Redhawk Ammo recommendation

[nhnef]

 I want to hunt deer and bear this year with my Ruger Redhawk in 44mag. I have been shooting Hornady factory ammo with 240 grain XTP bullets and so far only shooting targets with it, or whatever is on sale at Dick's. Mostly shooting for fun not groups or accuracy.

Has anyone used the Leverevolution ammo in a handgun? What about the Black Hills or Buffalo Bore ammo in the 340 grain round?  Has anyone here used cast lead rather than jacketed bullets?  I have a friend that offered to help me reload, so ammo prices will come down and I can practice much more.


Just wondering what others have been used. I'd like to find a round and shoot it exclusively until I am confident with it.

I'm shooting a Redhawk with a 7.50 inch barrel and Williams fire sites.

[luckydawg13]

in my contender 44mag 240 xtp 24g of H110 works

[countryrebel]

If you are hunting black bear 340 is over kill IMO. The 240xtp will work just fine. I have had very good luck  with the 240xtp on deer. Hell I have even used the 180xtp with good results on deer. I use 23.5 of H110 with mag primers behind a 240xtp and get 1450fps out of my 7.5" super redhawk. I bought some 225 flex tip to reload but have not tried any yet. Just wanted to try something new. Lots of guys on here recommend cast bullets which will also work great. I may move to all cast someday at a slower velocity but those 240xtp's just work so good. What size barrel is your RH?

[Ak.Hiker]

The Redhawk is one tough 44 Magnum. I agree that for deer and black bear stick with the 240 grain loads. If you decide to go after the bigger game like elk or moose than by all means move up to the heavy hardcast loads. I can tell you when I had a Redhawk it would handle  the heavy 320 grain loads with ease.

[nhnef]

My Redhawk is a 7.5" non hunter model so there are no ring cut outs.  Good advice here and I think I'll just stick with the XTP's and reload some up.  I guess no one has tried the leverrevolution stuff?  I like the looks of that pointy bullet but I'm not sure how they group or expand.

Maybe I'll buy a box or two and see how they run.

[Camel 23]

If you are hunting bear, there is no such thing as overkill!  I'm sure the hollow points work well on whitetail but they may or may not work on bear.  I have seen them fail miserably on bear but I have never seen a hardcast fail to penetrate.

[SwampThing762]

I have used 2 loads in my Ruger SB revolver.   Both shoot very well at 50 yards on Florida Hellporkers.  They are:

Lee C429-240-SWC bullet, Winchester case, Remington LP primer, WW296 powder 24.4 grains, COL 1.535 inches @ 1500 fps

Hornady 265 gr FP, Winchester case, Remington LP primer, Hodgdon H4227 powder 20.8 grains, COL 1.535 inches at @ 1300 fps

If they work on bacon, they should work on bruin.

[Tom W.]

Lots of guys on here recommend cast bullets which will also work great. I may move to all cast someday at a slower velocity.

Why go slower? My SRH does wonders with cast wide open.

[Bigeasy]

I have been handgun hunting a long time.  I used to load to the max with 240 / 300 grain XTP's.  They killed deer.  Then I started using 250 / 300 grain hard cast semi wadcutters and flat nose style bullets at about 1000 / 1100 fps, and found they were more pleasant to shoot, and killed deer about the same; usually the deer would run 20 / 50 yards and fall.  An XTP hollow point loaded to max, in the chest MIGHT drop a deer a little quicker, but on angle shots, no difference, except the hard cast will penetrate deeper, and usually exit, giving a good blood trail (especially desirable on bear, as bullet holes seem to fill up with fat, limiting the blood trail).  What ever load you choose, practice, practice, practice, and limit your shots to the range in which you can keep all your shots on a paper plate from a field position.  By the way, the Redhawk is an excellent and strong revolver.  I have yet to wear mine out, and not for lack of trying..

Larry

[Mikey]

What Bigeasy said.

[kynardsj]

Your Redhawk is going to have a preference as to what it shoots best, like all other guns. Find one that shoots good and hits hard and what Bigeasy said......practice, practice, practice. The fastest bullet isn't always the most accurate. None of my guns, whatever the caliber, like the hottest loads in the book.

[Lloyd Smale]

well said steve. For deer the xtps are just fine but when stepping up to bear and pigs ive seen them fail too. A good 250 hardcast bullet at about 1200 fps is a much better choise and theres not a thing wrong with stepping up to 300s at about 1100 fps. Ive yet to lose an animal properly hit with one.

If you are hunting bear, there is no such thing as overkill!  I'm sure the hollow points work well on whitetail but they may or may not work on bear.  I have seen them fail miserably on bear but I have never seen a hardcast fail to penetrate.