44 MAG Hunting loads

[GB5]

I would like ya'lls opinions on best bullet/primer/powder for a deer load.  I will be using a S&W 629 (6 in. barrel).  I don't have alot of time for load experimentation and don't believe in reinventing the wheel when I have access to others experience.  Thanks in advance.

[yooper77]

I am assuming you are reloading?

What do you have on hand?   Cases, Bullets, Powder, Primers, Dies?

Hard cast or jacketed bullets bullets, from 240 to 355 grain bullets with H-110 powder.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

yooper77

[jk3006]

I like Starline cases, Hodgdon 110 powder (but Winchester 296 is basically the same thing), 240 grain Hornady XTP's, and CCI 350 Magnum primers. 

If you want a more mild load, try around 22-23 grains.  It's not actually mild, but will work great on deer without abusive recoil.  For a stout load, 24-25 grains.

[Graybeard]

My first choice is any brand of case really with Starline my first choice followed by Winchester and Remington in that order as far as what I use most often. All work just fine.

My bullet of choice for deer is the Hornady 240 XTP-HP. My second choice bullet is the Nosler 240 JHP and to be honest I can't really tell that much difference in accuracy or performance on game.

I use Winchester Large Pistol Primers for standard and Magnum loads most often as that's what's most available here locally but I actually prefer CCI Primers when I can get my hands on them. I do use their Magnum primers when I can get them.

My powder of choice is W296/H110 same powder two names I buy whichever I find and use them interchangably.

So my load for you today is:

Starline .44 Magnum case, Hornady 240 XTP-HP, CCI Magum Primers and 24.0 grains of either H110 or 296.

It duplicates the Hornady factory ammo perfectly and has done just fine on all the many deer I've killed with it. I've yet to have a bullet fail to exit.

If hogs were on the agenda I'd replace the XTP-HP with a cast bullet weighting from 240-260 grains and still use the same powder charge and primer.

[jeager106]

I like and shoot Starline brass too, but for normal pressure lods in that Smith there ain't nothing wrong with 18, 19, 20, or 21 grains of 2400, use Win large pistol primers, and any bullet at 240 grains.
For deer, which are really easy to kill, I'd use a hollow point.
I've used a lot of other powders, H-110 and Win 296 are great for the hi end of things but require a magnum primer and both produce a heck of a fireball muzzle flash.
18 grains of 2400 will kill bambi with great authority.

[buck460XVR]

I've been practicin' with 23.5 grains of H110 under the 240 XTP lit by a WLP primer outta my M629 Mag Hunter. I certainly wouldn't be afraid to bump it up another .5 for huntin'.

[Chenango]

I have bagged 9 whitetail deer (all one shot kills) with Win or Rem cases, 22.5 to 23.5 grains of H110 with a 240 gr. Hornady XTP on top in my 629 classic with 6" bbl. Plenty of power and very accurate.

[Ken ONeill]

Sierra 240 JHC, 23 gr. WW 296, CCI 350, heavy roll crimp, any case, with Starline or WW preferred.

[High Brass]

44 Rem Mag
240gr Hornady XTP
23gr W296
W-W cases
Federal 155 primers
mv=1380 fps out of 7.5" Ruger SRH

[Lloyd Smale]

My go to load for deer hunt with my 29s is a 250 cast swc at a 1000 fps. Its accurate, mild recoiling and has killed every dear and pig ive shot with it. If i had to pick a specific load to get you there id load a 250 keith with 10 grains of unique and a fed std primer. universal clays or power pistol can be substituted at the same weight or you could try 11 grains of herco. Id about bet a dime to a dollar that one of those loads will drive tacks in your smith. Nice thing with that load too is you and your smith will hold up to 10s of thousands of them without a wimper.

[Glanceblamm]

Starline case
23.6gr Win296
CCI 350 Primer
Hornady 240gr XTP HP

My Hornady manual recons that this loading is moving on at around 1,250fps out of my 7.5" SBH. I used this load last Nov putting that XTP just in front of the bucks left shoulder at an
Honest 53yds. The bullet exited just behind the right shoulder with perhaps a 3/4" hole. The deer did the 29yd dash then was down and out.

