Best .44 Mag Self Defense Round?

[Smithslap]

Gentlemen, can you recommend a good "dual purpose" .44 mag self defense/thin skinned predator round (no Specials please)?

Looking to expand the capabilities of my .44 mag Mountain Gun. Will be on quite a few hikes/camping trips all over in the next year, and while I have already covered my bear rounds and I would love a hint towards a solid two legged to thin skinned four legged predators.

If over penetration occurs, I'd prefer it to be fully mushroomed or fragmenting at exit. And while I'm not an energy nut, my gut tells me 700 +/- foot pounds with a rapidly expanding projectile would feel right out of a 4-inch revolver tube. I'm also feeling a thin skinned 180 grainer might be my only choice-but would probably prefer a lighter/faster round if available?

Anyway, I DID try the search b/c I know I'm not the first to ask, but for some reason the function shows no results, even for just "44".

 

[NE450No2]

First a little "history". I used a 44 Mag as a Duty gun in the mid 1970's.

I have been a believer in 240 grain bullets for most uses.

The Remington 240 SJHP is a hard load to beat, if you can handle the recoil.

If you want something to kick a little less take a look at the Speer 200gr Short Barreled load, or the CorBon 165 or 180gr HP loads.

The MagTec 240gr SP does kick a frair amount less than the Big Three 240gr loads...

 

[BUFF]

I don't know if it is still manufactured, but Winchester used to load a 210 grain JHP in their Silvertip line. I shot a few boxes. They weren't full power and shot well. They had a good reputation in the gun press at the time but I don't know of any actual people shootings using it.

 

[Smithslap]

I'm not recoil shy, but believe in lighter bullets moving fast tend to increase chances of expanding and a rapid energy dump. I'm going to look at Cor-bon's website to see what offerings they might have too-

 

[Mule88]

Corbon has a 165 gn HP @ 1300 fps that may be the ticket. Its very accurate in my .44's

 

[NE450No2]

Corbon has a 165 gn HP @ 1300 fps that may be the ticket. Its very accurate in my .44's

That load is a lot lighter in recoil than the normal full power 240gr loads.

I use it sometimes when I am carrying a 44 Mag in the city.

 

[Smithslap]

Bought the 165 and the 225 grainers DPX with the barnes bullet. 60 rounds of it a damn fortune

 

[38-44HD45]

Most of the time, I keep the Speer Short Barrel 200gr. Gold Dot load in my Mountain Guns, or the old Pro-Load "Tactical Lite" ammo, which is ballistically nearly identical, but flashier.

As to the 165 gr. loads, keep in mind that POI will be MUCH lower than with 240gr. loads, or even 200-grainers. Be prepared to raise your rear sight waaaaaay up.

 

[kennyb]

Bought the 165 and the 225 grainers DPX with the barnes bullet. 60 rounds of it a damn fortune

indeed it is....thats why so many that shoot anything other then 22 reload...you get what you want..when you want..and about 1/3 the cost...

 

[6pack]

I've always used 240gr loads in my .44 Rem Mags over the years for whitetail hunting loads. It just seems to be a weight that most loads from most manfs will group very nicely.

There seem to be a wide range of velocities/energys on the market in this weight on loaded ammo. I recently posted this same question on my "home" forum (gon.com) in the form of a poll. The Hornady 240gr XTP load was the most highly recomended.

I ordered a few boxes from Midway USA. They were reasonably priced, too, at ~$18/box. They also had the 180gr, 200gr and 300gr XTP loads as well as the pointy 225 LeveRevolution loads in stock for the same price.


For self defense I'd be happy with the .44 spcl loads...but you mentioned hunting, too.

Good luck in your search.

 

[jimmyj]

When I carried a Model 29 as a duty weapon I used W-W 210gr Silvertips

 

[bubbajoe45]

If you're in the sticks, why worry about overpenetration? Even on the streets of Mayberry, the chances seem slim of you actually having to pull your Mtn Gun and there being innocent bystanders directly behind your intended target (in the diner?). Does this really happen? I don't think very often. You might have to shoot thru a car! I like penetration - 240 gr at 850 to 950 fps is . . . oh, yea it's a .44 Spl handload! Not trying to be a smart-aleck, but what you describe (700 fps) IS in fact the standard .44 Spl factory velocity for old lead round nosed bullets (which might overpenetrate). I like the Speer short-barreled mags (not cheap) and the PMC Starfires, but I carry handloaded 240 gr XTPs or Speer JHPs over 7.5 grns of Unique.

