# 44 mag ammo for deer?



## G3guy

Anyone hunt with a 44 mag rifle? If so what ammo do you use and why? I bought my kids 44 mag rifles two years ago for xmas. This past gun season both kids harvested deer. My son shot 2 and my daughter shot 1. All deer were shot with in 50 yds perfectly right behind the shoulder and never went more than 30-40 yards. The guns are sighted in with American Eagle 240 gr hollow points. Even though all 3 deer were put down quickly with only 1 shot each I was not impressed with how the bullets performed. Only had 1 pass through the other 2 I recovered when skinning the deer and were just small fragments instead of a typical “mushroomed” bullet. I’m worried that if perfect shot placement isn’t made recovery of a deer will be tuff. I’m thinking of a 240 gr softpoint may be a better choice but I’m just trying to get a few opinions before I start the process of buying and re-sighting the guns in for next year.


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## dugworm

Ha. I just got back from FFF 20 mins ago with a Henry Big Boy steel .44mag. I'd like to hear some options before I get started.


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## firemanmike2127

I've taken a few deer with my .44 handloads but I shoot a 9 1/2" Ruger Super Redhawk. I've never chronographed my hunting bullets but have had good terminal results with them. Think I used Hornady XTP's but will have to check. I know the loading manual rated the velocity in the 1300 FPS range. I don't have any experience with some of the newer bullets that are now offered. I'll check my load data & post what I've been using tomorrow. Mike


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## ironman172

I use a 300 grn deer stopper jacketed soft point ..... from Georgia arms.... all pass through but run 100-125yrds same size hole on the out as in ..... not a good blood trail at first ,guess the blood needs to fill the chest to get up to the hole
They are tack driver through the ruger deerfield.....
didn't have any in stock for 2 +years, and finally made some so bought 5- 50rds bags..... just in case they become out of stock again (I'll have plenty for hunting)
Thought of trying a hp but don't want fragments in the deer, that it sounds like for top poster might have










http://www.georgia-arms.com/44-rem-mag-3/

http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-44-rem-mag-300gr-jacketed-soft-point/

Thought about trying these hornady 300grn hp

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001570742


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## Flathead76

My favorite when I used to hunt with a handgun was a 240 grain solid lead bullet with a flat nose. Hornady 240 grain xtp was my second choice. The solid lead bullet would drop them where they stood.


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## karp.20

I shoot the Hornady 225g leverevolution. I've shot 7 or 8 deer with these and I think I've always had a pass through. I know for sure that every deer I've pulled the trigger on either dropped right away or fell in under 50 yards.


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## bare naked

firemanmike2127 said:


> I've taken a few deer with my .44 handloads but I shoot a 9 1/2" Ruger Super Redhawk. I've never chronographed my hunting bullets but have had good terminal results with them. Think I used Hornady XTP's but will have to check. I know the loading manual rated the velocity in the 1300 FPS range. I don't have any experience with some of the newer bullets that are now offered. I'll check my load data & post what I've been using tomorrow. Mike


X2 on the XTP. Been using them from late 80s to date. Run mine thru muzzle loaders. 180gr in1-60 twist. 300gr @ 1715fps in 1-23 twist. Good accuracy & terminal ballistics. Only had 1 deer out of 30+ go more than 30yds( bad hit on moving shot). Find out what gr. your gun likes & try them. I think you will be happy.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

X2 on the leverevolutions. I also have had good results using them in my Ruger 45lc’s. Cor-Bon also makes some good handgun ammo.


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## M R DUCKS

I also use a .44 cal bullet, 300 grain Hornady XTP
But mine is in the muzzle loader.


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## firemanmike2127

I was impressed with the performance of the Lever Revolution in my son's 1895 Marlin 45-70. He's only taken one deer with it so far but it dropped within 10'. I'll add that his shot placement was very good. The projectile mushroomed out well & left a good sized wound channel. The shot was taken at a distance of <40 yards. Mike


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## G3guy

I have shot some XTP’s but not out of the 44 rifle. I had mixed results with them. They definitely killed deer but I had several bullets that the jacket separated from the rest of the bullet. I was shooting out of a muzzleloader back 20 years ago though. That separation of the bullet is what I’m trying to stay away from.


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## fireline

I have had good results with 240 gr Hornady XTP, these are a few I dug out deer that I have shot with my muzzle loader using the XTP at 1600 FPS, some at 10 yards some at 100 yards.


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## buckeyebowman

To my mind, it doesn't sound like the OP has a problem with the caliber of the bullet, just the performance of the bullet those particular cartridges were loaded with. 

FWIW, I absolutely LOVE the Hornady 240 gr bullet out of my muzzleloader. It took me a while to find it. I tried a whole bunch of loads until I hit on the Hornady. It's really accurate, and devastating on game!


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## kanu

I have been using factory Federal 240 grain jacketed hollow points in a single shot CVA with a 3X9 Bushnell scope. The scope is usually set at 6 power because the max range out my blind is 110 yds. Both deer killed this year were at 55 yards with a high shoulder shot and a neck shot. Both dropped on the spot. I have used the rifle for several deer with the same cartridge. Because of my location, I prefer no pass through, so I will use a high shoulder, neck or head shot. All of which drop the deer in its tracks.
I have been more than pleased with the ammo and rifle.


