.44 Mag handgun hunting loads

[hammer24]

Reloaders, what do you take to the woods in the fall? I've got a ruger Bisley Blackhawk that will be going to the woods this year.

 

[kboom524]

My hunting load for years has been 200gr Hornady XTP with 24.5 grs Hodgdon H110. Very accurate in both my Super Blackhawks and my son's Redhawk. Ab Every deer I have hit with this load have fallen within sight of my stand, with one large doe dropping in her tracks. When I opened up her chest cavity it looked like a bomb had gone off inside her. Farthest shot I have taken on deer with this load has been about 35 yards, but am able to knock down bowling pins out to 100 yards.

 

[Sticky]

I used to load with a Lyman #429421 Keith type bullet, about 245 grains with #2 alloy. Powder was ~21 grains of 2400.

 

[Broom_jm]

My hunting load for years has been 200gr Hornady XTP with 24.5 grs Hodgdon H110. Very accurate in both my Super Blackhawks and my son's Redhawk. Ab Every deer I have hit with this load have fallen within sight of my stand, with one large doe dropping in her tracks. When I opened up her chest cavity it looked like a bomb had gone off inside her. Farthest shot I have taken on deer with this load has been about 35 yards, but am able to knock down bowling pins out to 100 yards.

A big + 1 on the XTP bullets.

I use the 200gr XTP in my daughter's 44/40 carbine and in the first deer she shot with it, a big doe, the bullet gave almost 30" of penetration, with a perfect mushroom. The 2nd bullet was a complete pass-through on a yearling buck that went about 40 yards and piled up.

For my 14" Contender barrel, I use 24 grains of H110 under a 240gr XTP bullet. Never recovered a bullet from it and never lost a deer, either. This charge weight of 110/296 has been a "gold standard" for 240 grain bullets for I don't know how long, but it works really well. Use a magnum primer and a good roll crimp when loading with these two powders. (well, basically this one powder, no matter which label is on the can) NOTE: This charge is a little over max in many books, today.

When I just want a plinking load, I use Power Pistol in either cartridge and get good accuracy in both.

Please follow all safe reloading practices: Start low and work up!

 

[baldguy637]

With my 77/44, my favorite load is 22.5gr of W296 behind a 240gr XTP. Most accurate load I've found so far. My kids and I have taken 5 deer with that load so far with nothing going farther than 50 yards.

They work just as well in my super redhawk 9.5", took a doe last year at 65 yards with it off of some shooting sticks.

 

[hammer24]

I've loaded .44 for rifles and plinking for years, but am relatively new to hunting with the .44 blackhawk. Last year I took out a 240 swc on top of 9 gr. Unique for the blackhawk (my most accurate load.) My 77/44 load is 24.5 gr. H110 under the 240 xtp. My 7 yr. old son shoots a 200 gr. Nosler JHP on 9 gr. Unique out of a handi and took his first deer last year (full pass through and she only ran 30 yds.) I know guys that take a reproduced Skeeter type load hunting and others that swear by the H110 earthshakers. I understand that just about anything out of this gun will do the job given my yardage limitations (around 40 yds.) Just curious what everybody here is using. One of my goals for this deer season is to take a deer with this revolver.