44mag, 450BM, 350L.

[CraigC]

I have two of the three. The .44Mag covers 100yds out of a handgun and is easily a 150yd cartridge out of a rifle. The .450 is a better choice if you want more range. I also agree that a 3-9x is way more scope than necessary for a 100yd gun.

 

[BigBlue 94]

450.
They don't make a 44 mag AR and 350 legend just doesn't impress me.
I hunt in Iowa, a straight wall state, have no desire hunt with a lever or bolt.

I have a Ruger 44 auto 44 mag, great gun it puts a smack down but am not dragging that thing out in the woods.

I have the newer Deerfield Carbine in 44 mag and a 96/44 lever. Ive had the 96/44 out walking for deer. I could walk with that 5 lb rifle all day! But for the old 44 carbine, I dont blame you.

 

[303 hunter]

I have an AR and a Mossberg bolt action in 450, and like them both. They’re both overkill for deer sized game, but do the job nicely. 450 Bushmaster is easy to hand load for accuracy.

 

[DM~]

Currently have a Handi Rifle in 44mag that shoots 240gr XTP great but I wouldnt consider it a 100yard deer gun.

WHY? If you can't take deer with a 44 mag. rifle, at 100 yards consistently, then that's YOUR fault, NOT the fault of the cartridge!!

DM

 

[joneb]

Since I have a 44 magnum handgun that I reload for, a rifle chambered in 44 magnum would make sense to me, but if I wanted a rifle platform that was not available in 44 Mag I would second guess what the gun and cartridge needs to do.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

My choice would be 350 Legend and in fact it was my choice because I own one. My shoulders can't take the recoil of the 450 BM. I can't take a curved metal butt plate to the shoulder from a 44mag carbine either. Another knock on the 44mag for me is I haven't seen any 44mag carbine that are better than 2moa at 100 yards. I like MOA or better in anything I plan to hunt with.

My 350 Legend checks both of my failings in the 450BM and 44Mag. Low recoil and accurate. And for 100 yards and in all three are equally effective.

 

[CraigC]

My choice would be 350 Legend and in fact it was my choice because I own one. My shoulders can't take the recoil of the 450 BM. I can't take a curved metal butt plate to the shoulder from a 44mag carbine either. Another knock on the 44mag for me is I haven't seen any 44mag carbine that are better than 2moa at 100 yards. I like MOA or better in anything I plan to hunt with.

My 350 Legend checks both of my failings in the 450BM and 44Mag. Low recoil and accurate. And for 100 yards and in all three are equally effective.

Why do you need better than 2MOA out of a 150yd deer rifle?

 

[brewer12345]

Frankly, any of the three would be fine. Deer aren't hard to kill and inside 100 yards all will be accurate enough.

As for 350, I have yet to kill a deer with it, but did drop a similarly sized pronghorn at 75 yards in October. The doe was moving when I shot and the hit wasn't ideal, but the 350 put her down on the spot anyway. Minimal recoil is nice if you care and at least for now you can find ammo.

I've shot beavers up to 50 pounds with factory FMJs in 350 and one hit is all it takes.

 

[jmorris]

I have 44’s, 450’s and 357 maximum. Both rifle length barrels and you can get in the neighborhood of 1700 ft/lbs of energy out of the 44 Mag and 350Leg/357 Max, the latter being flatter shooting rounds. The 450 delivers 2700 ft/lbs +/-.

I use them all and you don’t need 2700 ft/lbs of energy to kill a deer but I have yet to kill one too dead…

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Why do you need better than 2MOA out of a 150yd deer rifle?

Because I practice with what I hunt with and only accurate rifles interest me. Plus accuracy in field positions are never as accurate as a rifle is on the range in perfect conditions on a front and rear bag. Hunting with excitement, cold feet, cold hands, stiff back, etc. Can make accuracy worse. A 2 MOA rifle on the range can become a 4 inch rifle or worse under less than ideal conditions. I like an "arrow" that gonna be as accurate as possible, so if something goes wrong I know for sure its the "indian"

 

[jmorris]

My 6mm PPC rifles are more accurate than any of my hunting rifles but I have never hunted anything with them.

If all you are interested in is the most accuracy, that makes picking one real easy, use the one you can shoot the smallest groups with.

That said, I have often hunted with bullets that were not the most accurate combination but their accuracy was not horrible and their performance in animals is the important part, not how small a hole they can be shot into a piece of paper.

 

[brewer12345]

I use them all and you don’t need 2700 ft/lbs of energy to kill a deer but I have yet to kill one too dead…

I have. Never thought I would see bloodshot meat from a round ball hit...

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

My 6mm PPC rifles are more accurate than any of my hunting rifles but I have never hunted anything with them.

If all you are interested in is the most accuracy, that makes picking one real easy, use the one you can shoot the smallest groups with.