[Catfish]

The best load I`ve found is a 240 gr. Sierra bullet over a max. charge of Win. 296 with win. primers. ( H-110 is the same thing but I`ve been able to buy the 296 cheaper.) I have use this load in a couple of different guns and have several friend than I load for and this load shoot vry well in all the guns I`ve seen it shot in. The 240 gr. XTP`s are as accurate but don`t have the terminal preformance. The Rem. 240`s are not quite as accurate but have excellant termanial preformance. Speer Gold Dot`s are also good preformers.

[Ak.Hiker]

The Speer 270 grain Gold Dot bullet looks like it would be a good option on larger deer or hogs. Use enough H-110 to run it at 1200 or so. I also like the suggestion of a 250 Keith at about 1000. This is pretty close to some of Skeeter Skelton's 44 Special loads. I think he ran his at 950. Their must be something about the ballistic balance of a Keith 250 at 950. They are good hunting loads in the 44 Magnum as well as the 45 Colt and of course in a strong 44 Special. 

[GB5]

Thanks to you all.  I will check today at the local sporting goods for what is available and try as many of these as my wallet allows.  I love to shoot alot more than my finances do.  I would wager most of you have the same problems.  Thanks again to all of you and your responses.  People like you make this site a pleasure to be on.

[warrior1]

g5 , good luck this fall. i'd be hard pressed to find any load any better than
the ones mentioned in this thread. dan

[gstewart44]

I have used one load formula for the past 15 years -  Starline brass,  CCI mag primers, 20 gr of 2400, and Hornady XTP 240 gr.   Excellent accuracy and expansion,  easy to handle.   

[Lloyd Smale]

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

[Redhawk1]

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

You got that right Lloyd....

[Glanceblamm]

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

I know what you are saying Lloyd (you probably taught me in fact) that those hard cast dont need to be pushed that fast at all to get Incredible penetration along with the accuracy that would be great on the larger animals at rakish angles. I am practicing with (bargin cast) in a RNFP and they do shoot great but the Meplat and the flat point appear a bit small for me to trust for the hunting. The cure (of course) will be for me to get an LBT mold and a lube/sizer.
I would have owned these by this summer cept for some illness and a tight budget. Until then, those XTP's will suffice.

[Graybeard]

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

Not likely so long as like I said the use is for deer. Once you move past that to larger, heavier or more dangerous game I fully agree it's time to move to cast. Cast will ALWAYS work but honestly on soft critters like deer I still prefer the Hornady XTP.

[S.B.]

245 SWC hard cast (I prefer Keith's design) at around 1100 fps. Cost is less than jacketed and recoil is on the mild side, compared to factory rounds. My S&Ws shoot these very well, all day. I know there is no best brush bucking bullet but, these seem to buck brush better than the rounded nose of any jacketed bullets I've tried. I hunt in thick timber.

[jk3006]

Then how is it that JJHACK has successfully used XTP's out of his .44 to shoot 100 or more black bear with good results ( more instant kills) than when he also tried cast bullets?  Has anyone here even shot 10 black bear?  I realize this discussion is about deer, but if Jim says the XTP's have never failed him on black bear, then I would assume one would experience the same with deer.   

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

[Cottonwood]

I use one cast bullet for all my needs simply because I can encounter bears along the way.

305-gr WFN GC
15.5 gr of 2400
CCI #300 primer

This is a very nice handling load in my S&W 629 6" with great penetration.

[S.B.]

Then how is it that JJHACK has successfully used XTP's out of his .44 to shoot 100 or more black bear with good results ( more instant kills) than when he also tried cast bullets?  Has anyone here even shot 10 black bear?  I realize this discussion is about deer, but if Jim says the XTP's have never failed him on black bear, then I would assume one would experience the same with deer.   

all these jacketed bullet uses some day youll learn the error of your way 

Then how is it that JJHACK has successfully used XTP's out of his .44 to shoot 100 or more black bear with good results ( more instant kills) than when he also tried cast bullets?  Has anyone here even shot 10 black bear?  I realize this discussion is about deer, but if Jim says the XTP's have never failed him on black bear, then I would assume one would experience the same with deer.   

all these jacketed bullet users  some day youll learn the error of your way 

I think JJH uses XTPs to sting them and be able to administer a coup de gras?

