.429 bullets on game
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
225 Ftx and 240 xtp bullets have both worked extremely well. Never had a deer or bear make it out of eye sight. The ftx entrance hole had the hair blown off, was the same size as exit, wound channel looked similar to what a 115 NBT from a 257 weatherby at under 50yards does.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If what your using is a lever action pistol carbine, semi wadcutter bullets don't necessarily feed well. The 44mag makes for a impressive fireball and giggles when plinking at dusk. Factory ammo is pricey now. If your wanting a plinker, and can get a round nose cast bullet to feed, they're a hoot. In a carbine your going to need to use a gas check. For hunting, specifically the choices begin and end at one. Bit pricey, but no gas check.
Xtp
Xtp
It will be a single shot rifle that I'll be using. I hand load so factory ammo costs are of little concern.
I'll prolly load campro bullets for cheap plinking but I'll likely load jacketed for hunting loads.
I use 250gr platinum aerolite bullets in my 50cal muzzleloader at 1750fps so I'm hoping to replicate that level of performance. 1800fps with a 240gr should be doable.
Do the xtp stay together or do they come apart at carbine velocity? I know they're the standard for revolvers and deer hunters
I'll prolly load campro bullets for cheap plinking but I'll likely load jacketed for hunting loads.
I use 250gr platinum aerolite bullets in my 50cal muzzleloader at 1750fps so I'm hoping to replicate that level of performance. 1800fps with a 240gr should be doable.
Do the xtp stay together or do they come apart at carbine velocity? I know they're the standard for revolvers and deer hunters
I've used 225 FTX a few times on deer and bear, but the last couple times I was not thrilled with the way it came apart. I have used gas checked 240 grain SWC's a whole lot more and they work every time, but center the lungs or the heart as they don't do a huge amount of damage off the wound channel, particularly at .44 Mag speeds... and blood trails can be long and thin... I was always particularly careful on bears.
the xtp will
Be my choice in my 44mag this spring for bears and probably deer this fall.
FTX I have used in my 45-70 for moose and it would not be my first choice but not my last either.
In my 357 the FTX sucked. Key holed.
In my 45lc they shoot like a laser beam. Most accurate round in the gun but I don’t really use it for hunting, more just plinking and shooting a pest or two around the farm all small stuff.
Be my choice in my 44mag this spring for bears and probably deer this fall.
FTX I have used in my 45-70 for moose and it would not be my first choice but not my last either.
In my 357 the FTX sucked. Key holed.
In my 45lc they shoot like a laser beam. Most accurate round in the gun but I don’t really use it for hunting, more just plinking and shooting a pest or two around the farm all small stuff.
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I'm sure they do for the 444marlin
I've seen very bad performance from the gummy tips in 4570 and 3030 I wouldn't use them in any cartridge.
I want to stay with jacketed bullets for the expansion. I have larger cartridges if I require deep penetration
Bear over bait in thick bush will likely be the only use unless I travel to the states for a straight wall season that doesn't allow 4570
Kinda looking for the balance of rapid expansion while still being controlled enough for an exit
Main reason for the 44mag is a stepping stone for my daughter to move up in cartridges when she's able to. Possibly take her first bear with it while I back her up with a more potent rifle
Personally would use gas-checked SWC over the XTP's... that bullet was not designed for carbines on heavy game, catch a raking angle on a big bears ribs or shoulder and you can forget a good outcome, or at least a very high likelihood of a poor outcome. Other options are the 265 FTX which was designed for the .444 Marlin, I have shot them out of my .44 Mag's, but never on game personally, but I know a deer camp where that is their preferred bullet out of .44 Mag rifles, it is .430" but that is not an issue in any rifle that I am aware of. There are also coated bullets, that are available from a number of companies, they are cheap for practice, but will also work well for hunting, when placed through the lungs. I will put a link below... but there are many places that sell them, and then there are the Barnes Busters... a 300 grain cavity point, designed to open at .44 Mag speeds... more expensive but should work well and hold together... although I have never used them myself.
https://budgetshootersupply.ca/prod...ast-44c-430-240gr-swc-elmer-k-coated-100-bag/
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The rossi 92 in 44mag pushes the 180 xtp at over 2k. Close to a 30/30 but of course a pistol bullets. Don't think I would try beyond 100yds, and less than 75 would be even better. The xtp is the best expanding jacketed bullet. Your hard cast is going to pass right through a bear length wise with little expansion. Last time I bought 180 xtp, iirc they were about $65/100, so many times more than cast
Looks like the only bullet they've got specifically for 444marlin is a 265 FTX.
