44 Mag & Elk

[rybo]

I tried the search with no luck.
 
Anyone have experience with using a 44 mag for elk? I have a cow tag and am considering possibly using a hand gun. I have a Ruger SBH hunter & a TC contender w/super 14 barrel. Accuracy & shot placement won't be an issue, I'm very patient to get the shot I want, & I practice. I've got a dozen plus handgun deer kills & hog kills. I know if put in the right place a 44 will kill an elk, but I'm just wondering what kind of blood trail & distance it may cover first? My expected load is a stout (but not over max) 300 gr XTP.
Will the contender's performance be that much greater? The revolver is easier to carry, but if the contender has a significant advantage, to me either is an achievement.

[FPH]

What State, and when is your season?

[streak]

Rybo,
 The TC contender, depending on load, could exceed the revolver in velocity by 200 - 260 fps, thus increasing ft/lbs of energy! Therefore flatter trajectory and more "oomph" on impact!!

[Ranch13]

Blood trails and elk sometimes not a good thing. Don't be terribly surprised if you perfectly hit elk , doesn't just shrug and cove 1-300 yds before it piles up...

[sixshot]

Your 44 magnum will certainly handle an elk, I've done it many times. Also your choice of the 300 gr XTP is an excellent one. The TC will give you added distance plus some additional accuracy but your revolver is definitely up to the task if you, as you said, are patient & wait for the right shot, good luck! I like 2 holes, your XTP should give you that.
 
Dick

[keith44]

I find myself repeating this story more often than I'd like, but it has bearing here.  Let me also say up front I have never hunted nor shot Elk, but I have used the 300 grain XTP, and I think my experience with this bullet fired at 1,250 fps from my SRH should ease your mind about the bullets capabilities.


I was hunting whitetail deer on my grandfathers farm a few years ago when a 6 point trotted out across a pasture area, quartering away from me.  I mis-judged the lead and when I fired the deer dropped like a rag doll.  I paced off the shot, 80 paces.  I had hit the deer in the near-side hip, and there was an exit wound just in front of the off-side shoulder.  EVERYTHING in between was destroyed.  Postmortem showed the bullet had penetrated the hip, the pelvis, entered the spinal column and blew out every other vertebrae, turned slightly and split the shoulder bone aft to fore and exited the deer for parts unknown.


Use this load in the contender, or the Black Hawk with confidence.  It WILL get where it needs to.

[cobrad]

My 44 mag story is somewhat similar to keith44's. My load was a 325 gr. CPB WFN GC and 22 gr H110. I shot an almost 600 lb black bear in the base of the neck as he faced me at 10 paces. He froze at the first shot, and dropped in his tracks and rolled down the hill at the second. While skinning him I found both bullets under the hide at the rear of the opposite side hind quarter. Those bullets penetrated over 4' of bear length wise. Gun was a 6" Dan Wesson revolver.

[t-reg]

My 300gr .44 XTP story is different than Keith44's.  15' (feet) going away shot on a doe in a cornfield it wadded up like a piece of bubble gum on her pelvis / hip.  Got very lucky, shot and recovered her later that day.  Switched to hard cast LSWC and never looked back.

[FPH]

Blood trails and elk sometimes not a good thing. Don't be terribly surprised if you perfectly hit elk , doesn't just shrug and cove 1-300 yds before it piles up...

   X2......They are one tough critter.  Your challenge will stalking close enough to get a quality kill shot off.

[rybo]

Thanks for the advice guys, while realizing if presented the perfect opportunity, my revolver or contender would get the job done, my scouting has shown my opportunites could be limited and come at distances where a rifle will be required, so the 44 will have to wait until deer season.

[ted]

A guy form KY shot an elk with his 44 mag revolver using hardcast bullets. It is the first elk handgun kill in KY with the modern elk tags system. The post was made several years ago on this website. I will look and try to find it if this site keeps data back that long.