best all round 44 mag rifle game stopper bullet ?

R

roccoskeet

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So I have a 44 mag Marlin rifle and I would like to know from guys with experience dropping deer and black bears with a 44 mag what is the go to bullet. ?
Speer gold dots. ?
Hornady FTX. ?
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I know cases have to be shortened for the FTX but I have 3000 +/- 10 empties so I think I could dedicate a few for that.
I'd appreciate your info.

Thanks
 
I like the 300 grn'ers with a full load of Win 296 in my Miroku, I have never hunted with the 44 but this is a hellish load and I wouldn't be afraid to use on game at close range.
 
The way I read your post is that you are looking for a hunting bullet, not a defense bullet... in which case I would recommend 240 SWC hard cast... these have proven to be more accurate with better range and with full penetration. I use these with H110. I also use the 225 FTX in my single shot .44's also with H110 when deer are the target. If I were looking for a defense bullet, then the 300's would be the way to go... we have no need of a defense bullet here in Ontario...
 
hoytcanon said:
The way I read your post is that you are looking for a hunting bullet, not a defense bullet... in which case I would recommend 240 SWC hard cast... these have proven to be more accurate with better range and with full penetration. I use these with H110. I also use the 225 FTX in my single shot .44's also with H110 when deer are the target. If I were looking for a defense bullet, then the 300's would be the way to go... we have no need of a defense bullet here in Ontario...
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Then you have obviously never been tree, attacked or otherwise stalked by a black bear.

I'll take the 300's for the win please Alex.
 
I have had good luck with both the 300gr. Hornady XTP and 300gr. Sierra JSP with Hodgdon H4227 powder out of my Rossi lever gun. I prefer shooting heavy for caliber bullets and do so in every rifle I own...with the exception of my varmint rifles.
 
jparent said:
Then you have obviously never been tree, attacked or otherwise stalked by a black bear.

I'll take the 300's for the win please Alex.
Click to expand...

Ironically... you would be right 99.999% of the time... but wrong in this instance... I have been charged, bluff charged and treed on several occasions... I have hunted bears with a bow for 40+ years and guided for more than 20 years... I have spent more time crawling in the dark through God-awful swamps with a mag light in my teeth than I care to remember... the 240 SWC's with a full charge of H110 will do everything that you need it to do on black bears... I would definitely "one up" if grizzlies were in the equation... but if it were grizzlies I would want a 12 gauge with slugs or a .45/70 with 405/500's...
 
I'm surprised at so many mentions of cast bullets. I would have thought it would have been a slam dunk for a jacketed bullet debate.
I do have lots of cast bullets in SWC 240 gr
thanks guys. !
 
I have taken quite a few BIG black bears up here with my Ruger 94/44 using 240gr JSP. That was all I used when hunting with it as I was not into reloading back then. I have yet to try the Hornady FTX series bullets in it but they seem to get good reviews.

When hunting with a .44 remember it is still only a pistol round so keep your distances modest.. my longest shot was 75 yards. Unless absolutely necessary I would not go much beyond that (shot placement is a given necessity with any caliber).

YMMV
 
Keep in mind, the Marlin has a very slow twist. Bullets over about 270 grains are going to get iffy. Mine I just load 240 XTP's over a max load of H110. I've been wanting to try the 265's meant for the .444 Marlin. They don't expand at .44 velocities so they just tunnel on through like a hard cast.
 
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