. Any recommendations for a more lethal deer round ?
Thanks

 

[noylj]

Hard lead Keith Semiwadcutter.
Read:
Chapter 12 - The Keith Semiwadcutter (SWC) Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners - Glen E. Fryxell
You don't need expansion—you are asking for penetration. You want a large, flat meplat and enough weight to drive all the way through.
Beyond that would be a .444 Marlin barrel.

 

[phatgemi]

240 Grain hornandy XTP over a good dose of H110.

 

[Mad Dog]

I use Hornady 225 gr. FTX, for my deer hunting. I've taken 9-10 deer with this round. Always leaves a great blood trail, and the longest distance any have gone is less than 100 yds.

 

[mikebol]

+1 on Hornadys

 

[parson]

I, also, have had success with the 240 grain XTP, using 110 or 296 powder.

 

[1911ly]

Another +1 on the Hornady. The FTX are suppost to do a little more damage, the BC is better on the XTP. I played around a lot with loads over the last month and was planning on using the 225 FTX's with 19.3 grains of Lil'gun. 20.6 grains of H110 worked excellent as well. If you are loading your own? The cases on the FTX need to be shortened. Health issues took the hunt off the table this year. Hopefully next year!

Either choice would be great.

 

[bocefus78]

240xtp +shoulder shot=no tracking.

 

[bobjones223]

If you roll your own the XTP and H110 is kind of like the standard load, period, end of discussion. I am going to start rolling my own over the winter and that is the current load planned.

If you don't roll your own like me for the last five years I have been using the American Eagle 240 grain Jacketed Hollow Points. They have passed clean through every deer except the bruser I got this year and it was sitting just under the skin. I recovered it and think it did exactly what it should have so you might give them a try. My longest shot was 97 yards and still punched both sides on that deer.

 

[Nam1911]

I got a few Underwood 300 grain XTP rounds that are smokin. They seem like a deer dropper

 

[Leadeye]

Killed a lot of deer with my 44 marlin over the years using a variety of loads, cast and jacketed.

 

[hps]

That Win 240 soft pt is a GREAT factory load!! You do your part ,,it will do its part. js

 

[bobjones223]

This may sound silly but are you ground hunting or hunting from a tree stand?

 

[bgcatty]

240 Hornady XTP over a good load of 110 should do trick. Used that load in a S&W 29 .44 Magnum on a 176 pound wild pig at about 75 yards-two steps and he dropped.

 

[Sniper 79]

I thought the 44 was weak and overrated. I settled on a 20ga shotty.

Waaaaaay more power and I could easily make distance shots on small targets I couldn't with the 44 super blackhawk 10".

As far as loads go they all should be good. We have a wonderful selection these days. Xtp, barnes, Keith hardcast. I would shoot whatever shoots the best out of your gun and practice a lot with it.

 

[Farm1]

Hornadys or buffalo bore..

 

[Sling10mm]

I've killed (4) deer with the Winchester 240gr JSP out of my Marlin lever gun. Had one more that I shot but could not recover, but that was probably more my lack of accuracy than the rounds ability to kill the deer.

 

[JRPLANE]

I have taken several deer with a colt Annaconda 8" barrel 240 SWC loaded with 7.5grs of titegroup, these are light loads, but shoots thru. Hit in the side has always got both lungs and exit on other side. Just sit quiet and they have never run more than 100 feet.

 

[ilcaveman]

I use buffalo bore with great results on deer. They pass thru and the deer dont go far at all.

 

[paperboy]

I actually had the same issue with the Winchester White Box. I then reloaded my 44 cases with Hornady XTP bullets. These worked fantastic for deer hunting.