I tried to do some googling about the XTP max velocity according to Hornady themselves, and it seems they USED TO provide that kind of info, but its not so readily available now. Apparently the following information came in a box of bullets from Hornady but is quite old.
"XTP bullets were designed for best performance at a range if impact velocities given below. This range has been found to be optimum for maximum penetration and expansion.
#44050 44 Cal-180 HP/XTP 750-1400 fps
#44100 44 Cal-200HP/XTP 750-1650 fps
#44200 44 Cal-240 HP/XTP 900-1800 fps
#44280 44 Cal-300 HP/XTP 850-1900+ fps"
I'd be using the 240 or 300gr xtp but I'll try a good number. Any shot would be under 75 yards. I need to stock up on lil gun and h110 and brass
I'll be trying a variety of lead bullets as well.
This rifle will mostly be a plinker and only rarely hunted with. More likely just carried while walking and scouting. It's nice and light and nothing carrys like a single
I'll be trying a variety of lead bullets as well.
This rifle will mostly be a plinker and only rarely hunted with. More likely just carried while walking and scouting. It's nice and light and nothing carrys like a single
Kentucky range time did a nice comparison between a Rossi and several revolvers testing all the xtp bullets in gel from various barrel lengths to lower the velocity
The above posted ranges corresponding directly to the results shown in his testing.
The above posted ranges corresponding directly to the results shown in his testing.
I shoot XTP's in my muzzleloader, only shot one deer with it but it seemed to hold together well
I had a Ruger 44 carbine years ago and played with some load development, 225gr FTX's and 300gr XTP's, I found most of them in the berm. I know a berm doesn't necessarily equate to performance on an animal, but every FTX I recovered was entirely separated, the XTP's were all intact
I had a Ruger 44 carbine years ago and played with some load development, 225gr FTX's and 300gr XTP's, I found most of them in the berm. I know a berm doesn't necessarily equate to performance on an animal, but every FTX I recovered was entirely separated, the XTP's were all intact
I've never used them on game but I shoot a .444 Marlin. All the articles I've read on the .444 Marlin always list the Hornady 300gr XTP and the Speer 300gr UC for heavy game like elk and moose. For what it's worth...
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The limitation for the 92 is the action. Inability to mount scopes, find peeps at any price.
Your single should be able to mount a low power optic, 4x, 1-4, 2.5. Much more than that makes no sense. Why would you want a optic more capable than the caliber. I don't know if there are pointy bullets other than the Hornady flex tip, but that is also on the menu with the single.
I'm ferry dependent. Going to Van Island or Vancouver means, almost for certain, I'm stranded. I don't sleep, paying for a motel to not sleep, makes no sense. So i truck camp in the boondocks. The little 44 is a nice boondocker rifle for cats and bears.
I
I like to back pack in or at least drive my truck till the end of the road and use it as a base camp. I spend days walking thru the bush and travelling down old grown over logging roads while scouting and grouse hunting.
44mag is capable enough for anything I'd encounter and have a tag for plus it's easy to carry and it breaks down easily.
It will have a 1-4 or a 1-6 scope on it. I slapped an old red dot on it for now which kinda suits it well
Unfortunately the cats I run into I can't shoot here in Ontario. Plenty of lynx and I've seen 1 cougar
Lots of wolves and enough bears though
I like to back pack in or at least drive my truck till the end of the road and use it as a base camp. I spend days walking thru the bush and travelling down old grown over logging roads while scouting and grouse hunting.
44mag is capable enough for anything I'd encounter and have a tag for plus it's easy to carry and it breaks down easily.
It will have a 1-4 or a 1-6 scope on it. I slapped an old red dot on it for now which kinda suits it well
Unfortunately the cats I run into I can't shoot here in Ontario. Plenty of lynx and I've seen 1 cougar
Lots of wolves and enough bears though
