no dog in this fight, but whats wrong with factory 240gr jsp ?
back when i had .44s that was the round. i didnt reload then
Well since back in the day, bears have evolved armor-plating. So nothing but boutique ammo will do nowadays

no dog in this fight, but whats wrong with factory 240gr jsp ?
back when i had .44s that was the round. i didnt reload then
Well since back in the day, bears have evolved armor-plating. So nothing but boutique ammo will do nowadays![]()
All of these recent talks of carrying nuclear loads being too risky for the benefit has caused me to switch to some nice Hornady 240gr XTPs after years of carrying the Buffalo Bore nuclear stuff. I feel good about it. 1350 FPS with a 240gr projectile is still enough power for anything I'll come across in VA.
Well, let me ask another way. Assuming I am going to carry a M329 as my only pistol, what ammo to use in grizzly country? My reading indicates I will be lucky to get off one shot, very lucky to get 2, and unlikely to get 3 at a charging bear. So 1 shot of something I can recover with, and a second shot of the biggest the gun can handle?
I can't figure out why some of you are so hung up on thinking it's pointless to try and squeeze the most power possible out of a cartridge. I understand your point, but telling people to buy another caliber if factory 44mag isn't enough seems counterproductive. You don't have to be a handloader to appreciate the nuance between different loadings for the same caliber. 44mag is very versatile. Why not utilize its versatility?
All this being said, "+p" out of a 329 would be BRUTAL as far as recoil goes.
I read the 44 Mag "hot bear loads" threads, in anticipation for my hopeful retirement in salmon country.
I understand the premise that "if you need more gun, get a .500" but what I think some are missing is that the 329 is a 24oz .44 mag, and to get "more gun" you need to more than double the weight of the gun. That is fine for hanging around the camp, not so good if hiking all day.
If I ever have to use a +P load, it will be because my life is in danger and I won't care if the gun gets beat up. I don't plan to mingle with grizzlies...
So anyway, who has any info on the hottest load for the M329 that won't blow it up? tia Skip
Taken from " The Sixguns and Loads of Elmer Keith " by John Taffin
"Keith early settled on 22.0 grains of 2400 with his Lyman # 429421 , 245 grain cast SWC bullet for 1225 fps out of a 4" S&W , 1400 fps out of a 6 1/2 S&W or 7 1/2 " Ruger .
These are hunting handloads pure and simple with this load taking big game all over the world. "
It's always wise to take advice doled out by Elmer Keith when it concerns the 44 magnum and sixguns .
Gary
Well said !And yet the urban legend persists that Elmer Keith was apparently some sort of self-destructive maniac recoil junky who was never satisfied until his handloads caused a KABOOM, just so that he could buy a stronger revolver and start over again.
Meanwhile, in reality Elmer Keith reportedly only ever blew up a single revolver in his life, a Colt Single Action Army .45, and it didn't even actually blow up because the load was too hot, but rather because he attempted to load a 45-70 bullet in a .45 Long Colt cartridge, which in turn resulted in a massive pressure spike as the .458 bullet engaged the rifling of a barrel made for .452 bullets.