That said, I have often hunted with bullets that were not the most accurate combination but their accuracy was not horrible and their performance in animals is the important part, not how small a hole they can be shot into a piece of paper.

I'm sure a 6mm PCC rifle would be more accurate than a hunting rifle, as they should be. Its also likely much heavier, much longer, huge scope, very light trigger, match grade bullets not designed for hunting, so yeah I can absolutely see why you don't hunt with them.

Give me a rifle that I can carry all day, buy factory hunting appropriate ammo if I need to, short and quick handling, balances well, MOA or better with hunting appropriate ammo under ideal conditions, and thats the rifle I choose to gather meat with. And for myself and my needs a 2 moa at best rifle under perfect conditions just don't get it done IMO when you have uncontrollable, unpredictable hunting conditions.

 

[someguy2800]

The problem with a 2 moa rifle is that there are 1 moa rifles.

 

[redneck]

I bought a .450 before the .350 came out and I like it but I am undecided whether or not I'd have bought a .350 instead if it had been an option.
The .450 is still fairly expensive to shoot. Mine is the little ruger ranch rifle and the recoil is not brutal, but its enough that I have been living with the muzzle brake and the blast from it is really obnoxious. I'm pretty tall and the LOP on the ranch rifle is a bit short for me, with a longer stock I may forego the brake.
I have shot a handful of deer with it. Hornady ammo has exploded on 2 out of 3 shots for me and tends to make quite a mess. I used winchester XP this year and for the one shot I needed the bullet stayed together, but still ruined most of the shoulder on the exit wound side of the doe I shot. Shots have been from 40-75 yards on average. I actually think the sweet spot for this cartridge is probably 100-150 yards judging by bullet performance up close.
I really don't know much about the .350 beyond the fact its supposed to kick less, and the ammo is cheaper. On paper I see it being more versatile because it would be cheaper to target shoot, and would do a decent job on coyotes and stuff like that as well.

 

[CraigC]

Because I practice with what I hunt with and only accurate rifles interest me. Plus accuracy in field positions are never as accurate as a rifle is on the range in perfect conditions on a front and rear bag. Hunting with excitement, cold feet, cold hands, stiff back, etc. Can make accuracy worse. A 2 MOA rifle on the range can become a 4 inch rifle or worse under less than ideal conditions. I like an "arrow" that gonna be as accurate as possible, so if something goes wrong I know for sure its the "indian"

It might give you more confidence but more accuracy is not necessary for the application. A really, really good revolver will give you 2MOA at 100yds, with 3-4 being more realistic. Which is plenty for the task.

Yeah, I've heard that only accurate rifles are interesting more than once. Doesn't change the fact that we're talking about 100yds, not 400.

That said, I have two leverguns that shoot sub-MOA and one of them is a .44mag.

 

[brewer12345]

I bought a .450 before the .350 came out and I like it but I am undecided whether or not I'd have bought a .350 instead if it had been an option.
The .450 is still fairly expensive to shoot. Mine is the little ruger ranch rifle and the recoil is not brutal, but its enough that I have been living with the muzzle brake and the blast from it is really obnoxious. I'm pretty tall and the LOP on the ranch rifle is a bit short for me, with a longer stock I may forego the brake.
I have shot a handful of deer with it. Hornady ammo has exploded on 2 out of 3 shots for me and tends to make quite a mess. I used winchester XP this year and for the one shot I needed the bullet stayed together, but still ruined most of the shoulder on the exit wound side of the doe I shot. Shots have been from 40-75 yards on average. I actually think the sweet spot for this cartridge is probably 100-150 yards judging by bullet performance up close.
I really don't know much about the .350 beyond the fact its supposed to kick less, and the ammo is cheaper. On paper I see it being more versatile because it would be cheaper to target shoot, and would do a decent job on coyotes and stuff like that as well.

So far, I am a 350 believer. Little recoil, 250 yard range, enough power to drop a deer but not unduly destructive. I haven't begun to tap the capabilities via handloading (project for the next 6 months) but you can use 350 specific bullets, cast, and 9mm bullets. Factory win fmj and Hornady 170s have been very accurate for me.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

It might give you more confidence but more accuracy is not necessary for the application. A really, really good revolver will give you 2MOA at 100yds, with 3-4 being more realistic. Which is plenty for the task.

Yeah, I've heard that only accurate rifles are interesting more than once. Doesn't change the fact that we're talking about 100yds, not 400.

That said, I have two leverguns that shoot sub-MOA and one of them is a .44mag.

2moa on the range under ideal conditions, with plenty of time to wait til your just perfect with everything, is never never gonna be the same 2 moa in the field under hunting circumstances. And IMO thats just not good enough factoring in every variable that goes into harvesting a game animal.

 

[CraigC]

I know very well what that means and it is plenty good enough. At the ranges mentioned, it is simply a non-issue. Stop trying to make it one. Good Lord, what did people do when factory rifles were incapable of shoot MOA???