[countryrebel]

I have killed many deer with the 44 mag using jacketed bullets. The 240 xtp works good and I have yet to recover one even on shots over 100 yards. I get good accuracy in all the guns I have shot this load in.

My load is,
240xtp
23.5 grains of H110
CCI 350 mag primer
Starline nickel cases and a good crimp

Marlin 1894ss with 20" barrel=1750fps
Ruger redhawk 4" barrel=1300fps
Ruger super redhawk 7.5" barrel=1450fps

[jk3006]

JJHACK does say that the .44 and up calibers with hollow points have the ability to very quickly and decisively decide matters EVERY time.  If he was only shooting them to sting them, then that wouldn't be the case.  However, because the bears, if they didn't drop on the spot, would indeed coil back and bite at their wound it did give him adequate time for the follow-up shot.  Also, he says that even 240 grainers would almost always exit the bear with broadside shots even after breaking one of both shoulders.  In my opinion it's hard to argue with that success.   

I think JJH uses XTPs to sting them and be able to administer a coup de gras?

[Lloyd Smale]

I wont argue that a xtp will cleanly kill a deer or bear or that the will ALMOST allways penetrate. But a cast bullet will ALLWAYS penetrate, cost less and a guy doenst have to put limits on the size of the critter hes going to hunt. I dont want to have to start load developement all over again because i decide to use a gun to shoot a larger animal. Cast will take care of all of the smallest to largest kill just as well and usually ruin less meat doing it.

JJHACK does say that the .44 and up calibers with hollow points have the ability to very quickly and decisively decide matters EVERY time.  If he was only shooting them to sting them, then that wouldn't be the case.  However, because the bears, if they didn't drop on the spot, would indeed coil back and bite at their wound it did give him adequate time for the follow-up shot.  Also, he says that even 240 grainers would almost always exit the bear with broadside shots even after breaking one of both shoulders.  In my opinion it's hard to argue with that success.   

I think JJH uses XTPs to sting them and be able to administer a coup de gras?
 

[Graybeard]

I certainly won't argue with your logic Lloyd as indeed cast will work EVERY TIME. Still for me so do jacketed on deer and deer are what I hunt primarily. There is ZERO chance I'll see a bear anywhere I hunt and if I do I better be able to prove it was my life it the bear's if I shoot cuz it's illegal to shoot them here. Most places I hunt deer hogs aren't an option either but if they are a real possibility the JHPS stay home and the cast goes hunting with me.

I don't have to work up new loads for each cuz I did that 30 years ago and have no need to do it over again. I have multiple .44 magnums and can even have different ones sighted in for different loads with no sweat.

Rightly or wrongly it is my personal observation on deer taken by me with both that JHPs are a bit more effective at dropping them in sight of me than are cast. Both work fine and I'm not concerned about losing a deer with either. Back when I was casting a lot I tended to use them more but now I seldom ever cast and can get JHPs with a phone call at no cost so it just makes sense to me to use the JHPs since from my experience they work better anyway on deer.

[AtlLaw]

There is ZERO chance I'll see a bear anywhere I hunt

A little off topic but that surprises me!     Haven't thought about it but there were 3 killed buy cars less then three miles from my house within the space of a week a couple months back; a sow and cubs I'd bet.  They expanding their north Jawja range a lot.  Figgured they'd be in North Alabama to. 

[Graybeard]

There is a population in south Bama, FL and GA and more north in TN, north GA and perhaps continguous areas in northern Bama. From time to time young males come thru looking for new territory in the other end of the populations after being kicked out at home. They have been seen coming thru but all are on the move and not hanging around.

To shoot a bear in Bama without being able to PROVE your life was in danger will cause you to see jail time. I know folks who have seen a young male bear passing thru and in fact our next door neighbors claim to have seen one at their pond down front many years ago before we moved out here. I've spent my entire life roaming the outdoors here and never even seen sign of a bear much less a bear in the flesh. We just don't have enough large expanses of woods here to support a population I guess.