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## G3guy

This is a pic of bullet fragments that I found in the deer that I shot this year with one of the kids 44 mag rifle. Head shot at about 35-40 yards. Dropped in its tracks but the bullet never exited the head. Basically the bullet exploded and these two pieces were the biggest I could find. I just don’t want that bullet exploding if one of the kids happen to center on the shoulder instead of just behind it or have a angled shot where that bullet hits the opposite shoulder and basically wastes the whole shoulder.


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## ironman172

Sure wouldn't want to find fragments like that in a deer, especially the meat.... never really cared for buck shot in the rabbit meat when younger ..... anymore I still like a broad head kill..... but these jacketed soft points have worked well


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## buckeyebowman

G3guy said:


> This is a pic of bullet fragments that I found in the deer that I shot this year with one of the kids 44 mag rifle. Head shot at about 35-40 yards. Dropped in its tracks but the bullet never exited the head. Basically the bullet exploded and these two pieces were the biggest I could find. I just don’t want that bullet exploding if one of the kids happen to center on the shoulder instead of just behind it or have a angled shot where that bullet hits the opposite shoulder and basically wastes the whole shoulder.
> View attachment 339135





ironman172 said:


> Sure wouldn't want to find fragments like that in a deer, especially the meat.... never really cared for buck shot in the rabbit meat when younger ..... anymore I still like a broad head kill..... but these jacketed soft points have worked well


OK, this clarifies things greatly! First of all the OP has now clarified that this was a head shot! That is a shot I have never taken because the head moves around too much! But, if you got lucky and hit there, you didn't ruin any meat, true! But, you also shot at the strongest bone on any critters body! The skull protects the brain, and the brain makes the whole critter run! 

You couldn't find anything but slivers. OK, maybe this is partly due to the bullet, but I think it's also due to your target choice. Not much soft tissue in the skull unless you talk about the brain! I've had buddies shoot feral cats in the head with pellet guns, and have the pellets bounce right off! Oh, the cat felt it, but it did not die! They'd be back after a while!


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## G3guy

buckeyebowman said:


> OK, this clarifies things greatly! First of all the OP has now clarified that this was a head shot! That is a shot I have never taken because the head moves around too much! But, if you got lucky and hit there, you didn't ruin any meat, true! But, you also shot at the strongest bone on any critters body! The skull protects the brain, and the brain makes the whole critter run!
> 
> You couldn't find anything but slivers. OK, maybe this is partly due to the bullet, but I think it's also due to your target choice. Not much soft tissue in the skull unless you talk about the brain! I've had buddies shoot feral cats in the head with pellet guns, and have the pellets bounce right off! Oh, the cat felt it, but it did not die! They'd be back after a while!


Did you read my first post? The 3 deer my kids shot were not head shots. Also I didn’t just get lucky to hit a deer in the head. When a deer stands in front of you looking at you with the “ deer in the headlights pose” a head shot at close to medium range with a rifle is fairly easy to do. And at close range ( 30 yards or so) the back of the deers head should of had an exit hole ( a good sized one at that) If I could shoot every deer in the head I wouldn’t care what ammo I shot it with because the deer would be jerky eazy- peazy. But with young kids I want them to take that behind the shoulder shot and want a bullet that will mushroom and retain most of its weight and punch through the other side to aid in tracking if needed.
I’m headed to Vances / Buckeye outdoors or somewhere else probably this week and buying a few different types of bullets most likely XTPs and Winchester soft points in 240 grain. Going to save some milk jugs up, to do a penetration test and hopefully bullet recovery. I will post results after I get enough jugs together. Stay tuned to this thread if your interested in the results


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## Richman

Winchester white box 240 jhp, deer and bear loads. Have had great success out of a Ruger 77/44. Great accuracy as well as knock down power


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## kanu

G3guy,
Thanks for the info. Looking forward to you test results.


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## G3guy

kanu said:


> G3guy,
> Thanks for the info. Looking forward to you test results.


Going to be a while till I get enough milk jugs.


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## Jungle

G3guy said:


> Anyone hunt with a 44 mag rifle? If so what ammo do you use and why? I bought my kids 44 mag rifles two years ago for xmas. This past gun season both kids harvested deer. My son shot 2 and my daughter shot 1. All deer were shot with in 50 yds perfectly right behind the shoulder and never went more than 30-40 yards. The guns are sighted in with American Eagle 240 gr hollow points. Even though all 3 deer were put down quickly with only 1 shot each I was not impressed with how the bullets performed. Only had 1 pass through the other 2 I recovered when skinning the deer and were just small fragments instead of a typical “mushroomed” bullet. I’m worried that if perfect shot placement isn’t made recovery of a deer will be tuff. I’m thinking of a 240 gr softpoint may be a better choice but I’m just trying to get a few opinions before I start the process of buying and re-sighting the guns in for next year.


