44 Special Deer Load

[cladd1]

Someone gave me 44 special loads with 185 grain Hornady HP/XTP bullets propelled by 14.5 grains of 2400 powder (pretty mild load). I'm guessing out of my 7 1/2 inch barreled PC 44 mag they're going maybe around 1000 fps. My question is would they work on whitetail deer out to 75 yards? Also have quite a stash of 44 Special loads with 200 grain HC bullets also pushed by 14.5 grains of 2400 (again a very mild load). Would appreciate opinions on whether these are worth looking at for use on whitetail deer or I am simply better off to load up some good 240 grain hunting bullets running in the 1300+ range.

Thanks!

 

[rockquarry]

Might check some load manuals. I don't think you'll get close to 1,000 fps with the first load and even less with the second. Pretty minimal for even close range deer hunting.

 

[Nemo288]

I have a couple of deer loads (I have yet to shoot anything with) developed for the 44 special.
I would carry these in a 3" 696-1.
1) 8.5 gr. Universal, CCI 300, Sierra 210 JHC, 1042 fps (measured in that gun)
2) 12 gr. N105, Beartooth 240 WFNPB, CCI 300, 911 fps.
I am sure I could go to 13 grains with this load.
You could work up a similar one using 2400 ending just short of the famous Elmer loads.

Not much point in making rounds in the special brass if you are using a magnum gun.
Add .5 grains to whatever special load you want and load 'em up in the longer brass.
10 grains Unique/Universal and just about any bullet makes a dandy, easy going, magnum load that will get the job done.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Don't shoot that light bullet in my .44's but I shoot 15 grains of 2400 with a 160gr jacketed bullet in .357 Magnum. I load 16 gr of 2400 with a 240 gr jacketed in .44 spl and 18 gr with a 250 gr cast . Not light loads .

Eddie

 

[cjwils]

You cannot rely on a 44 Special to consistently kill deer unless you hit the deer directly in the brain or the heart. You may say that you can do that, but in a real hunting situation, the chances are that you will not be that accurate. I know some people will disagree, but how many wounded deer might have gotten away from them? Deer may look dainty, but they are a lot tougher than humans. I have seen deer keep running when hit with a shot that would have dropped a man like a rag doll.

I am strongly opposed to hunting any animal with any gun that is not powerful enough to drop it in its tracks. PLEASE give up on the idea of hunting deer with pistol cartridges, except maybe heavy loads with 44 mag or above. If you want to load up 44 Special cases to high velocity, then you should get a 44 mag instead.

 

[radio11]

You cannot rely on a 44 Special to consistently kill deer unless you hit the deer directly in the brain or the heart. You may say that you can do that, but in a real hunting situation, the chances are that you will not be that accurate. I know some people will disagree, but how many wounded deer might have gotten away from them? Deer may look dainty, but they are a lot tougher than humans. I have seen deer keep running when hit with a shot that would have dropped a man like a rag doll.



I am strongly opposed to hunting any animal with any gun that is not powerful enough to drop it in its tracks. PLEASE give up on the idea of hunting deer with pistol cartridges, except maybe heavy loads with 44 mag or above. If you want to load up 44 Special cases to high velocity, then you should get a 44 mag instead.

You are correct--"some people will disagree". Deer are successfully taken every day of every season with "pistol cartridges". If it is legal to do so where the OP plans to hunt, he should do just that--regardless of someone else's moral judgement.


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[mtgianni]

I have positive proof that 13.5 gr of 2400 and a Nosler 240 jhp is a whitetail killer.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

You are correct--"some people will disagree". Deer are successfully taken every day of every season with "pistol cartridges". If it is legal to do so where the OP plans to hunt, he should do just that--regardless of someone else's moral judgement.


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Yep......One killed a buck with a 45acp 1911 with Federal hydrahoks.......Bullet went clean through.....Deer dropped......

 

[vipermd]

I am strongly opposed to hunting any animal with any gun that is not powerful enough to drop it in its tracks.

I guess you do not hunt. I am opposed to poor marksmanship VS caliber.
I know of no hand held weapon except maybe ( a barrett 50 BMG ) that will drop a deer in it's "tracks", 100% of the time with a perfect heart/lung shot. All the deer I have taken with my 629 were during real "hunting situations" and were heart/lung shots all were recovered and my accuracy did not fail because I was hunting, my focus was sharper than on paper. So the OP's 44 spl loads are on the light side, if the OP places the shot properly, ( heart/lung) I would believe he would have a good supply of venison. Be Safe,

 

[Nemo288]

Right where I am is a handgun/shotgun only deer zone.
While I normally would be carrying an O/U with slugs, I have no doubt the backup, crossdraw, 44spl will do the job if I do mine.
The deer down here are not the deep woods monsters they look for up north with rifles.
I basically carry that same gun for deer, turkeys, geese and pheasants
which are all plentiful around here thanks to careful husbandry and smart farmers.
I bought my first revolver with hunting in mind.
It is a 7.5" Redhawk and has killed every deer I have hit.
35 yards is my basic maximum range as I use open sights.
I was also 30+ years younger then
My standard load for it is now 18-19 grains of 2400 under a Cast Perf. 260 WFNGC.
As a backup though it's pretty massive and I prefer the 696 for easy carrying.
I think of it as a black powder equivalent in terms of power.
And it is the magnum version of the 44 Russian.
Getting old changes some of one's options.

