Does 44 mag get it done on Whitetail and Black Bear?

[98s1lightning]

I'm considering a 20" rifle in 44 mag for my son as HIS first rifle, though we will start him on less recoiling rifles before he gets to IT. (I remember trying a 44 semi rifle as a 10yr old to 12yr old and disliking the recoil.)

I've never hunted with/or knew anyone to shoot deer with a 44 rifle.

How's it performing for you guys who use one?

 

[crestoncowboy]

People use them for whitetail and bear often. Ive used a redhawk for 20 years.

According to the internet though, a 22 may be big enough for bear. A 50 BMG may also just make one angry.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Na, too little, you need one of those .500 Smith & Wesson pistols.

Just kidding!!! Of course it is ok, if he's not a little kid he probably won't even notice the recoil. Make sure he wears hearing protection.

I call mine Ole Thumper, because it thumps me on the shoulder every time I shoot it.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[earlthegoat2]

They work OK on deer. Here is a twofor I got a mere 18 hrs apart in 2019 using a Marlin 1894SS.

 

[BigBore44]

Cant speak to bear. But....

 

[Patocazador]

That's either a very small buck or a huge coyote.

 

[Antihero]

Out of a rifle figure another 400fps or so vs a revolver.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Cant speak to bear. But....View attachment 979150 View attachment 979149View attachment 979151 View attachment 979152View attachment 979153 View attachment 979154View attachment 979155 View attachment 979156View attachment 979157

Pfffft. Show off.

Don't you just love the wounding characteristics of that 44 magnum on medium game?

 

[BigBore44]

That's either a very small buck or a huge coyote.

Huge coyote. Biggest I’ve ever seen. Buck dressed at 127. When I took it to the taxidermist I told him I had a nice coyote, I wanted a rug, and asked how much. He told me to bring it in. Couple other guys in the shop BS-ing. Went to the truck and brought it inside. When the other guys saw it they said words not appropriate for THR. When he looked up saw it, his eyes got big and said “Holy hell? Are you sure that’s not a wolf? He’s huge! That’s the biggest coyote I’ve ever seen!”

For the record, he fell to the 44 mag also.

 

[Jeff Flannery]

I shorth

I'm considering a 20" rifle in 44 mag for my son as HIS first rifle, though we will start him on less recoiling rifles before he gets to IT. (I remember trying a 44 semi rifle as a 10yr old to 12yr old and disliking the recoil.)

I've never hunted with/or knew anyone to shoot deer with a 44 rifle.

How's it performing for you guys who use one?

I shot the biggest buck yet with my open sighted marlin 1894 44mag. No problem putting him down

 

[BigBore44]

Pfffft. Show off.

Don't you just love the wounding characteristics of that 44 magnum on medium game?

Not every deer I shot DRT’d. But every deer except one fell within eyesight. And I hunt hills, and ridges. The one that didn’t only ran (downhill) about 30-40 yards. But I technically didn’t see it fall because she was on a double shelf.

The 44mag is one of the most underrated deer (and hog) cartridges out there. Probably because it’s not a laser beam past 100-125 yards. Where I hunt, that’s a LONG shot. And I have absolutely no doubt it will handle black bear. Recoil is mild (My phone autocorrected to milf. Glad I caught that) compared to other rifle cartridges. It’s been my “go to” rifle for several years now. You won’t find many handier rifles that the 1894. I have a lot of hunting rifles. And I always plan on taking a different one out. And every year when I reach in the safe, I always end up grabbing the ‘94. It just plain works.

 

[IdaD]

Personally I prefer bolt guns for hunting and a 44 is nowhere near as versatile as a mid-level rifle caliber in terms of effective range, with similar recoil levels. That having been said it's absolutely plenty for deer as long as the shots aren't too long and there's nothing wrong with lever guns (I own three, I just don't hunt with them).

 

[Meeks36]

You could buy a single shot 357 mag and ream it out to 357 max. Plenty of power for deer and smaller bear. Hardly any recoil. Wouldn't want to meet a 1000 pounder toting one. But for 2-400 lb will work great.

 

[3Crows]

My new backyard deer rifle. Just picked this up, CVA Scout V2 TD ( no tool take down) .44 Magnum:







My only real complaint is the weight is a bit portly, with scope it nears 8 pounds, but it is built like a tank. The trigger is exceptional and the build quality is excellent, lock up is tight as a tick. I wish they supplied open sights as an option.

 

[CraigC]

Properly loaded, it'll take anything that walks or crawls.

 

[Rembrandt]

Don't know about bear, but works well on deer.....especially for young kids, mild recoil. Picked up four for the grand kids. Under a 100 yards they're fine.....lot of bullet drop beyond that.

 

[98s1lightning]

Cool. Thanks guys.

I wanna get him the lever with open sights to learn on. Once he's older and done growing he can decide on a big centerfire bolt action.

Where we hunt the shots are not long either unless your on a tote road.

 

[jmr40]

If you can hit it, it'll kill it. The 44 mag's biggest negative is mediocre accuracy at any range, recoil, and bullet drop past 75 yards. I wouldn't choose one for hunting unless shots were 50 yards or less. It'll kill farther if you connect, but I just like more accuracy.

