AMMO

[olydraft]

 Ok, for all of us that are going to hunt with pistol caliber rifles this year, what kind of ammo will you be using??? grain and slug type..  Also any recomendations for .44 mag??   Gary

[topash]

I'll be using 300gr XTP's in a 445 Supermag carbine and 44 mag SRH.  very accurate and kills them dead quickly.


topash

[Dinny]

Ok, for all of us that are going to hunt with pistol caliber rifles this year, what kind of ammo will you be using??? grain and slug type..  Also any recomendations for .44 mag??   Gary

Gary,
  I'm kinda pistol-caliber poor this year. For the .357 Max, I will likely use the 180gr Hornady SSP bullet. For the .44 Mag, I will use the 240gr Hornady XTP. Finally, for the .45LC, I will use either the 250gr Barnes XPB or the 360gr Cast Performance LFP.

For .44 Mag recommendations, my Ruger semi-auto rifle likes the 240gr XTP the best, good thing it's a good bullet.

Thanks, Dinny

[schoolmaster]

The .358 BFG custom Savage will use the 200 grain Barnes TSX over Benchmark powder at 2640 f/s. The .357 Maximums will shoot the 180 grain Hornady SSP, the .357 magnums will shoot the 158 grain Remington soft point, the .44 mag Marlin will shoot the 270 grain Gold Dot, the 44 H&R will shoot either the 240 grain Remington soft point or the 240 grain Hornady XTP. Most .44 mags will shoot some type of 240 grain jacketed bullet fairly well. I like the Hornady and Remington bullets. If you are shooting factory loads the Winchester 240 grain soft point in the white box is pretty consistant and will do the job. I have not tried any of the FTX but they should work also. Some guys like the wide nosed hard cast bullets and they never fail to penetrate and make a good bone smashing wound channel. Its pretty hard to go wrong with the .44 mag. it is a deer killing caliber.

[ELMO]

  I have had great results (a real deer getter) using the Hornady 240gr XTP bullet over 24.0gr of W296 powder. This load shoots very accurate from my Handi .44 mag rifle. I just finally found a load that will shoot accurate out of my Ruger 77/44 rifle and that is using the Speer 270gr GDHP bullet and 20.0gr of W296. I mainly use starline brass for most of my reloading. I also have a .41 mag Marlin rifle that I will use deer hunting too, and a .357 mag youth stock Handi my grandson will use. As far as using the .44 mag on deer, excellent choice....     

[Old Syko]

5 posts and only one slight mention of a cast slug.     The subject is "Pistol calibers".  No need for high dollar complex jacketed slugs.  A cast slug with a wide flat meplat will perform at least as well, and in most cases, better than anything else for less money.  As an example, the XTPs tend to become very explosive varmint bullets at higher velocities than suggested by the manufacturer.

Gary, that 44 won't do any better than a good cast slug of 240 grains or more over a good load of H110 and you can use the extra money to practice more.    

[The Commissioner]

I get one inch groups with my 77/44 at 75 yards using 240 gr. WWB purchased at Wally World.  Not sure the Leverevolution ammo is going to do much better.  I like the idea of sticking with the lower cost stuff and practicing more.

[dieselman]

When I got my 44mag handi I had some brass (someone gave me) I had some powder primers but, hadn't bought any bullets yet. Well hunting with smoke poles for so many years I started diggin through my sabots and I bought some TC cheap shots (lead 240 gr hps) toss the sabot and used them to try it out and they shoot good almost same POI as the xtps. I'd use them to check my sights with before deer season. They do a very good job on deer, I mostly use the 240gr xtps though cause they hit hard and do there job. One shot one kill on all the deer I have shot with them, in both the muzzle loader (.50cal) and the Handi 44mag. The 158gr xtp in my 45cal (.357 sabot) smoke pole, and 158gr xtps in my .357mag pistol. they just work.

[srussell]

WHAT EVER I USE WILL BE CAST

[teddy12b]

I'll be using hornady 240gr XTP/HP out of my 44mag rifle over H110.  Worked pretty good the last time a deer got in front of it.

[pennsyltuckymoose]

The past two seasons I used a Nosler 240JHP.. got six or seven one shot kills(I'm getting old and forgetful)  two were in a picked bean field; both were over 150 yds... having said that.. I'm in the process of working up loads for my two 44 rifles using a 280 LFN cast with a LBT mold.... although the 240's worked fine, I considered myself very lucky... not one of them was a complete pass thru... I like to "make em' leak" in case blood trailing is called for... I use the high shoulder shot and most of them dropped in their tracks..

TheMoose

[teddy12b]

Mine was 60 yards broad side and the 240gr XTP/HP bullet didn't exit either.  Then again it's a hollow point and was found just under the skin on the opposite side.  I couldn't have really asked for better performance.

[jburris2001]

500 s&w 440 gr lfngc might try modifing into hollow points. dont know yet. as far as 44 goes ive always had good luck with the leverroution

[olydraft]

good comments, right now I`m practicing with 240 gr sw and they do quit well. just might stick with them...