Has anyone used the Nosler Sporting Handgun bullets? I am specifically looking for the 44 Mag 240gr JHP but I guess any info would be appreciated.

I’ve been told they are “soft” and am thinking of using them for deer hunting.

I have not used them in my .44 magnums yet but, have used them in my .44 Special. They are very accurate out of my Mod. 624. I don't know what "soft" means but, IMO, they will get the job done!

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BKS:
Nosler is a high quality, mainstream, bullet maker.
Albeit not one of the biggest ones.
If you can get those bullets at a reasonable price, do it.
Sierra is my favorite "mainstream" .44 bullet maker with Hornady next.
They are also the only ones that seem to be available at Midway right now.
But if you have source for the Noslers there is nothing wrong with them.
All reloading supplies seem to be in short supply at this point.
A 240 JHP or JSP out of the 44 magnum is quite possibly the most popular deer hunting revolver round there is.
My current favorite 44 mag bullet is the Cast Perf. 260 WFNGC which is also available.
IMHO the cast bullets are easier to make accurate in a wider variety of chamber throat dimensions.
They also have more penetration if you happen to be up against a tougher animal.

jdlii:
Love your treatment of that 624!
The 4" is the best shooting one of those.

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

I've shot several whitetails with that bullet, most out of my 29-2 but one out of a Marlin carbine. All have performed well, all exited and all were quick kills. Have yet to recover a bullet. I've found these on sale at "hard to resist"prices several times and they are the only jacketed bullets I've used the past several years (mostly shoot my own cast).

Thank you all for the replies.
I have read about ppl having a hard time loading them, deforming the HP almost closed, I was just worried about that and having an exit with them being soft.

Nemo288 that is the exact cast bullet I was looking at. So no problems shooting them out of 629s. All of mine are the full underlug classic models, a 6.5 and an 8 3/8”

If you can match up the shape of the seating stem head with the bullet front there should not be too much distortion.
I have one for SWC's that fits most JHC's well and holds the ogive together.
I always seat and crimp in separate steps.

With the Cast Perf. 260 WFNGC I use 18 grains 2400 in Midway cases and 19 grains in some other cases (forget which ones).
This target is from a 7.5" Redhawk but these loads work fine in my 4" 629-2 as well.
Both those guns have huge chamber throats (.433") and this round bumps up the bullet nicely to fit.
As I got them from Midway they measure .431" to start with.
Great all around 44 mag load.

As you can see I am a big fan of heavy LBT style bullets.
The 280's and up are mostly shot in the 444 and 445.
The designer of the LBT WFN, Veral Smith, wrote a book I recommend: "Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets".
He is not as eloquent as Elmer Keith but is more scientific and a worthy successor to Elmer as a bullet designer.
He will convince you that meplat width is everything when it comes to wound channel size.
Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets by Veral Smith
There is also a lot of cool information for the taking at that website if you poke around.

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

I'd have to say my experience with Nosler's 240gr JHPs is opposite.

They tend to seat on the "too easy" side because they're .4290". Hornady & Sierra run .4300".

If you don't use a sizing die on the tight side &/or your brass is soft, you don't get good bullet-case tension, often needed, especially when using slower powders, or when being shot in lightweight revolvers (jump crimp).

I know, it's only a thousandth, but that's been my observation. Otherwise they're great.

.



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Waiting for the break of day

Have you ever chronographed that load ?

I had tried 5-6 different brand's and with perfect shots I was still tracking up to 95 yards. I switched to Hornady XTP , 240 gr out of 629 4", same shots, same stand, none have gone 20 yards. I am not a Nosler fan, 308 165 gr , both still required a finishing shot. Be Safe,

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I BACK OUR BLUE

No I haven't. Should be ~1160mv / 724me.

It was very accurate in my 5" M629 Classic also.

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Waiting for the break of day

Nice shootin' Bluedot!
It's no secret I like the L frame 44's and that snub 69 does make me hanker.
If I wasn't furloughed at my more lucrative job I'd be sorely tempted to get one.
The modern S&W 44's seem to have tighter throats and bores now so you don't have to hammer the smaller bullets as much to get good accuracy.
Here's what I believe to be that effect (629-2 .433" chamber throat):

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NEMO
"Everything 44"