 

[cladd1]

Thanks for all the comments - it sounds like I would be best served to use my 44 Special loads for target practice and either load up or purchase some factory 44 magnum loads with 240 grain HP bullets.

 

[Jingles]

Either of your loads will work if you hit them in the right spot. A fellow posted a few weeks ago that he took a deer with a .38 Special. Shot placement is the key.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Brian Pierce , a few yrs back wrote quite an article in a magazine about hunting with the 44 special . Google will have it for you , it's called " Brian Pierce on the 44 special " . This should answer a lot of your questions .

 

[Cleveland48]

A guy on another forum I frequent takes elk every year with a 44 special and WFN GC bullets. Not sure of the grain bullet, but his velocity is 1000 fps. I believe it will take deer just fine.


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[cjwils]

I guess you do not hunt.

I killed maybe 20 deer in my younger years; all with a .243 or 30-06. Every one dropped in its tracks. Maybe 3 of them struggled to rise again but could not get up. Not one deer that I hit ever got away. How many people who hunt deer with pistol cartridges can say that their deer routinely drop on the spot so that the risk of loss is minimized? I am not trying to start an argument about this, but I hope that pistol hunters will honestly reflect on what they are doing.

 

[iPac]

I killed maybe 20 deer in my younger years; all with a .243 or 30-06. Every one dropped in its tracks. Maybe 3 of them struggled to rise again but could not get up. Not one deer that I hit ever got away. How many people who hunt deer with pistol cartridges can say that their deer routinely drop on the spot so that the risk of loss is minimized? I am not trying to start an argument about this, but I hope that pistol hunters will honestly reflect on what they are doing.

It's a losing battle trying to interject logic for some. Some people have ethics and morals about how they take their game, but the majority don't.

I think handgun hunting should be done responsibly by an experienced marksman who will only take clean shots that are within an acceptable range for the situation. Every situation is different.

Oh, I hunt, with a handgun too when desired. I know first hand just how challenging it is. The person who said they keep their shots to 30yds or less is a smart responsible hunter. Now if you are gonna try to take a 75yd+ shot, let's just say the front sight will be almost the entire size of the deer. How are you going to get proper shot placement? If using a scope, ever pulled up on a deer at 75yds free hand? To each their own though.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

In Oklahoma, the .44 Special case is too short for handgun hunting. The .357 and .44 Magnums, .45 Colt are okay, but not .38 or .44 Specials. Don't even think about the 9X19mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP/AR.

 

[radio11]

I've tracked properly hit Whitetails for great distances (more than one travelled a full mile). Those taken by bow and arrow are usually the longest trails, but magnum rifles, shotguns and large bore muzzleloaders are no magic talisman either. The "dropped in its tracks" argument apparently will never die, but its just as ridiculous every time it comes up.


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[elm_creek_smith]

radio11, I beg to differ. I saw a 900 pound wild boar in drop right in its tracks at Grafenwöhr, Germany, with a single shot. Of course, that shot was an inert HEAT-TPT-T projectile from the 105mm M68 main gun on an M60A3/TTS Patton Tank at 1000 meters. To be fair, he dropped in the tracks of the whole sounder of 15-20 pigs. The best part was that it was my battalion commander's gunner who misidentified the boar as the moving target he was supposed to be shooting. The battalion commander didn't notice the gun tube was outside the range fan marker and was immediately disqualified. Only because he was a battalion commander was he able to "qualify" on a later run. If it had been me, I'd have lost my tank company command.

 

[vipermd]

I killed maybe 20 deer in my younger years; all with a .243 or 30-06. Every one dropped in its tracks. Maybe 3 of them struggled to rise again but could not get up. Not one deer that I hit ever got away. How many people who hunt deer with pistol cartridges can say that their deer routinely drop on the spot so that the risk of loss is minimized? I am not trying to start an argument about this, but I hope that pistol hunters will honestly reflect on what they are doing.

Glad we are on the same page!! I have killed 200+ deer while hunting and crop damage, crop damage was done with a precision 308 out to 450 yards.
I agree that all hunting requires the ability to make a good shot, at the same time to recognize a poor shot and pass. A big gnarly 9 pointer 4 1/2, 5 1/2 year old ( I know because i have him on camera and his sheds from 3 years ) continued to run because my shot in archery at 15yds was bad,(and therefore I did not shoot), the following year he caught me napping 60 yds in front of me, with his head down, he just walked off. I could have tried a spine or "Texas " heart shot, but both were poor options and could have lead to a loss and massive damage of meat, so I passed. I believe any weapon has the requirement to make and ethical, quick killing shot.

I found but did not take one "handgun" shot deer ( 44 mag ) because a cougar had claimed possession, and simply could not legally contest it.

You have to believe that you will kill the animal before you pull the trigger and release any projectile, that belief comes from constant practice in field conditions. Be Safe,