Honestly, I'd much rather start a kid on a 243 or 6.5 CM bolt gun. Lever actions are the most likely to have an accidental discharge and are not really the best for beginners. You'll get less recoil, much better accuracy and a far more versatile rifle all around in a less expensive rifle.

Just because a rifle is capable at 400-500 yards doesn't mean it is a handicap at 50 yards, but a rifle designed for 50 yards is a handicap at longer ranges. And they won't out grow it. A 243 is probably near ideal for deer regardless of the age of the hunter. The 6.5's recoil is closer to 243 than 308 or 44 mag and is the smallest round I'd feel comfortable using on elk.

I view the 44 mag lever guns as a good option for seasoned hunters looking to make the hunt more challenging. When loaded with the hotter loads and heavier bullets I'd rather have 44 mag in my hands for bear defense than a lever in 45-70. So it's not that I dislike the rifles or cartridge. It's just a matter of choosing the right application.

 

[3Crows]

How so?

But that is an option, at least a year from now (giving Ruger some wiggle room to get Marlin back up per them by late this year of 2021), just do not bother with a .44 Magnum and jump straight to .45-70. The .45-70 can be loaded from 900 FPS to whatever pushing ginormous bullets with easily twice the FPE of a little bitsy little ol'. 44 Magnum. The HMS "Cowboy" is about 1300 FPS with a HCL 405 grain bullet replicating the buffalo loads of yore and the recoil is pretty mild.

The reason there are so many cartridges and so many types of rifles is that everyone has unique or at least personal reasons for choices they make. That being said, up against any sort of critter that bites, claws, stomps and eats people for crunchy fun and sport I will take my Marlin Guide Gun and +P bear loads over any .44 Magnum revolver, not even in the same class. Let's see, let me drop my 3,000 FPE rifle and grab my 1,500 FPE revolver, why?

There is also the Ruger American bolt gun in .44 Magnum, and you might look at some of the new .350 Legend bolt guns like the CVA Cascade for example. The recoil energy of a .44 Magnum is in about the same range as .30-30. A Model 336 Marlin is a good investment and is in many parts of the world for decades the deer rifle. And a Marlin .30-30 (and possibly the bulky Henry) is a more svelte (than some break actions and bolts), multi-shot capable rifle with a 200 to 250 yard range if needed.

 

[earlthegoat2]

A few points.

Mediocre accuracy is very relative. To say a round or rifle has mediocre accuracy and in the same breath has unacceptable bullet drop past 75 yds, would indicate some pretty extreme inaccuracy if it cannot make vital size groups at MPBR which as indicated would be 75-100 yds.

Well, the 44 mag rifle is a 125 yd MPBR gun and will shoot 2-3” groups pretty easy at that range. Not great for the latest whiz bang but just fine for the expectations of a 44 mag rifle.

Once again we enter the murky world of accuracy vs. range vs. rifle type vs. ad nauseam and the infinite opinions on what is more important.

Obviously I am as biased towards large straight wall cartridges as others are towards a favorite bottleneck.

I suppose if the question was stated as can the 44 mag compete with the rest of what is out there the answer would generally be no. The real answer, of course would be, “it depends”. In this instance the answer is undeniably a yes to deer and bear and I would not go bear hunting with a .243 even though I am sure it would eventually kill one.

Also, am I alone when I say that I really don’t think 44 rifles have much recoil? They recoil less than 30-30 and those have always been touted as a good rifle for kids.

 

[crestoncowboy]

A 460 would be good too if anyone makes them. Shoot anything from mild 45 colt up to 460. But idk if anyone does them in a rifle other than the handy rifle

 

[earlthegoat2]

A 460 would be good too if anyone makes them. Shoot anything from mild 45 colt up to 460. But idk if anyone does them in a rifle other than the handy rifle

They don’t do them in a HandiRifle. Some people ream them out to it though. Big Horn Armory makes a lever gun. Singles can be had in the Encore and Ruger No 1.

However, all of these have what I would consider to be substantial recoil and if I don’t think 44 mags have much then a 460 must be pretty bad.

 

[crestoncowboy]

They don’t do them in a

Huh. I knew they did the 500. Wouldn't interest me in a single anyway.

And the 460 would presumably use the 45 and 454 as well. Like most (but not all...i learned that once....) 22 levers use short long etc. 45 would be just under the 44 in most factory loadings.

If they don't make them though it's a moot point. Lol.

I have 44 and 460 etc in handguns. Have used them (and 10mm) hunting for years. I do have 3 small kids though. So I've been thinking on the same issue as the OP. My oldest is pretty stout and sturdy. But the other two will require something smaller than my 257 Robert's I'm afraid.

 

[BigBore44]

I knew they did the 500. Wouldn't interest me in a single anyway.

I shot one. 3 shots with moderately heavy handloads. The first one woke me up. The second hurt. And after the third, I was done. Not done like “Ok now I know what it’s like so I’m good”. Done, like I held the rifle out with my left hand because my right shoulder hurt so bad I couldn’t hold the gun out with my right arm, done.

 

[T.R.]

44 MAG has a long history of toppling big game animals. But for target practice with a new shooter, I recommend choosing 44 Special ammo because of very light recoil. After a time you can introduce full power 44 MAG ammo. Hornady's Lever-evolution ammo features a 225 grain bullet that is deadly on deer sized animals. For bears I would hunt with a heavier weight such as the 270 grain Speer bullet.

TR