.44 Spl deer load - Skeeter or Elmer?

[daniel lawecki]

Shoot both loads and pick the best load you are comfortable with. Groups and recoil both loads will kill a deer but shot placement and a clean kill is a must.

 

[shawn mccarver]

250/900 is hard to beat in 44 Special.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I've shot both - the Skeeter load is nicer to shoot but the Elmer load shoots to point of aim in my 24-3 (Skeeter load is still high with the rear sight screwed all the way down). Killed two deer with it last year.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I shoot Skeeters load in my Charter Arms Target Bulldog in stainless . I shoot Elmer's load in my 2nd mod Hand ejector . Either kills game just as dead . Shoot which ever one your gun likes the best .

 

[Bakebfr480]

Elmer's actual load was 18.5 grs of 2400 with balloon head cases.........when solid head cases came along he backed off to 17.5 grs of 2400. I shoot 16.5 grs of 2400 with Elmer's bullet in my Lipseys Ruger Bisley with excellent results!

 

[Nevada Ed]

I went for years, shooting nothing but Unique for full loads since I had
no use for 2400 powder in my shotgun loads.

Finally I broke down to see what fps I would gain, along bullet drop and accuracy.
There was an increase but my revolvers liked both powders with all the
different weight bullets and calibers that I loaded for.

+1 on accuracy over fps with a pistol/revolver in the field....
maybe fps if you use a scope on that revolver.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

As per Mr Keith in an article written in 1968,a 22.0gr 2400 with his bullet from a 7 1/2 SuperBlackhawk drilled all the way to the heart in an elephant(didn't do it himself;he reported it).I thus don't doubt that same bullet at aprox 2/3 it'svelocity,as per Skeeter's load,can and will drill deep enough into a deer.KT bullets are notorious for deep penetration while cutting a good size hole.
I'd use Skeeter's recipe without a second thought if that's what my gun preferred.
Qc

 

[Nemo288]

And Veral Smith's WFN will cut an even bigger hole unless you are REALLY going to try and emulate Elmer and his 200 yard + revolver shots.
I consider Veral to be the bonafide successor to Elmer as far as bullet design goes.
Unfortunately he is no where near as eloquent or well known as a result.
But anything a SWC will do a WFN will do better within 100 yards.

Having said all that another 44 special top load I developed is 8.5 grains Universal under a Sierra 210 JHC.
This goes 1055 fps out of a 3" 696 with a SD of 2 (CCI 300 primer, Starline nickel 44 special brass).
One of the only jacketed loads I would carry for all purpose use in the 44 special except the Bulldog
That calculates right at Brian Pearce's top end of 25kpsi.

 

[jeeps]

On deer with a 240 SWC with 7.5 unique ,I have all ways got complete pass through on lung shots . Deer go about 25-30yards and pile up. Quick bleed out with Good blood trail.