44 Rem.Mag. 320 gr. OR 300 gr. I have read that the 300 gr. I the optimal weight for the 44. An artical by J,D jones. He prefers the 320 gr. hard cast bullet for large game. Is there really a need for bullets that heavy??
Is there a need for bullets as heavy as 300gr or 320gr in .44 Magnum? I think that depends on what you want it to do.
So what do you want your .44 mag to do?
What powder did you use?? I hog hunt a lot with 240 xtp H110/296 , I want to test some heavy cast cast bullets!!I used to carry a 44 mag in Alaska when it wasn't convenient to carry a pump shotgun. BTW, a handgun of any description is NOT my first choice in grizzly country, trust me. My go to load is a hard cast 320 gr bullet loaded hotter than a fire cracker, no, it wasn't a fun plinking load.
I used to carry a 44 mag in Alaska when it wasn't convenient to carry a pump shotgun. BTW, a handgun of any description is NOT my first choice in grizzly country, trust me. My go to load is a hard cast 320 gr bullet loaded hotter than a fire cracker, no, it wasn't a fun plinking load.
I used to carry a 44 mag in Alaska when it wasn't convenient to carry a pump shotgun. BTW, a handgun of any description is NOT my first choice in grizzly country, trust me. My go to load is a hard cast 320 gr bullet loaded hotter than a fire cracker, no, it wasn't a fun plinking load.
Back in the 90s. I've always liked a 44 mag.I don't know when the article you read was penned but I imagine it's been a couple decades. Not only has bullet technology improved but we know more about what they do. A 300gr is not really all that heavy and a 320gr is getting there. There is no single, optimal weight without regards for application. How heavy a bullet is necessary typically depends on how big the critter you want to shoot with it is. For deer sized critters and your average wild hogs, something around 250gr is usually sufficient. For elk you might want a 300gr. Truth be told, the big bore revolver cartridges do their best work with heavier bullets. Not the "standard" weights they came up with 70yrs ago. Larry Kelly and JD Jones found this out in the `80's with 300-320gr SSK designs. In the years since, bullets have gotten heavier and the LBT designs have proven much more effective than the old SSK truncated cone designs. I did a fairly extensive penetration test for a handgun hunting book a few years ago and found that the .44Mag gained penetration right up to and including the 355gr WLN from Beartooth. Then I killed an 1800lb Texas longhorn with them. A year later I tested more bullets on two water buffalo. As the game grows in size, so must your bullets.
Next round of penetration tests I'll try the 400gr variety out of both the .44Mag and .45Colt. Though I really think they peak in performance around 355/360gr.
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44 Rem.Mag. 320 gr. OR 300 gr. I have read that the 300 gr. Is the optimal weight for the 44. An artical by J,D jones. He prefers the hard cast 320 gr. bullet for large game. Is there really a need for bullets that heavy??
I hog hunt a lot with 240 xtp H110/296
I work part time with a peanut farm on weekends. I kill several pigs and hogs with my t/c 12" 44 mag I preferred the 240 gr over the
300 gr. The 240 gr makes a nice hole the 300
gr. Just passes through with a quarter sized exit.
They have a permit. I work days, they hunt atOne of my college roommates worked a peanut farm and they had an animal damage permit. He shot deer and pigs all year with a 22-250. One shot stopper, even on the big pigs, but then again he tried to head shoot them. Hunting presents different situations and you don’t always get to pick your shots.
You talking about the Gold Dot? I agree. The 270gr is a tough bullet and really more than necessary on deer. Be a great elk bullet though. My Marlin loves them....I saw no real advantage to using the harder to get and more expensive 270s over 240s. Same from the revolver.