44 Mag Bullets for deer

257Roberts

257Roberts

CGN frequent flyer
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Location
Peterborough ON
Just a question for the CGN's that use the 44 Mag for deer.
I would like to know what the performance difference is between Hornady
240gr XTP's and Winchester 240 Grain HSP's.
I have have shot both with 23gr H110 out of my 94 and and both have given about the same acceptable accuracy as well as velocity. I am about to load up 50 rnds. for deer hunting and I am looking for recommendations from someone that has used either or both.

257 Roberts:confused
 
Speer 270 gr. Gold dot. Unlike other GD's it is not a hollow point, but instead a flat point. Seems to stay together well at carbine velocities, penetrating as well as a hard cast but with some expansion.
 
Dunno what he used, but a cousin killed a black bear with a Ruger 44 Mag carbine. He also got a deer that year. Likely very ordinary Imperial or CIL factory ammunition.
 
I've shot a couple of deer with XTP's and they worked great. The best bullet I've used so far is Winchester 250 gr partion gold, outstanding performance, knocks them down really good. This year I'm trying winchester 250 gr platnium tips hollow points they should work just as good. I would stay with the XTP's rather than the HSP's, you will get better penetration with the XTP's....
 
Virtually any bullet that calibre, at a reasonable range and for that size game, 'its going down'. In .44 Mag & .444 Marlin for cast I like the Keith style 250gr SW GC or a 325 gr of a similar profile.
For jacketed, especially in the .444 Marlin, I've had great success accuracy wise and on game, using the Hornady 265gr FP.
 
It's time for a test.
I have loaded 25 rnds with 240gr XTP's and I have some Winchester factory 240gr HSP's to try for penatration. I also have some Winchester 240gr soft points to try this weekend.
I will post results soon.
257 Roberts
 
I have hunted with my Ruger carbine since the 60's. Many deer taken from ten yards to one hundred and twenty-five yards. Never a loss. I did reload for a time and, of course, as most would be, I was tempted to use loads that pushed the limits. I managed to break a small part in the mechanism and then the trigger group casting cracked. I have had all repaired but only now use factory loads. I have tried "ALL" factory loads and beyond all doubt the most powerful and effective are Remington's "R44MG3" code. 240 grain hollow points. These shoot flatter than all other factory offerings at 100 yards.....and that says it all. Good luck.
 
44 Mag Bullet testing

This weekends testing was interesting.
I use 4 Litre jugs, ( Oil, windshield washer and antifreeze after they have been cleaned out ) filled with water.
I have used water jugs before to capture bullets and my ground hog hunting partner and I needed something to shoot at when the chucks are not available so we have a jug shoot. We place the jugs at different ranges on his farm and blow them up it’s a real blast watching them explode when hit with a hollow point.
Back to the test.
I stacked the jugs side by side to see how far the bullets will go through and to see if I could recover any expanded bullets.
What I discovered was 7 jugs would not stop a factory 240gr soft point and 5 jugs would not stop a factory 240gr hollow point. I was not able to recover either of these bullets.
I now only have 5 jugs left.
The 240gr XTP was recovered from the 4th water jug beautifully expanded.
What was interesting is how the jugs exploded.
The soft point just opened up the first 3 jugs and then kept right on going.
( If I didn’t know better and were not for the backstop it could still be going.)
The Winchester factory hollow point opened up the first jug, exploded the second jug and kept on going through the other 3.
The reloaded Hornady XTP exploded the first jug and barely made it into the 4th jug not even leaving a dent in the back side of the jug. I took the last jug to 100 yards and shot it with an XTP and the jug again just exploded into 4 pieces spreading them around about 20 feet apart in all directions, it was spectacular.

My conclusion is that if I am looking for a big hole all the way through use the soft point.
If I am looking for penetration with internal damage and an exit wound the HSP would be a good choice and if the XTP were to hit brush or bone I believe expansion would be initiated and possibly not make it through or only do surface damage. I realize that plastic and water vs. animal flesh and bone are not the same but it did give me some incite as to how far these bullets will penetrate before expanding.

