44 Mag Ballistics

[DUANEP]

 I recently pick up a used H&R 44 mag at a gun show and have been putting it through its paces.
I ran some Buffalo bore 300 gr. and got 1810 fps with the 22in barrel. I am no expert on guns
so I ran a ballistics calculator to look at the energy of the round. At the muzzle it produces 2182 fpe.
At 200 yards it had 1133 fpe. That is more than a Factory Hornady 300 grain load (881 fpe) at the muzzle.
I would have no doubt that I could take an elk with the 300 gr. Hornady round 5ft away with a handgun.
On the ballistics calculator I set it at a 135 yard zero. That gave me a 150 yard straight shot. 4.8 in low at 175 yards and 9.3 at 200 yards.
Would this make this a 200 yard elk gun? On paper it looks good but I want some opinions from people who have hunted with a 44 mag.
 Any comments will be well received. Duane

[yukondog]

It always looks and sounds good on paper, get some targets set them out at 100,150 and 200 yrds. and shoot that baby and let us know how she does.

[hoytcanon]

If it is your only centerfire rifle, then it is a perfect elk gun... you might want to scale your max range back to 150 yards... but it is certainly NOT an IDEAL elk caliber... do you have any other centerfires?

[Bigeasy]

Done quite a bit of hunting with the 44 mag, mostly in handguns.  A 300 grn bullet at 1800 fps is about the equivalent of a modern 300 grain 45/70 load, with a little better bullet sectional density and probably B.C. to boot.  With a solid broadside chest hit, sure it will take down an elk, even at 200 yards. 
 
Problem is, it is not always prudent to stretch a cartridges performance envelope in hunting conditions.  Will you have a solid rest available?, avoid raking shots?, have time to use a range finder? have the ability to accurately adjust for elevation and windage?, and has that load actually been tested at the ranges you note for accuracy and bullet drop?.  If so, then, yes, its a viable choice.  But once we start getting out of woods ranges, and traditional black powder / handgun cartridge type situations, most hunters want the power and flat shooting abilities of the usual big game centerfire rifle rounds to help eliminate some of the variables I mentioned above.
 
Larry

[Doc Fillem]

Rent the site 445 Supermag reamer and lengthen the chamber. Midway has brass. I did mine recently, the 445 Supermag has quite a thump to it and you can still shoot 44 Mags if you want.

[jpshaw]

With a 300 grain bullet at 1810 I would leave the chamber as is and maybe limit my shots to 150. 

[Brian P.]

It's often hard to judge 150yrds to 200 yrds especially on uneven terrain.  But that could mean an impact change of 9".  I'd keep shots under 150.  Buffalo Bore makes some good stuff!

[petemi]

I agree with Doc Fillem.  I had mine reamed to .445.  It's one of the old over bored barrels, but it shoots Hornady LE 44 mag ammo just fine and I load an oversized cast lead bullet from Montana Bullet Works for the .445.  Below is the last shot sighting in with the .44 Mag and the LEs.

[YRUpunting?]

Your used 44 mag is most likely a SB1 frame, DO NOT ream that to 445 SM.  445 SM is too much pressure for the SB1, you need an SB2 frame for the 445 SM.

[yukondog]

If you dont know if it is a SB-1 or if it's a SB-2 pull the stock off and check out the FAQ and it will tell you everything you need to know.

[petemi]

The guys are absolutely right.  I didn't think of that because all my centerfire rifles are on SB2s.  YES, you need a SB2 for the .445.

Pete