Thread: 44 Magnum loads

Hello All

I am using a 20" Rossi lever gun in 44 mag (an old one), and I've been shooting 240gr JHP bullets in it, either PMCs or Sierras. and it groups great, 3 shots cut each other at 50 yards and 5 shots give me about 2" at 100 yards with a 5" drop. so its pretty well sorted.

Anyway i am in need of projectiles, and as a cost saving exercise I'm looking at cast bullets.

I've been looking at these ones https://www.deltamike.co.nz/product/...emi-wadcutter/

So i read everywhere that semi wadcutters are good on deer, but I've never used them. Would these go well on deer? Mostly reds and fallow. I don't reckon they will expand, but seems they don't need to due to the wadcutter design.

Anyone use them?

Any other readily available recommendations? I know about the robert fella who sells casts, but keen to see other recommendations as he seems to have supply issues

if you want cast...you want SOFT cast unless your only shooting paper or steel
yes big metplate/flat front will produce shock/damage but you will want to drive it fast to achieve it.
soft and fast is balancing act..too fast = little penertration and lots of damage/bruising
hard and slow =lots penertration and bugger all damage /bruising
the commercial loads are working for you so find projectiles of similar nature and keep doing what is working,I can catagorically state that soft cast,powder coated driven fast are awesomeness for delivering complete energy transpher and killing quickly without making exit hole.
Im sure the JHP will do the same thing.

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

Hello All

I am using a 20" Rossi lever gun in 44 mag (an old one), and I've been shooting 240gr JHP bullets in it, either PMCs or Sierras. and it groups great, 3 shots cut each other at 50 yards and 5 shots give me about 2" at 100 yards with a 5" drop. so its pretty well sorted.

Anyway i am in need of projectiles, and as a cost saving exercise I'm looking at cast bullets.

I've been looking at these ones https://www.deltamike.co.nz/product/...emi-wadcutter/

So i read everywhere that semi wadcutters are good on deer, but I've never used them. Would these go well on deer? Mostly reds and fallow. I don't reckon they will expand, but seems they don't need to due to the wadcutter design.

Anyone use them?

Any other readily available recommendations? I know about the robert fella who sells casts, but keen to see other recommendations as he seems to have supply issues

Ok in the absence of other replies (except Mickey), may I suggest yiu read up on Keith bullet designs for cast for hunting. He was an early proponent of flat point projectiles that cut the wound channel promoting bleeding rather than blunt round nose bullets that just separated the flesh and allowed it to close up somewhat after the bullet passed thru.

After reading about Keith and his ideas, all my 4 Rossi calibres have hunted goats with flat point bullets- and the HRBC powder coated ones from Delta Mike are a favourite. Mostly I use a 20in Rossi Puma in 357mag. I've lost count of the goats I've shot with it up to a bit out over 100m and an engine room hit always puts them down. If you opine deer are more durable then allow for that in your max range. 44mag adds projectile weight, a larger cutting dia for the wound channel and better range.

I have also been experimenting with the HRBC 240gn 44cal bullets from DM in my 44-40. I have used a drill bit to gently cup the flatpoint to emulate a 32-20 200gn Cup Point that Robert Walker used to make. With care its not hard to do this by hand with a battery drill and the bit should be just under the dia of the flat point. So you would expect a sharper cutting edge as well as some extra nose expansion. I have not shot an animal with these yet - just done the load dev to check accuracy. I found they are no less accurate than an unmolested one.

Hope this helps. I'm a big fan of the HRBC bullets.

240g XTP Hornady projectiles will work well

Keith is the father of the 44magnum...its his cartridge design..he lengthened it from 44 special to gain extra velocity..and he wanted all he could get so them flat metplates worked as they should......

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

240g XTP Hornady projectiles will work well

I've read that the 300gn do not perform as well as the 240XTP..Any experience of them?

I've been using 158gr 357 cal Hornady XTP HP in my rifle with good effect on goats and small deer. 1650 fps.

also a member on here in Tokaroa I thing makes a lot, I have brough 357/358 cal 220gr HP cast with copper gas checks from him.

Originally Posted by ZQLewis

I've been using 158gr 357 cal Hornady XTP HP in my rifle with good effect on goats and small deer. 1650 fps.

also a member on here in Tokaroa I thing makes a lot, I have brough 357/358 cal 220gr HP cast with copper gas checks from him.

That's @shooternz. The man's a legend when it comes to cast projectiles.

Originally Posted by will.i.em

That's @shooternz. The man's a legend when it comes to cast projectiles.

Thanks,
I was wanting to give his details but could not find them in my inbox or on trademe.
have purchaced twice from him. So easy and realy knowelgable, helped me with suggestions on velocity, and seating, crimping for his bullets etc.