Whitetail Loads

[tacreload]

I'm thinking that when deer season rolls around this year the30.06 is going to stay home and the 629 Classic is going hunting.I have killed a couple of deer with the Smith in the past with a couple of different hollowpoints.Been doing a lot of range time with the .44 using commercial reloads from a local reloader.The loads are 240 grain cast swc rated at 1040fps.They are very accurate all the way to 150 yards off the sand bags.I have always limited my shots to 50 yds with the revolver and where I hunt it is rare to get a shot beyond that.I guess my question is do any of you believe this round would be satisfactory for what I want to do with it.At 25 yards six of these produce one big ragged hole.Thank you for any opinions and don't be afraid to tell me I'm off base.

 

[sheriffoconee]

you will kill a boxcar full of deer with that load....post pics of your success...and have fun

 

[Dale53]

I have taken a half dozen deer with the .44 Magnum revolver. Four were taken with a 250 Keith bullet at 1300 fps (chronographed). One was taken with a 250 Keith at 1200 fps. One was taken with a 310 gr bullet at 1200 fps. The deer never noticed the difference.

If you keep your shots under 75 yards I believe your load will do just fine. That load (240 gr SWC at 1040 fps will shoot clear through a deer at most any angle). The key is proper bullet placement - that trumps power every time.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Pisgah]

I, too, limit my handgun shots (no scopes for mine, please) to 50 yards and less on deer. In that scenario, I'd call your load darned near ideal.

My current deer handgun is a .45 Colt Uberti Flat Top Target. The load is a 260 gr. Keith right at 900 fps. If a deer stands still long enough at 50 yards, I can put a big hole clean through him.

 

[NE450No2]

I have taken deer with 240gr HP's, 240gr SP's and 240gr Cast.

All worked just fine.

 

[rodell]

Plenty of power, and, no trouble as long as you do your part. I like the keith-style bullet in lead - there's no need for hollow points and the attendant additional blast and recoil.

 

[Bendutro]

Plenty of power, and, no trouble as long as you do your part. I like the keith-style bullet in lead - there's no need for hollow points and the attendant additional blast and recoil.

Since when do HP recoil more?

 

[Tslepebull]

I have not killed any deer with a .44 mag. I have killed several with a .41 mag. My load is a 230 gr LBT WFN cast bullet out of a 6" model 75 at approximately 1075 FPS. This load is amazingly similar to your .44 load and has always killed like lightning. I have never recovered a bullet because none have ever stopped in the deer (side to side or end to end). My personal opinion (based on my limited experience) is that expansion of a jacketed bullet is not only unnecessary but possibly counterproductive. If you punch a 1/2" hole through an animal and let all the blood out and air in they die quickly and reliabily. To me this is the most important job a hunting bullet can provide.

 

[Sportsterguy]

Shot a couple of small does with Georgia Arms 210 gr. LSWC's at 850 fps. Worked very well and both shots were under 25 yards. I'm a .41 mag guy too and have never lost a deer with my 210 gr. HC LSWC's that chrono around 1050 fps. They shoot stem to stern and the deer drop quickly

Tslepebull nailed it when it comes to bullets. I have had quicker kills with the LSWC's than HP's.

That load will take care of business at your ranges! Good luck and enjoy some venison.

 

[Damn Yankee]

I like the Horandy 180 XTP with AA#9

 

[Mule88]

Id find a good load that your .44 likes and go at it. A whitetail doesnt need a ton of power to harvest it. About any good bullet (I like 200-240 gn bullet weights for whitetail) will do well out of your .44. Good luck and post pics of your deer this year.

 

[MTKTM]

While I've never taken a deer with a 44, I took six when I was a young lad using a 357 and hard-cast Keith SWC style bullets, and one with a 500 several years back using a similar hard cast solid lead bullet with a big flat point. I do think that the 357 was marginal for deer, but none ever got away although I did have to track a couple of them for a considerable distance after they'd been shot. The 500 was a pile-driver.

I think the load described by the OP would work fine on whitetail deer.

