44 mag ammo for a rifle.

[Forestclimber]

Does any company manufacture ammunition specifically for a 44 mag rifle?  I've seen the Hornady Laveration bullets.

[Sourdough]

I don't think so.  The liability would be too great. 

My wife shoots a Marlin .44 Mag Carbine.  Several years ago she loaded up some shells using the LYMAN manual.  These loads were specifically for the .44 Carbine, and had a warning that they were too potent for the Pistol.  She stored them in a Ziplock that was well marked.  They shot well in her carbine, and she was happy that they seemed to have a bit more authority than the loads I had always loaded for her.  Over the years, and a move to DC then back to Alaska.  While in DC we made a few trips to Tennessee to hunt Deer, and hauled them in a bag to and from.  Eventually the markings and warnings wore off. 

A couple of years after returning to Alaska I was going to the range.  I grabbed my Ruger Super Blackhawk.  There was this bag of .44 shells in the vault, so I picked them up, forgetting about how hot they were loaded.  I went to the range, and the recoil of the first shot told me something was wrong.  I looked at the gun and noticed the top strap of the frame was bent upwards.  The cylinder would not turn, and I could see a crack along the sides of that chamber.  Could not remove the cylinder to unload the gun.  I realized I had been lucky I had not been hurt. 

[Lloyd Smale]

your lucky your marlin made it through shooting that ammo! A super blackhawk will take about any load a marlin will. A redhawk will take even more then a marlin. About the only lever gun stronger then then a superblackhawk is a 92 winchester or a copy of one. the 92s are brute strong and will even take 454 ammo in stride. to bend the top strap of a ruger super you were into pressures that were WAY over the edge. Pressures that could only be reached with a mistake. There isnt a published load anywhere that will do that to a ruger. Rugers are proofed with loads that are substantialy heavier then factory 454 ammo is. About the only way to get pressures high enough to destroy a ruger is a double charge of fast powder. I made a major mistake myself a couple years ago. I was loading 45 colts with 18 grains of 2400. I accidently dumped in unique instead. the only result was a bulged cylinder. Now that was with my montado which is a small framed ruger. I would guess that a full sized ruger with its heavier cylinder would have probably come through that ordeal in tact. I would like to know what that recomended load lyman listed was. Id bet you a dime to a dollar that my rugers would eat it for lunch.

[cwlongshot]

Believe it or not YES there is such a thing. Although its fallen by the wayside in refiner years as there are many 44 mag chambered rifles. Back in the Day Rugers auto was a popular carbine with close range deer hunters. At least here in the north east. Remington marketed 20 end boxes of 240 SP specifically for hunting use. Most hunters where used to 20 end boxes for there hunting 30-30 308 30/06 etc so that's how they marketed it.

Today any 44 mag ammo is likely just fine for shooting or targets. But the same mentality is sound. Rifles profuse higher velocities. So it stands to reason a 180 HP you may use defensively in a 4" Rev may not work so well from a 20" carbine barrel. If hunting big game, YOU ARE CORRECT you will get shallow penetration and horrific WOUNDS. You may occasionally experience lightning bolt kills too. To my mind it's not humane. Not ethical to take that chance I mean. Choose a quality SP bullet of atleast 240g and you will have a good 44 hunting load.

CW

[chefjeff]

I know my ruger carbine loves Rem. green box 240 jhp.Been a hammer on short range bucks for me.

[Sourdough]

Lloyd Smale:  There was a warning on the page that this load was for rifles only.  It specifically said not to shoot them in pistols.  This load was found in an old Lyman Manual that I have from back in the 70s.  And the Marlin shot them fine with no high pressure signs.  Newer editions of the Lyman Manual do not list these loads.

I did come home and pull all those bullets, and pour out the powder.  I reloaded them to my T/C loads.