Test range was 65 yards and all the loads were 1600 to 1650 fps from my 94 Winchester.
What are your thoughts? Wrong Way how did this test compare with your results?
I will be repeating the tests when I get a lot more jugs and try to stop the two Winchester factory loads.
Not only was it interesting but a lot of fun too. I am now a convert to short range big heavy slow bullets.
257 Roberts
 
I have experience in killing deer and bear with 265 Hornady and various 240 grain bullets. All works very well for hunting these critters. The recovered 265 grain Hornady softpoint never expanded. I would recommend a 240 grain soft or hollow point, jacketed bullet :)
 
257Roberts said:
44 Mag Bullet testing

This weekends testing was interesting.
I use 4 Litre jugs, ( Oil, windshield washer and antifreeze after they have been cleaned out ) filled with water.
I have used water jugs before to capture bullets and my ground hog hunting partner and I needed something to shoot at when the chucks are not available so we have a jug shoot. We place the jugs at different ranges on his farm and blow them up it’s a real blast watching them explode when hit with a hollow point.
Back to the test.
I stacked the jugs side by side to see how far the bullets will go through and to see if I could recover any expanded bullets.
What I discovered was 7 jugs would not stop a factory 240gr soft point and 5 jugs would not stop a factory 240gr hollow point. I was not able to recover either of these bullets.
I now only have 5 jugs left.
The 240gr XTP was recovered from the 4th water jug beautifully expanded.
What was interesting is how the jugs exploded.
The soft point just opened up the first 3 jugs and then kept right on going.
( If I didn’t know better and were not for the backstop it could still be going.)
The Winchester factory hollow point opened up the first jug, exploded the second jug and kept on going through the other 3.
The reloaded Hornady XTP exploded the first jug and barely made it into the 4th jug not even leaving a dent in the back side of the jug. I took the last jug to 100 yards and shot it with an XTP and the jug again just exploded into 4 pieces spreading them around about 20 feet apart in all directions, it was spectacular.

My conclusion is that if I am looking for a big hole all the way through use the soft point.
If I am looking for penetration with internal damage and an exit wound the HSP would be a good choice and if the XTP were to hit brush or bone I believe expansion would be initiated and possibly not make it through or only do surface damage. I realize that plastic and water vs. animal flesh and bone are not the same but it did give me some incite as to how far these bullets will penetrate before expanding.

Test range was 65 yards and all the loads were 1600 to 1650 fps from my 94 Winchester.
What are your thoughts? Wrong Way how did this test compare with your results?
I will be repeating the tests when I get a lot more jugs and try to stop the two Winchester factory loads.
Not only was it interesting but a lot of fun too. I am now a convert to short range big heavy slow bullets.
257 Roberts
Click to expand...

Like I said in my original post....the factory 240 JSP's would surprise you. :)

My test was similar to yours...but I placed a wet phone book in front of the jugs to get a better idea of "on game" performance.

Of all the HP's, none penetrated the water jugs worth a #### after passing through the book, but the JSP's opened up in the book and punched a big hole right through the 5 jugs, big hole all the way through.....and thats exactly what I want in a deer cartridge. While the HP's made a spectacular mess of the phone books and the first or second jugs, I can't help but wonder what would happen if I caught a piece of shoulder while shooting a deer.......best case would be a big chunk out of the shoulder and a lost deer, Worst case would be a big chunk out of one shoulder and a total write-off of the far shoulder.....deer arent that big or hard to kill. I hunt to fill the freezer, so any bullet that reliably performs on game and doesnt turn my entire animal into burger is the best choice for *me*...the JSP's seem to be the best all around. :)
 
Last edited:
A wet phone book!
Good idea Wrong Way. I'm going to try that next.
I was thinking the same way but was actually leaning towards the HSP, but now I have to try the phone book.
I know that the XTP's would be the last on my list. But it sure is fun to see the jugs explode.
What load were/are you using?

Thanks for the reply.
257 Roberts
 
I have found the same with my 94.
But I have everything for reloading and I like to shoot this rifle.
It's like having a 22 at the range, not going to take any live ammo home.
Thanks for all the posts.
257 Roberts
 
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