 

[mcb]

Barnes bullets the 275gr TSX specifically does wonderfully in the 450 Bushmaster. I am only getting roughly 2 MOA out of them (mostly likely my gun not the bullet) but everything I shoot at never takes a step. Better accuracy is always nice but in reality it's hard to get much over 100 yard shot on the property I hunt in middle Tennessee.


100 yard 5-shot group just a touch over 2-MOA. Works for me.



This bullet went through a raccoon at ~18-20 yards and then about 3 feet of soft loamy forest floor. The bullet track under the leaves looked like a roided-out mole dug it. 100% weight retention and beautiful expansion. Given what it did to the racoon most of that expansion happened in the raccoon, cause there was not much left in the raccoon after the bullet exited.

I have shot several armadillos with it, the most notable being a Texas heart shot at ~35-40 yards with the bullet, in just above the tail, exited through the left cheek and split all nine bands of that 9-banded armadillo.

I did finally take a deer with it and I purposely took a head-on shot hoping to recover the bullet. Bullet went in behind her left ear, broke her neck, two ribs going into the chest cavity and exited just in front of her left hind leg. She fell right in her tracks and never moved. I went back two weeks later with my metal detector and found the bullet, it had penetrate about a foot of dirt. It did loose one petal but still retain ~95% of its weight.



I am not pushing these real hard my load is near the bottom of the published data for this bullet in 450 Bushmaster. I am getting about 1850 fps from a 20-inch barrel. Recoil is mild with my fixed stock, and super cell recoil pad.


Its going with me this weekend as my backup gun. 30 RAR, 450 Bushmasters little brother, is getting primary duty.

 

[MEHavey]

Just cut to the chase and get a BeoWooof.
why fool w/ the puny stuff....

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I know very well what that means and it is plenty good enough. At the ranges mentioned, it is simply a non-issue. Stop trying to make it one. Good Lord, what did people do when factory rifles were incapable of shoot MOA???

How many deer have been lost because of a rifle that shoots "good enough" but the person pulling the trigger wasn't on their A game and slightly moved the cross hair. So now a good enough rifle that can place a bullet randomly inside a 2 inch circle under ideal conditions could easily be a 4 inch rifle for that one shot. I guess there is no way to know, but how many people have said "i know I hit him good" then never find the deer or when they do they are gut shot, leg blown apart, barely grazed, etc.

This is only my opinion but I want as accurate a rifle I can get for the task I have because I can control how potentially accurate that rifle is and how skilled I am or am not to place that bullet at my aiming point everytime I pull the trigger. Those are 2 variables I can control vs the many variables I can't.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I have heard and read multiple times about worthless the 250 grain Hornady FTX bullet is.
Here are the results from this morning on buck I shot with my 450BM.

Admittedly poor bullet placement, to high. The range was 160 yards, path of bullet from left to right, through the loin and breaking the spine.
The bullet stopped under the hide. The lead core weighs 130 grains and the jacket was in fragments next to it.

When you shoot them where you are supposed to the FTX's go through or are recovered as nice little mushrooms under the hide.

Edit; Well the bullets worked but this site doesn't this morning. Can upload photos, I'll try again later.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Because it's a irreplaceable rifle with hard to find parts.

If you can't replace it because it's not replaceable, why replace something you can't use anyhow? I mean, if you won't use it, who cares if a part breaks and it's not functional, if it's not going to function? !!!! I have a bazillion rounds through my Ruger .44 Carbine, and no part has ever broken.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I agree, forget the big old hunkin Loopy, if you have to scope, I think a low power glass would be best. If you jump up a deer, you might not be able to find the rifle under a 9X power monster. "Where did my rifle go??" For 100 yard hunting I'd much rather have peeps than any scope, especially if I'm hunting in the rain.

But seriously, I've shot more deer with my Ruger .44carbine than any other rifle I have owned, or have now. My 7.7 comes close. I found, back in the day when I was hunting with the Ruger a lot, was that the 240 grain bullets did not always work well with the increased velocity of the rifle (18") barrel. The Hornady 265 grain worked best for me. Designed for the .444, expansion was much more controlled than with any of the 240's. It made a nice wound channel, but you could almost "eat the bullet hole". I would suggest a heavier bullet than a 240, although the 240 won't fail to kill a deer. You just can't eat the bullet hole. Usually. I think the 270 grain weight is kind of ideal for a .44 rifle. I think Speer makes a Gold-Dot in that weight.

For hunting in the rain, if you just seal your wood up good with some poly-whatever finish it won't be a problem. If you hate poly-whatever like I do, take all your wood off and just seal it up on the hidden surfaces with the poly-whatever. Even a stainless gun with a plastic stock needs to be taken apart if it gets really soaked.

Seems like if you already have a good .44, and we know the .44 works well even if there are more powerful rounds, it would make sense just to stick with it. Unless of course you are Mr.Moneybags and just want something different. And, there's nothing wrong with that.