Recommend good bullet for 44 mag to deer hunt with.

[dekeshooter]

I've had great success with 240gr XTP's over the years in muzzleloaders, rifles and handguns.

I have less than good luck with the Hornady FTX bullets. They never as accurate or performed as well on target as the XTP for me.

Last year i tried mid range Nosler 240gr JHP in a Ruger 77/44. The bullet came apart on impact. It penetrated the onside shoulder, but both the bullet's jacket and core where found on the surface of the heart. I was very lucky to recover this deer. I would not recommend this bullet in a rifle or a high velocity handgun load to be used for deer.

 

[oldpink]

I've had great success with 240gr XTP's over the years in muzzleloaders, rifles and handguns.

I have less than good luck with the Hornady FTX bullets. They never as accurate or performed as well on target as the XTP for me.

Last year i tried mid range Nosler 240gr JHP in a Ruger 77/44. The bullet came apart on impact. It penetrated the onside shoulder, but both the bullet's jacket and core where found on the surface of the heart. I was very lucky to recover this deer. I would not recommend this bullet in a rifle or a high velocity handgun load to be used for deer.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/71438

"[FONT=&quot]Swift Muzzle loader and heavy revolver A-Frame® bullets are one in the same. Both initiate expansion at 950 feet per second, expand to .65x their original caliber, and maintain 97% of their weight. They are virtually indestructible at velocities in excess of 3000 feet per second."[/FONT]

 

[oldpink]

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/71438

"[FONT=&amp]Swift Muzzle loader and heavy revolver A-Frame® bullets are one in the same. Both initiate expansion at 950 feet per second, expand to .65x their original caliber, and maintain 97% of their weight. They are virtually indestructible at velocities in excess of 3000 feet per second."[/FONT]

I have the .452 diameter version of these, but I haven't hunted with them, but they are good bullets on the range for me, so you might want to give these a whirl.

 

[kludge]

I have killed deer with those XTPs out of my muzzleloader at ~1900 fps. They worked but expansion was a little more explosive than I prefer. My (limited) experience with .44 mag rifles for deer is that most bullets could use a bit more expansion but if you are concerned about too much expansion with the XTPs Hornady does make a tougher XTP designed for rifles and muzzleloaders. The Barnes .44 mag bullet is also another good option.

At 1900fps you should look into the .45 caliber XTP-MAG in 240gr or 300gr with sabots.

The regular XTP does fine at 1400-1500fps.

 

[two70]

At 1900fps you should look into the .45 caliber XTP-MAG in 240gr or 300gr with sabots.

The regular XTP does fine at 1400-1500fps.

I switched to Barnes MZ so I didn't have to worry about expansion or penetration.

 

[oldpink]

I switched to Barnes MZ so I didn't have to worry about expansion or penetration.

An elegant solution.

 

[ru44mag]

I thought I would give an update on my 44 mag hand loads. I went with a 240 grain Nosler jacketed soft point, with 24 grain H110. I took two deer yesterday with it and the bullet preformed exceptionally well. I am a firm believer that the 44 magnum is the best short range deer round. For me anyways.

 

[tcecil88]

I have been using the Hornady Custom 240 and 300 gr. XTP's out of my .44's with good results. I don't handload, but plan to start, and will keep the Nosler in mind to try.

 

[bartonmd]

I'm not sure if it's available as a component or not, but the .44mag LeverEvolution has been great at taking deer, for my nephew! Not as devastating as my .458 SOCOM with the Barnes 300gr TTSX bullets, but it's very good!

Mike

 

[Max Volume]

Personally working on this one for future use. Beartooth Bullets > Open Sight > Beartooth's .44-250gWFNGC

 

[snapping turtle]

If you need to feed those marlin rifles factory ammo for some reason then the standby tried and true load would be the Winchester white box 240 grain JSP. It is like the mini mag of the 44 mag 1894 marlin rounds. If the rifle does not shoot them well it is not the ammo it is the rifle. They feed shoot and drop deer very well. And yes the 1-38 twist does not stabilize 270-300 grain well.

Since I own a few 44 mags I use the brass cases for rifles. The handguns get the nickel cases as I still use my tried and true 44 mag handgun reloads. Those do not feed into the marlins well. They only shoot so so and having two colors makes it easy to tell which is for which. The lever evolution brass is a little short in length.

You 240 JSP 24 grains h110 with Winchester larger primers is a great load. I attempted to duplicate the WWB and found dropping down to 23 grains was where they were at when I used a chronograph.

 

[Crandall Crank]

You might want to consider using the 265gr version FTX. We handload a "special" version for deer and it is a "one shot..one drop".

 

[BrianT]

240 grain XTP loaded close to max with Lil Gun. I've heard rumors of Lil gun eating forcing cones in revolvers but if you're using a break or lever action .44 it'll work great on deer.

 

[BigRed]

Just saw this thread.... sorry a little "late to the show".

The 240 grain Hornady XTP loaded to the max with Lil Gun as suggested by BrianT is what I have been using for the past few years with a Marlin 1894.

It is an EXCELLENT cartridge for deer, or at least it has been for me. Note - Where I hunt, most shots are 50 - 75 yds.

If they do not drop where hit, they generally do not go more than 10 yds before dropping.