Pumping up my 44mag and my 444 marlin

[1911crazy]

After talking with Mikey here about it I been thinking of going with the larger weight bullets in both my 44mag ruger redhawk and in my 444 marlin at the sametime.  I picked up some speer 270gr & 300gr soft point bullets.  I figure it would be a great improvement with both guns in penetration and knockdown power.  Has anyone else tried these heavier bullets yet?  After looking at my 444 marlin and finding the loads for my 44mag too i figured i do both guns with heavy bullets.  I have been loading my 444 with the 265gr bullets already.  I figure going bigger is even better.  The 444 marlin will be for one of my sons to bear hunt with.  I figure dad can watch the kids with his 338wm.(backup).
                                                                   Bill

[Catfish]

It really depends on what your going to be shooting. My bullet of choice for the .44 mag. handgun is the 240 gr. Sierra JHP. The only bullet I ever recovered from a deer was from a 10 pt buch shot in the left hind quater and the bullet was just under the skin of the right frount shoulder. For hogs or larger game haver bullet might do better, but total penitration is as far as you can get.

[BRL]

Haven't hunted with my Redhawk yet but have found a load it likes a lot. Speer's 300 gr. jsp at 1,000 fps. The guy who used to load it for me, and started me on that load, shot many deer with it. He was, at the time I knew him, 100% successful with 1 shot kills on deer at under 80 yards (80 was his longest shot with that load).

I just need to practice more as my groups are great at 25 & 50 feet, like most of my other handgun work. But, the groups open up violently at 50 yards with open sights. I assume it's me and need to work that out before I shoot at game with it. 

Good Luck!

[Default_Required]

A while back I wandered into a 500 count box of Hunters supply 240gr flat nose hard cast that do real well out of my Ruger SBH and my H&R Handi , Yet i still dabble in the heavier bullets for both those weapons .. Have had good luck with the 300 gr Hornady XTP , Groups are good in both , havent taken game with it in that caliber yet. tried Win. 296 and Alliant Blue Dot and I think I tried some loads using Bullseye as well.. I decided to stick with the W296.

 The Same 300gr XTP I use it in my 444S ( 1973 manufacture date ) Marlin with the 22" barrel . I get 1" +/- groups at 100 yards , This load took a mature doe at a walked off 90 +/- yards with only about 7-8" of head and neck exposed behind a fallen tree , Well the accuracy held and a 300gr XTP in the neck 2" bellow the jaw left no doubt as to the out come.

 Couldnt be happier with that loading in my Marlin, It was used in combination with R-P Brass / CCI BR2 LRP / And Alliant Reloder 7.

 More recently I had my long awaited order from Bear Tooth Bullets come in, A 330 gr LFNGC with a double crimp groove , In R-P brass with the BR2 primers and Reloder 7 right out of the gate are showing great accuracy from the off hand 75 yard shooting i had a chance to do a couple weekends ago. Havnet had the BTB 330gr slugs long enough to try them out of the 44's yet , but then again i didnt purchase those bullets for them either but it has crossed my mind

   Hope this helps you out a little