Hey guys,

I was wondering, even though I don't typically load my .44 mag loads to the max, I was wondering for those of you that do, does accuracy typically decline using these max loads? I am working up a load for deer with the 240 grain XTP's. At what velocity do you guys load these to for deer-sized game?
My hornady load book says that a max load for the 240 gr. is 1350 fps with 2400. Is this enough power? Any help would be great!

thanks,
vanbuzen9

vanbuzen9

I've been shooting the 44 mag in revolvers for a lot of years and have shot everything from steel targets at 200 meters to deer and black bear.

My personal opinion is cast bullets perform better than Jacketed bullets. Now I haven't shot jacketed bullets for a lot of years and I know that lots of improvements have come down the pike, but I've found the majority of revolver hunters use cast bullets.

If you don't want to cast your own check out Marshal Stantons line of bullets. They are excellent.
It is necessary to use maximum loads when you need to knock down those metal rams at 200 meters, but for deer or bear out to a hundred yards my loads run 1350 with a 255 grain hardcast kieth style gas check bullet.

19 black bear later and I can't tell you how many deer that load seems to work well. For a while I used the hot loads I used for metal target shooting and though they work they didn't work any better and the lighter loads were much nicer to shoot and that gives returns in accuracy.

I use a .45 Win mag, but the specs are close. I shoot 250 grain XTP's at your velocity, mostly because the accuracy is good and recoil ok. There's room for more, but why? The XTP's will work great at that velocity...so why push it, and why punish yourself? Esp. in a pistol...not like a rifle.

A 240 grain bullet at 1350 is plenty of punch for deer at any range that you could make clean hits. You did not mention what instrument you are propelling these with but I assume it's a handgun. If it is a rifle, I would stay away from the XTP. At higher rifle speeds it may over expand and loose too much mass. As already mentioned, a good hardcast would be my choice too. If you really want to get the most out of it you might want to look at H110 or Win 296. With a max charge I can keep all six 240 XTP's from my S&W 629 in about 3 inches at 50 yards with the help of a red dot scope. Velocity runs right at 1450 fps. So the short answer is no, max loads do not always mean less accuracy.

Agreed. After years of shooting the 44, I've found that I load everything at max. In my SRH, the hotter I can push it, the better it likes it.

I have been loading and shooting a super blackhawk for 30 years and have also found that it likes them hot. I use max loads of H4227 with 240gr. XTPs and the Lyman 429421 Kieth type bullet cast with linotype. Both shoot minute of whitetail at 100 yd. (8" paper plate).
I also load 44 for a Ruger carbine and a Marlin 336 and they do not like them loaded as hot.

While I have not experienced a reduction in accuracy through my Red Hawk, I stay under max loads. As mentioned above, H110 is the powder to use to get the most FPS out of that peice, and the difference recoil-wise between a near-max load of 2400 under the XTP you mentioned (an excellent hunting bullet, BTW) is astronomical. 24 grains of H110 and my wrist is feeling it after one cylinder, while I can shoot twenty with 19.5 grains of 2400 without the pain. According to the load manual that is roughly 150-200 FPS difference and I refuse to believe that a whitetail hit with the more comfortable "near max" load is going to know the difference!

Depending upon your peice, it may or may not be ok to really let those 240s fly with the loads cited above or in the load books. If after working up for safety purposes you find that it makes no difference I would suggest sticking with what you feel comfortable practicing like crazy with. That is the key; learn to shoot that thing and if you can hit 'em, they'll fall. At that point if you like to hop 'em up to get your rocks off go for it but keep first things first- safety is #1 and shooting comfort/proficiency is #2, then horse power.

Once you pass about 1100-1200fps, game will never notice that its not 1400fps. Even the difference in trajectory will hardly be noticeable until you pass 75 yards, so why strain anything?

VanBuzen,

I mostly read posts these days however, can't help myself on this post. I have had three 44 magnum rifles and they have been the best rifles for deer hunting that a hunter can imagine. I've had marlin, ruger, and a custom and they all shot moa at 100 yds. One thing that I did notice is that the smaller bullets seemed to work better and give better accuracy than the others. I tried just about everything bulletwise and every powder too. Recently, I have used a 200 grain bullet, both hornady and speer and nosler and 28.0 grains of h110 to get almost 2000 fps. This round will shoot nearly 200 yds and, you can take a head shot on the does if you have quota tags, which as you know is important when you're keeping the meat. It is slightly less than max, but pretty close so, you might want to start at 27 and work up .1 grain at a time. It is a tack driving round and will knock a deer right off it's feet!!!

max load:
200 Nosler JHP Hodgdon H-110 28.5 2,106
Remarks: 37,800 cup

max load:
210 Sierra JHC Hodgdon H-110 27.0 2,030
Remarks: 31,100 cup

I have taken lots of deer with 44 mag, with handguns and rifles. I prefer 320gr hard cast bullets for the handgun. I use a modest powder charge and get moderate velocities. This round always exits, leaving 2 holes, is accurate enough for head shots out to 65 yards, and puts 'em down fast.

My son has taken around 50 deer with a Marlin 1894 44 mag using factory 240gr jfp. Those bullets also make 2 holes and put the deer down fast, and are accurate.

In fact, I have always had the impression that the 44 is inherently accurate and always hits what it's pointed at.

Easy to shoot and very productive hunting guns.

I have noticed, in most cartridges, that usually the best accuracy comes somewhere below the ax listed loads. Having said that, my .44 mag Contender shoots the hottest loads best.

The Super Blk Hawk and Taurus shoot moderate loads best.
Your .44 is as individual as any other. thats one of the things that makes reloading interesting.
Regards,
Gene