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## Jungle

I’d like to 300 grain Hornaday XTP’s they shoot good and get plenty a knockdown power and mushroom good


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## buckeyebowman

G3guy said:


> Did you read my first post? The 3 deer my kids shot were not head shots. Also I didn’t just get lucky to hit a deer in the head. When a deer stands in front of you looking at you with the “ deer in the headlights pose” a head shot at close to medium range with a rifle is fairly easy to do. And at close range ( 30 yards or so) the back of the deers head should of had an exit hole ( a good sized one at that) If I could shoot every deer in the head I wouldn’t care what ammo I shot it with because the deer would be jerky eazy- peazy. But with young kids I want them to take that behind the shoulder shot and want a bullet that will mushroom and retain most of its weight and punch through the other side to aid in tracking if needed.
> I’m headed to Vances / Buckeye outdoors or somewhere else probably this week and buying a few different types of bullets most likely XTPs and Winchester soft points in 240 grain. Going to save some milk jugs up, to do a penetration test and hopefully bullet recovery. I will post results after I get enough jugs together. Stay tuned to this thread if your interested in the results


OK, re-read it and understand more now. I thought that the deer you shot in the head you recovered fragments from. Now I see that the deer the kids shot behind the shoulder exhibited the same. I agree, that's a problem! Bullets for game should not behave that way, although I can understand it when contacting skull bone. Come to think of it, it almost sound like the "frangible", fuselage safe ammo that air marshals carry! It's designed to, basically, explode on contact so it won't punch through the body and endanger the plane. But then, nobody's going to think about eating a hijacker! 

And I've seen quite a few threads here about some pistol caliber rifle loads exhibiting some squirrely behavior on game. I recall a few about the .45-70 Gov't, I think, making deer look like they'd been hit with an RPG! 

I look forward to your research!


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## $diesel$

What about a flat nosed soild lead round?
I imagine they're not as acurate as a conical round, but might be worth a try. Much cheaper as well.


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## G3guy

I’ve thought about a semi wadcutter. But don’t want the chance of barrels getting leaded even though I or the kids won’t be shooting a lot of ammo through the guns. And depending on the ammo they are just as expensive as premium ammo.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

Federal recently teamed up with Henry and came up with hammerdown. Just got an email from Henry today and read about them. Might google it and check them out. Looked very promising and made specifically for lever guns in certain calibers.


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## firemanmike2127

Sorry for the delayed reply.....I forgot to post my load info. This is what I've been shooting in my Super Redhawk. 200 grain Speer Jacketed SWC-HP # 4225 on top of 22.5 grains of # 2400 Hercules. Load data records show 1400 FPS but I'm not sure what barrel length correlates to that #. I have not chronographed this load but it has successfully dropped 5 or 6 deer with good stopping power. Mike


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## G3guy

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> Federal recently teamed up with Henry and came up with hammerdown. Just got an email from Henry today and read about them. Might google it and check them out. Looked very promising and made specifically for lever guns in certain calibers.


Did the email say anything about when the ammo will hit store shelves? Federal website just says coming soon. But after reading about it it sounds like exactly what I’m looking for.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle/hammerdown/
this is all it says . Probably same thing you saw


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## Aj Smith

G3guy said:


> Anyone hunt with a 44 mag rifle? If so what ammo do you use and why? I bought my kids 44 mag rifles two years ago for xmas. This past gun season both kids harvested deer. My son shot 2 and my daughter shot 1. All deer were shot with in 50 yds perfectly right behind the shoulder and never went more than 30-40 yards. The guns are sighted in with American Eagle 240 gr hollow points. Even though all 3 deer were put down quickly with only 1 shot each I was not impressed with how the bullets performed. Only had 1 pass through the other 2 I recovered when skinning the deer and were just small fragments instead of a typical “mushroomed” bullet. I’m worried that if perfect shot placement isn’t made recovery of a deer will be tuff. I’m thinking of a 240 gr softpoint may be a better choice but I’m just trying to get a few opinions before I start the process of buying and re-sighting the guns in for next year.


I use Winchester hollow points they seen to work ok from my cva


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## Popspastime

Nosler 240 XP's get the job done.


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## M.Magis

A lot of the cheaper 44 ammo is designed for handgun velocities, you just need an ammo proven to perform will at higher rifle velocities. Hornady XTP bullets are one of the best you’ll find, though I’m sure there are others that also work well. I use the American Eagle for rough sight in, then fine tune and hunt with the Hornadys. No need to wait for something new and unproven.


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## buckeyebowman

M.Magis said:


> A lot of the cheaper 44 ammo is designed for handgun velocities, you just need an ammo proven to perform will at higher rifle velocities. Hornady XTP bullets are one of the best you’ll find, though I’m sure there are others that also work well. I use the American Eagle for rough sight in, then fine tune and hunt with the Hornadys. No need to wait for something new and unproven.


I love those bullets out of my muzzle loader! Tried a ton of different ones before I found them. Powerbelts loaded easy as pie, but I couldn't get them to group worth a damn! TC Shockwaves were fairly accurate, but I needed the strength of the Hulk to get them down the barrel! There were other abortive efforts, and then I found the Hornady XTP's! I've also read and heard that Barnes makes a very good bullet.


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