 

[G.T. Smith]

I only use a .357 magnum for deer, and the 158 gr. Hornady XTP works great in my neck of the woods where the average distance for a deer shot is about 30 yards.
Peace,
gordon

 

[6pack]

I'm thinking that when deer season rolls around this year the30.06 is going to stay home and the 629 Classic is going hunting.I have killed a couple of deer with the Smith in the past with a couple of different hollowpoints.Been doing a lot of range time with the .44 using commercial reloads from a local reloader.The loads are 240 grain cast swc rated at 1040fps.They are very accurate all the way to 150 yards off the sand bags.I have always limited my shots to 50 yds with the revolver and where I hunt it is rare to get a shot beyond that.I guess my question is do any of you believe this round would be satisfactory for what I want to do with it.At 25 yards six of these produce one big ragged hole.Thank you for any opinions and don't be afraid to tell me I'm off base.

They are very accurate so that's a plus. The .44RemMag can bring a lot more velocity than you're getting with that load. Do you need it? Maybe not.


The reason I mention the reduced velocity aspect is that I'd not compare that weapon to a typical .44 Rem Mag hunting load but more of a stout .45 LC round.

I'd not stretch out shoots much beyond archery range.


I'd also planned on using a 629 and 29 this year on deer but an ankle injury and surgery has made that almost impossible.

I'd bought a few boxes of Hornady 240gr XTP loads for this purpose. Oh well, I guess I'll have to use 'em on winter hogs.


Good luck this year and I hope you bag a good one.

 

[Sportsterguy]

I've taken 37 deer over the years with handguns. A good hard cast LSWC will do the job well if you keep your distance short. The hornady 158 gr. XTP will also work but doesn't have the penetration of a HC LSWC. I hear the 180 gr. Buffalo Bores work very well for this task. Shot placement and penetration are the key to a clean kill. Keep your distances down and the .357 will do the job, but I really prefer a .41 magnum as they have tremendous killing power with a stout LSWC or 210 gr. Speer Gold Dot.

Happy hunting!

 

[greg bayes]

Tacreload, Your 240 SWC will work fine. Dont be surprised if you shoot through a big buck lengthwise at 50 or 75 yds. I Know, I did it with a 250 gr. Keith SWC at about 50 yds. ( S&W M.25-5, 45COLT )( muz. vel. 1000FPS.) Greg Bayes

 

[batmann]

I had really good luck with Georgia Arms 240 gr HP at around 1300 fps. Mine are Gold Dot and very hard to find now. I order a couple hundred at a time when they have them in stock. I prefer HP's over solids because of the through and through. I like my rounds to expand on Deer size game.

 

[Sprefix]

Heck Yeah!!!!!!!!

I'm thinking you will have a ball deer hunting with the set-up you mentioned. I'm more of a Long Colt guy, but would have no problems setting out after deer with my 6.5 inch S-Prefix 29. I think it's only right that these guns put some meat on the table instead of just punching holes in paper. Happy hunting and good luck............Sprefix

 

[6pack]

I'm thinking that when deer season rolls around this year the30.06 is going to stay home and the 629 Classic is going hunting.I have killed a couple of deer with the Smith in the past with a couple of different hollowpoints.Been doing a lot of range time with the .44 using commercial reloads from a local reloader.The loads are 240 grain cast swc rated at 1040fps.They are very accurate all the way to 150 yards off the sand bags.I have always limited my shots to 50 yds with the revolver and where I hunt it is rare to get a shot beyond that.I guess my question is do any of you believe this round would be satisfactory for what I want to do with it.At 25 yards six of these produce one big ragged hole.Thank you for any opinions and don't be afraid to tell me I'm off base.

This is the combination I was gonna use on deer this year....like a Mike Tyson combination.

These Hornady 240gr XTP loads have grouped really well on every .44 Rem Mag I've owned....29 (6"), 629 (6.5") and Redhawk (7.5").

I haven't tried them with the gun in the pic....ankle surgery has me sidelined right now. Screwing up my job and my hunting plans this year.

Anyway, they've done well. I'm hoping to get after some winter hogs.