[Lloyd Smale]

could be that they were refering to shooting that load in something like a smith and wesson but a ruger super blackhawk will take any load a marlin 94 will and probably even more and although that loading manual was probably made before redhawks even existed a redhawk 44 mag will handle loads that will send your marlin home in a box.

[Lloyd Smale]

I think alot of this was because the semi auto rugers need ammo that didnt have bullet seated out far and didnt do well with cast. Probaly many bought ammo for them that just didnt work.

Believe it or not YES there is such a thing. Although its fallen by the wayside in refiner years as there are many 44 mag chambered rifles. Back in the Day Rugers auto was a popular carbine with close range deer hunters. At least here in the north east. Remington marketed 20 end boxes of 240 SP specifically for hunting use. Most hunters where used to 20 end boxes for there hunting 30-30 308 30/06 etc so that's how they marketed it.

Today any 44 mag ammo is likely just fine for shooting or targets. But the same mentality is sound. Rifles profuse higher velocities. So it stands to reason a 180 HP you may use defensively in a 4" Rev may not work so well from a 20" carbine barrel. If hunting big game, YOU ARE CORRECT you will get shallow penetration and horrific WOUNDS. You may occasionally experience lightning bolt kills too. To my mind it's not humane. Not ethical to take that chance I mean. Choose a quality SP bullet of atleast 240g and you will have a good 44 hunting load.

CW

[smokehouserex]

 
 
  Hey Sourdough:
 
  You are  probably right, there is a special load listed for the 44 Mag. Rifle, called, (rifle data) in the 47th edition lyman manual. The load for 4227, 240gr.jacketed bullet is 1.9  gr difference than the pistol data but, the H110 and 2400 is not more than about .5 gr. difference. SR-4756 is about 3.3 gr difference, could cause some fireworks i'm sure.
  HM

[cwlongshot]

I agree. OAL is a factor even with some bullets for reloading. IE Sierra 300's are labeled not for all guns.

Soft point bullets are another IMHO. The bigger reason. Hal's just over expand when subject to upwards of 400 fps increase in velocity!

CW

[ironglow]

  Another hint;
   It was years ago when I read an article written by a fellow who is supposed to be a "regular" at hunting big game with a handgun.  He listed his favorite "recipe" for his hunting loads.  Trustingly, I loaded to his specs..   When I tried them, they seemed stiff, so when I removed the spent shell I could see that the primer had flowed to a very flat configuration..filling out to the tiniest corner of the primer...did the same in my .44 mag Shikari !
     Moral of the story;  no matter how 'authoritative' someone may seem, work up your own loads...starting low..

[Forestclimber]

I don't reload.  I'm looking for factory loads.

[Bigeasy]

Since you don't reload, I would just stick to any good quality factory 240 / 250 grain loads, usually loaded to about 1200 / 1300 fps out of a handgun, they will do about 1700 / 1800 fps out of a longer rifle barrel, and will work fine as a close range deer killer.  Longer (heavier) bullets can lead to functioning problems because of OAL in both Marlins and Ruger semi's.  Never tried heavier bullets in my Ruger semi, but I know heavier bullets can lead to poor accuracy in my Marlin due to its slow rifling.

[cwlongshot]

  Another hint;
   It was years ago when I read an article written by a fellow who is supposed to be a "regular" at hunting big game with a handgun.  He listed his favorite "recipe" for his hunting loads.  Trustingly, I loaded to his specs..   When I tried them, they seemed stiff, so when I removed the spent shell I could see that the primer had flowed to a very flat configuration..filling out to the tiniest corner of the primer...did the same in my .44 mag Shikari !
     Moral of the story;  no matter how 'authoritative' someone may seem, work up your own loads...starting low..

EXCELLENT ADVICE!!!
 
Forestclimber,
 I agree with B.E., But with the addition, if your hunting with it, use a SP or a XTP bullet. IMHO HPs in pistol bullets have no place for hunting deer when fired form a rifle/carbine barrel. (XTP is the exception, even then I prefer a SP)
 
CW