44-40 Hornady 205gr Cowboy For Deer?

Best you get a running start or do the gangsta style choot'in, sort of
like toss'n the ammo.
Now I need to go find my old 92 and shoot some rounds out of it.
Been a while, long long while.
 
I shot a smallish whitetail buck at about 40 yards with factory Winchester .44-40 200 grain at 1300 fps. Bullet went clean through but it took a while for that deer to die. Don't expect .243 performance in regards to kill time.

Darryl
 
First deer I shot with the 44-40 was out of a '92 Winchester at 900fps. Deer was very close, 50 feet I think. Dead deer, blew a piece of rib out the other side. One hole entry, two exits. Fell upside down, (steep hillside) kicked twice and died. Don't remember the bullet, either Winchester bulk, or cast home brew.
 
How hot can you load up this Rifle?

Id opt for a bit more FPS if possible, a solid projectile an put the said projectile juuus behind the deer front leg..... Happy days!

Oh yaa, 100m max* give or take a few, Seeing the 37-55 (375w @ 38/55 speed) do work on biggish deer at 100 but not exiting
 
WhelanLad said:
How hot can you load up this Rifle?

Id opt for a bit more FPS if possible, a solid projectile an put the said projectile juuus behind the deer front leg..... Happy days!

Oh yaa, 100m max* give or take a few, Seeing the 37-55 (375w @ 38/55 speed) do work on biggish deer at 100 but not exiting
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id take accuracy over speed any day of the week btw
 
Superbrad said:
Agreed... But once the accuracy gets there what does the bullet do?... I can drive railroad spikes with a tack hammer all day... But am I using the best tool for the job?
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I would not consider the .44-40 a tack hammer it has bagged plenty of deer in the past and will continue to take deer today you don't need a magnum to take a deer or moose my .303 cast load is about on par with a .44-40 load 210gr soft point cast bullet not pushing much more then 1300fps its taken deer no problem
 
antiqueguy said:
I would not consider the .44-40 a tack hammer it has bagged plenty of deer in the past and will continue to take deer today you don't need a magnum to take a deer or moose my .303 cast load is about on par with a .44-40 load 210gr soft point cast bullet not pushing much more then 1300fps its taken deer no problem
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So, in plane and simple terms... Yopu are going to hunt deer and you have to pick a rifle or shotgun to bring with you... Yoi owe it to the game to do quick dispatch.. Is this rifle and cartridge a good candidate or not based on the options out there?
 
fingers284 said:
I would use that combination with complete confidence...only out to 100 yrds or less, might stretch it a bit if snow on the ground.
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Superbrad said:
?.... Does you're rifle shoot better when there is snow on the ground?...
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antiqueguy said:
easier tracking as blood shows up better on snow
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Superbrad said:
And therefore acceptable to use a sub par caliber round knowing the deer could run further and suffer longer?... How about attempting to drop 'em quick and get the job done as it should be done?...
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If you read the above quotes the problem should be plain to any ethical sportsman... if 100 yards is the assessed ethical limit of a cartridge, it does NOT get increased because you can recover the languishing animal over an increased distance. Our job is to put the game animal down cleanly, not push the limits of our chosen equipment, causing a wounded but recoverable animal (thanks to the "snow").
 
Yep, accuracy is all good but as said above, whats it going to do once it gets there?

I also have no doubt the 44-40 killed a lot of deer throughout the early 1900s, but just how effective of a round is it? for all we know the deer may of copped a magazine full of lead before it died?

I like to know that with 1 shot any Rifle/Cartridge combonation I take afield will kill the Deer in question. #### does happen an backup shots are needed but that's proberly more so shot placement and/or bullet selection, than Cartridge capabilities.

I'm sorry but theres a Need for Accuracy And Velocity ergo Power

cheers
wl
 
Superbrad said:
So, in plane and simple terms... Yopu are going to hunt deer and you have to pick a rifle or shotgun to bring with you... Yoi owe it to the game to do quick dispatch.. Is this rifle and cartridge a good candidate or not based on the options out there?
Click to expand...

like I've said in other threads im sure of my shot and don't take iffy shots I know my limits and don't push them I will pass a deee if I can't get a good shot after destroying the heart/lungs of a deer it will drop don't matter if its a .22 hornet or a .50bmg placement counts .44-40 has what it takes maybe not a 100 yard cartridge but a 50 yard one ok
 
Funny in the past they praised the Win 73 in 44-40 out to 250 yards on deer. I guess they have evolved and grown body armor?
 
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