MichiganHunter Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I am looking for a good .44 and .357 round for deer any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry hunter Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I am in the same boat, am leaning towards Hornadays Leveraction ammo in .44 the .357 is a little lite 147 gr but i am gonna buy a box anyway to test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted August 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 The leverevolution is what i was running last year and very poor expantion results. it shot well and made great groups, but the one deer that I shot with them the round passed threw the off shoulder with little with little to no expantion. I ended up hitting the deer 2 more times before she dropped. I was running a ruger new model super black hawk with a 7" barrel and a 2-6 bushnell scope, shooting from a trigger pod/tri pod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tecumseh Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Before I started loading my own I was using 270gr jfn buffalo bore 44 mag ammo, they worked great on deer and hogs. Hornady 44 mag xtp bullets work well also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I am looking for a good .44 and .357 round for deer any suggestions? Neither as you found out last year. I would suggest getting a slug gun. Shooting handgun rounds at deer from a rifle is going to lead to more poor results than good. There just isn't enough behind those loads. I know it's all the rage to shoot "rifles" now but it's one of the biggest gimmicks out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry hunter Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 MH i am using a NEF 20" barrel in .44 mag ffor hunting in Indiana this fall, don't own a slug gun so its was cheaper and more econimical to have barrel build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntnfish Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 These cartridges are more than adequate for deer. Inside 100 yards I have killed numerous deer and hog. I have been using the Hornady XTP 240 grain in my .44 lever gun for years with great results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted August 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 Neither as you found out last year. I would suggest getting a slug gun. Shooting handgun rounds at deer from a rifle is going to lead to more poor results than good. There just isn't enough behind those loads. I know it's all the rage to shoot "rifles" now but it's one of the biggest gimmicks out there. I do hunt with a slug gun, it's my main gun for firearm season, but I also enjoy the muzzleloader and have gotten into the pistol set up. As far as power, a .44 mag at correct distance has more than enough power to harvest any deer and the .357 though more limited on distance than the .44 is still more than enough round. I realize that nither offers the impact of a 12g but thats like saying you shouldn't use a bow because it's slower than a bullet. it's all about shot placement, My question was if anyone had used a round that had good performance. The round I was using with proper shot placement at 75yds passed threw the animals off side shoulder and just didn't expand right. I do thank you for your controbution to the topic though. :disolve: Kris K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) Not sure about either one Kris. I'd have to do some serious research looking for bullets designed for rapid expansion at lower velocities. If I recall correctly .44 mag pistol loads are ~1,300 fps at the muzzle. Not sure what the drop off in velocity would be at 75 yards but it's probably under 1,000 fps by then. As you probably know, .44 mag rifle loads can be loaded hotter than pistol loads. The only pistol I've shot deer with is chambered in .308 so I've never had bullet expansion problems. UPDATE: Back when sabots were first available for muzzleloaders we'd buy the jackets & use pistol bullets. Expansion results were poor at best with those. Then along came Barnes with their specially designed muzzloader sabots that produced great expansion results. Since then more companies have done so. With that in mind and from the performance I've had from Barnes with any of their bullets I've used, I'd seriously consider using the Barnes XPB bullets here. http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/pistol/ Edited August 16, 2011 by Rhino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted August 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 Rhino, Hey I will for sure check out barns, I was looking at Winchester supreme platinum tip hollow point in 250 gr. I'll attach a link to the site so you can take a look at the ballistics. Let me know what ya think. http://www.winchester.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/supreme/platinum-tip-hollow-point/Pages/S44PTHP.aspx there is also a vid on youtube of the expanstion results i'll attach if ya like to see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 Yep...from the video it looks like those Winchester Platinum Tip JHP's will do what you're asking for too. Nice to have more than one option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2slo Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) the 250gr platniums will work great i ve killed many deer with them out of my rossi 92 44mag, at ranges from 10yds to 120yds all have dropped in their tracks other than the 1 at 10yds it ran about 50yds the rest were DRT Edited August 16, 2011 by 2slo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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