This site has some interesting stats you might like.

44 Magnum Stopping Power

 

[Rule 303]

I carried a Model 29, four inch for many years as a duty gun.
Remington made a 240 grain Lead, Mid Range .44mag load for police that I carried as my first six in the gun. I carried three speed loaders, one with the mid range load and two with 240 grain SJHP rounds.
The Mid Range loads topped out at about 950 fps.
The one person I shot with them was DRT with one round
center mass.

If you're recoil sensitive, I would recommend a .44spl round.

Rule 303

 

[GatorFarmer]

Garrett Cartridges Online Price has gotten even higher as of late, around two dollars per, but the folks at Garrett have a good track record of their ammunition being used to kill most everything and anything. The above is their dual purpose offering for "light" .44 mags. 310 grs of flat point hard lead at 1325fps... that's going to hurt. No JHP to fail either, just a nice big smashing hole.

 

[ScottJ]

When I was a younger man I actually carried my 6.5" 629 Classic as my defense gun. I was taught to carry it "reverse Mexican" style (butt-forward, strong side, IWB with no holster).

When I first got into the gun I was enamored with velocity so I went with Remington's 180gr SJHP (R44MG5). It's listed in their catalog at 1610 fps out of a 4" vented barrel. It's a real boomer.

Then a friend of the guy who got me into the .44 shot a deer in the shoulder with that load and had it exit the same side it entered so I decided to go a bit heavier.

IMO the 240 grainers had too much recoil so I settled on the Remington 210gr SJHP (R44MG6). It was rated at 1450 fps out of the 4" barrel.

The 180s had already impressed me with their accuracy and I found the 210s to be even more accurate. I figured this was due to the bullet being a bit longer.

Sadly, Remington no longer factory loads the R44MG6 but I have a handload that very closely duplicates it and the SJHP bullet is still available as a reloading component.

It's a great bullet. Fortunately I've never had to use it for self defense but it's fun to blow up gallon jugs of water with. The splash radius is close to 20 feet: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30968418&l=cd24f9a2f1&id=1159624218
Still reasonably accurate too: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30968755&l=43cd632bb8&id=1159624218

If I just had to have factory loaded I would either go back to the 180s or give the WW Silvertips a try.

 

[revolvergeek]

The Remington 240 SJHP expand very well in my limited experience with them and often fragment off some of the nose.

Back in the early '90s there were a couple narcs from a nearby agency that swore by the 210 Silvertip. I shot some out of the 4" 629 that one of the guys was carrying and it was not bad. A handfull, but not really much worse that a light .357 shooting full power ammo.

 

[LazarusLong]

For people? 200 grain Speer Gold Dot. UMC or Remington 180's will ruin someone's day too. In a perfect world I'd have a good supply of hollowpointed 429421's cast out of fairly soft lead at ~1000 FPS

 

[44Steve]

Hi Steve here . If you can find some discontinued Speer 225 grn. SWC/HP ,they work great for everthing.

 

[tamu94]

The 200g Speer GD short barrel load is about 1015fps from my 329 Night Guard. Thats about 450 ft-lbs of energy and the hollow point on those bullets looks deep enough for a swimming pool. Very controllable.

The primers are sealed and the powder is low flash also. I think this round is probably a best bet for carry.

 

[Smithslap]

Thank you for all of the sound advice. And to one responder I was referring to foot pounds of energy, not feet per second on the .44 special issue. I currently have a wide variety of ammo now, ranging from BB 340 gr +P+ wrist breakers (which just fit), 270 gr SJSP, and the cor bon 225 grain dpx. It's LEO figures and claims are B.S. don't know any one carrying an 8 inch tube

44 Rem Mag 225gr Self-Defense DPX | COR®BON/Glaser Self Defense | Dakota Ammo