Author Topic: Attention 44 Mag handi shooters (Read 568 times)

James B · « **on:** February 03, 2005, 12:54:03 PM »

I took the Handi-44 Mag to the range today. I put an old Tasco 2x7 World Class scope on it and sighted it in. My load was the 200 Grain Hornady XTP with 11.3 grains of Unique. This load is a little under the starting load in the Horaday manual. I think the starting load is 12.4. The shot well but the primers were flattened somewhat. This load when dead on at 100 yards is 1 1/2 inches high at 50 yards and 1 inch high at 25 yards. It grouped 2 inches at 100 yards which I thought was pretty good as I had about a 15- 20 MPH wind which was not steady.

I would quess that the 200 grain is a little light for deer but I wondered if anyone has used it for deer. It shoots well enough to place shots real well at least to 100 yards. What bullet have you guys had good performance from in the 44 Mag rifle. I wish I had chronographed them but maybe the next nice day. I have a bunch of the 200 grains that I bought at a closing sale at a gun shop several years ago. I have used the 300 grain Hornady a lot but haven't used many others. I am finally out of the 300 grainers.

JPH45 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2005, 01:01:53 PM »

James, the only 200 grainers I have shot in my 44 are cast bullets and only at 1100 fps and less, normally only 850 fps or so. As a deer bullet, I would think the 200 would actually work pretty well, but it is light and will loose it's velocity and energy faster than heavier bullets, but I suspect they would work pretty well on deer.

jeff223 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2005, 01:07:43 PM »

James,you should use caution when going below the start loads that are listed.these different powders are kind of funny.sometimes when you go below the start loads presures can go up for some reason.i dont know why that is but i have been told that by many reloaders smarter than myself.i dont know if that is the reason why your primers are flattened or not.if it were me i would stay within the guidelines of your loading data.

good luck to you and it sounds like you have a good shooter there

James B · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2005, 01:41:27 PM »

Your right about reducing loads to far. I ran into that years ago when I reduced some loads of 4320 in a 30-06. Darn near ruined the gun. Reduced loads of slower powders explode or detinate instead of burning. These primes were a bit flat probably because of a lilltle looser chamber. That would tend to not grip the casing well. Reduced loads, As a rule do not have AS EXTREME effect with pistol powders as with rifle powders However it could still occure. Thanks for the replies.

riddleofsteel · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2005, 01:57:05 PM »

Actually the 200 grain .44 bullets work VERY well on deer. I use them regulary fired from my .50 T/C Renegade with sabots. The last time I chrono'ed them I was getting close to 1700 FPS. I use both the fine Hornady 200 grain XTP hollowpoint and the Nosler 200 grain SJHP depending what I have on hand.
This load is death to whitetails. I have found that 240 grain HP's do not expand on broadside lung shots. 180 HP loads also show a tendancy to blow up if you have to break down a shoulder. The 200 grain HP's are a great compromise and do the job well.
I shot a buck this year at about 75 yards. I jerked the trigger and the 200 grain Hornady XTP hollow point was probably still trucking at close to 1500 fps when it hit him high, just forward of his last rib. At the impact he was knocked off of his feet. The 200 grain hollowpoint entered the big muscle bundle that runs under the backbone, ruptured his aorta, and traumafied his spine and CNS and blew a coffee cup size hole on the other side as it went out. He kicked around on the ground while I reloaded. Before I could get the cap on he jumped up and ran about 35 yards before his entire blood volume was pumped out into his abdomen. He just layed down by a tree and died.
A marginal shot made right by the superior performance of a fine bullet that expanded and did the job.

jeff223 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2005, 02:38:25 PM »

riddleofsteel,i also had bad luck with the 240gr XPT out of muzzleloaders with broadside shots.i killed a bunch of deer with them but the enterance hole looked like the exit hole,the bullet would just punch a hole through them.i got away from them.they were a very accurate bullet though

James B · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2005, 03:14:14 PM »

Thats what I was hoping to hear. My gun loves them and I still have a bunch of them. I will chronoghraph some of them tomorrow. I may get better velocty from another powder but I will check this load first. I did clock them once but I don't remember what speed they were at and I can't find where I wrote it down. Old age, orCRS one or the other.

jbtazgrabber · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2005, 04:36:55 PM »

my 445 s.m. loves um,it shot the 200 better than anything else....kills deer fast <if they move at all>........jb

De41mag · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2005, 07:06:25 PM »

James B;

I made a post some while back about using the Speer 200gr GDHP and 10gr. of Unique. They were very accurate also. Seems that these barrels like light bullets with Unique. At least that is what I have found.
I don't think your in danger of a erratic load. I'd just keep shooting it. Plus side is a lot less recoil.

Dennis