Deer hunting 44 mag rifle----Which MOLD?

[gutpile]

we have several 77/44's in family, along with several 44 wheelguns we have been using the lee 310 gr and 22.0 grains of H110 or a 240XTP with 24.0 H110 I thinks we can keep to a 240-250 grain to hunt deer.......Do we go with WFN design or a Keith style? Everyone loves the 77/44 as they are like carrying a 22 and i want to drop the recoil level a bit. Will the keith style drop deer well at rifle velocity? we are trying to get away from store bought bullets(XTP)
I was considering NOE .432 265 grain RD with two gascheck cavity Mold
hoping for some feedback on terminal performance on this one was wanting to use ACWW sizing @ .431-.432
keep it around 22.0-25.0 H110 and or 12 gr Unique
the rifles pretty much like the same loads so it will make logistics easier(i hope)

i love this place ! so much to absorb Thanks to all of you!
Gutpile

[altheating]

LBT 280gr LFN is what I use in my 77/44. Deadly accurate at 100 yds. 2.5" group at 130 yds. They shoot just as good as the XTP's did, but for far less cost. That big flat nose on that bullet will really kill deer.

[gutpile]

Does it use a gas check? what alloy are you using?

[Mk42gunner]

I don't have a 77/44 to check; but my suggestion is to try a few of each type boolit to see which one feeds from the magazine better first, then develop loads.

It doesn't make any sense to decide on one boolit then find out it turns your repeater into a single shot.....

Robert

[gutpile]

they feed swc WFN even shot capsule if it fits in the mag it works............I would like the 310 lee if it went 240 250 grain
but the 310 recoils too mush for the kids and ladies

[44man]

Kind of amazing how much recoil a .44 rifle has.
The lighter boolits are fine for deer. I would slow them some for hunting, about the velocity a revolver has. The .44 revolver is my best deer gun and faster is not needed.
Only problem I have is keeping enough loaded, I used the .44 for my last two deer this season, started with 7 rounds and have 5 left! Same last year, started with 6 and had 4 left.
You will have trouble keeping loads around for that rifle! Just too much fun. [smilie=l:
The Ruger has the right twist so about anything will shoot good as long as they fit the magazine.

[Blammer]

the 265gr Ranch Dog boolit absolutely rocks in my Ruger m/77 44mag. HP or flat point I believe it will flatten any deer around.

I would even be comfortable hunting with a 210gr boolit in mine.

This is a good one. 250gr
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/DSCN6457.jpg

[fredj338]

All my big bore revolvers get lead bullets. For hunting deer, I like the Lyman 240gr Dev, but I had another pin made to make it a 270gr cup point. It expands a bit, but the bulk of the bullet remains to give complete penetration. It also shoot better than I do on most days. I have since had Erik remove the gc for easier casting/lubing. At 1250fps, I don't really need a gc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/44-272.jpg

[altheating]

Gutpile, I'm using WW sweetened with a bit of Lino. GC yes. 2400 Powder.

[gutpile]

Blammer, do they make that with a GC? bunch of OAL choices on that one!

[Blammer]

sorry no GC for that one.

here are a few other choices.
All of these are game getters.(well most of them.)
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/44list-1.jpg

[Wayne Smith]

What it really comes down to, if you are shooting a .44, shoot the most accurate boolit in your gun! I don't think any of Blammer's samples would fail if put in the right place.

[youngda9]

I use the RD 265 pb design...dropped a deer this year with it, double lung shot. Feeds flawlessly in the levergun....it's all I'll need for any situation with the 44

[Blammer]

I am sad to say that my photo is long out of date. I have several more 44 moulds that are not shown.

Once again the RD 265gr 44cal mould is a good one, and it feeds very well in my m77. It is my top recommendation for that firearm.

I think RD may still have some. I got my copy of the RD design from NOE, an RG mould. I like it a lot!

Here's a link to some that NOE has.

http://noebulletmolds.com/orders/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=220

[gutpile]

56127 i like this one it has a gas check i BET THIS WOULD WORK WELL! it does not have all the diff crimp grooves.......But NOE shows it with both gascheck and plainbased in the same mold!!!

[Blammer]

gutpile, that is the RD 265 I speak of, it's NOE version with the regular lube grooves vs the TL grooves of RD's original design.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Not sure what the twist rate is on the 77/44 (maybe 1:20) but depending on what range you are typically shooting at, you could probably slow that Lee 310 down to the point where the recoil is more managable. Try around 6.5 grains Unique. Should be relatively quiet, too.

[white eagle]

Mp has some dandy hp molds in 44 cal for hunting and target
NOE make some good ones
Tom @ Accurate Molds has a great selection
and all the others previously mentioned as well
basically you cant miss with a 44 with selection and possibilities

[MT Gianni]

The main issue I would have with hunting with any gun, especially a rifle is how does my load feed. If it feeds well, a meplate the size of the 429421 is a known killer. The Lee 310 is also. Any meplate between those sizes and any weight between the max and min for the 44 will work.

[gutpile]

we seldom shoot at much over 90 yards..... i wonder if 6.5 grains of unique would be ok velocity wise for a 75-100yrd shot but most of the time its 75yrd or closer

[sw282]

429215 w/gc is my favorite 44 boolit

[Silvercreek Farmer]

we seldom shoot at much over 90 yards..... i wonder if 6.5 grains of unique would be ok velocity wise for a 75-100yrd shot but most of the time its 75yrd or closer

As long as it stabilizes the boolit and you get sufficient accuracy, there will be plenty of velocity left at 100 yards to do the job. If it doesn't stabilize, you could work the load up a grain or so and see if that helps (were you using 12 grains of Unique? if so that may have been over max). Practice at different ranges to check trajectory at that velocity. With a 100 yard zero set you might be 4-5 inches high at 25 yards, just guessing though, you would have to try it out to be sure.