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View Full Version : The .44 Special Does it Again for the 3rd Time This Season!



35 Whelen
12-30-2013, 12:21 AM
Went out again in search of a deer, this time for some jerky meat. I waited until about 5:00 p.m. before actually getting to my hunting spot because it was in the upper '20's with the wind blowing about 20 mph, hoping the wind would lay a bit. I was sitting on the side of the draw under a small mesquite tree, fidgeting around trying to get comfortable and into position for a possible shot. I had no more than relaxed when I spotted three deer coming down the opposite side of the draw through some brush about 75 yds. away. One came out in the open and turned broadside walking along the side of the draw. I had to kind of hurry to take the shot, as there wasn't much of an opening before limbs would interfere. When I shot he was around 45 yards out and I clearly heard the bullet hit. He sort of humped up, dropped his head and trotted over the crest of the draw. I waited a couple of minutes and went after him. He had only gone about 25 yards and was dead as a hammer when I got there. I hit lower than I intended with the bullet entering low in the right shoulder just missing the leg bone, through the chest where it creased the heart (see photos) and exited the chest low on the far side. He bled out quite a bit of blood.

(Same ol') Uberti 4 3/4" 44 Special, 7.5 grs. AL20/28, 252 gr. SWCHP (Mihec mould) @ 9.5 Bhn. If memory serves it chrono'ed somewhere around 965-970.

Sorry about the blurry photos. Used my camera phone and didn't realize "Auto Focus" was turned off. I can't tell if the bullet expanded or not, but the crease through the heart looks fairly wide as though it might have.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Buttonbuck_zps4be870ab.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Buttonbuck_zps4be870ab.jpg.html)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-2_zps349ca3ef.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-2_zps349ca3ef.jpg.html)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-4_zpsfc0a17ea.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-4_zpsfc0a17ea.jpg.html)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-3_zps9a3eefe8.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Buttonbuckheart-3_zps9a3eefe8.jpg.html)

35W

jmort
12-30-2013, 12:25 AM
Big slow bullets rule. Thanks for post/pictures, very well done.

Grendel99
12-30-2013, 03:48 AM
Awesome, good shot! It's a lot of fun with a revolver, isn't it?

Teddy (punchie)
12-30-2013, 05:55 AM
Just the way I like it , not time waiting hours on end. Stop get ready and shoot, well now the work of cleaning it all up and good eats. Nice Job!!

Socal147
12-30-2013, 08:35 AM
Nice shooting. I love me some venny jerky!

kbstenberg
12-30-2013, 08:51 AM
Sumpthin must be wrong. I didn't think a deer could be kilt unless the bullet was going 1500fps and it was 13 bhn or more.
Well done. Kevin

CastingFool
12-30-2013, 09:13 AM
Congrats, fresh venison is always good! Taking a deer with my RBH is on my bucket list. Seems like when I take it out, the deer don't come in close enough for a shot, and when I leave it at home, they'll come in at 20-25 yds.

JeffinNZ
12-30-2013, 05:33 PM
Who needs a magnum ah? Nice work.

gtgeorge
12-30-2013, 05:40 PM
Very nice. Congrats on the harvest.

white eagle
12-30-2013, 06:00 PM
job well done
ya better watch it though some around here will call you all sorts of things when you say that you didn't hit where you aimed
nicely done in my book though

blikseme300
12-30-2013, 08:30 PM
Bang! Yummy, yummy! I envy you in a good way. I have yet to get out and do some hunting this season as between work and the lousy rainy weather there has been no opportunity yet. Hopefully soon after new-years day the weather will let up and I'll be out on the ranch with both my Marlin 444S and 44 SBH.

35 Whelen
12-30-2013, 09:09 PM
Who needs a magnum ah? Nice work.

Well...I wasn't going to say that, but since you did, no harm in me whole-heartedly agreeing with you!!

35W

TXGunNut
01-02-2014, 10:57 PM
Well...I wasn't going to say that, but since you did, no harm in me whole-heartedly agreeing with you!!

35W

Nothing at all wrong with that! 44spl and standard velocity 45 Colt are way underrated but I don't see the need to force that little tidbit on folks who believe otherwise.

geargnasher
01-02-2014, 11:35 PM
I've said it before, but I'll mention again, the closest to DRT I ever got with a shot on a whitetail was with a no-name ROA knock-off, a .451" pure lead round ball, and a load of Pyrodex P. The little deer just fell over like a fainting goat. It doesn't take 1500 fps to knock one over with a big-bore revolver if you're close and use soft boolits.

Gear

35 Whelen
01-02-2014, 11:44 PM
Well I skinned the little buck out last night and I was stunned by all the bloodshot meat in moth shoulders. Judging from the exit wound the bullet positively expanded. Wish I had taken pictures!

35W

taco650
01-03-2014, 09:39 AM
Who needs a magnum ah? Nice work.

Or adjustable or telescopic sights?

Congrats on doing it "old school". That never goes out of style.

elk hunter
01-03-2014, 10:45 AM
Good shooting.

One of my favorite calibers for a very good reason, it works. Wish I hadn't had to sell my Third generation SAA in 44 Special to pay bills many years ago. In 1970 I met a man in his early 70's that told me he had killed fifty-four Mule Deer with his Smith & Wesson 44 Special Triple Lock revolver. And after seeing him shoot, I could believe it.

Again, good shooting. Thanks for bring back some good memories.

35 Whelen
01-03-2014, 11:00 AM
Or adjustable or telescopic sights?

Congrats on doing it "old school". That never goes out of style.

Thanks to both of you. The sights are fixed, but regulated to my hunting load.

35W

35 Whelen
01-03-2014, 11:37 AM
Thanks Bill, but orry to hear that. I've often thought about moving to one of the mountain states because I love hunting elk, but I think I'd die if I could only hunt 5 or so days out of the year.

MT Gianni
01-03-2014, 12:04 PM
Nice deer. FYI it is far cheaper to pay for an outfitted hunt than move to a Mountainous State most of the time.

John Allen
01-03-2014, 12:09 PM
44 Special - 250 grain Keith are great. It is my standard load.

taco650
01-03-2014, 12:47 PM
Thanks to both of you. The sights are fixed, but regulated to my hunting load.

35W

What range would they be regulated for? Do you use any other loads in this gun?

35 Whelen
01-03-2014, 01:09 PM
Pretty much regulated for 50 yds. I like the POI to be a little high, maybe 3" or so should a shot out to 75 yds. or so present itself. I also shoot tons of rounds loaded with 6.5 grs. of Unique, or now AL20/28 and a 429421 SWC. This load runs about 100 fps slower than my hunting load so POI's are very similar...certainly close enough for day-to-day practicing.

35W

missionary5155
01-03-2014, 03:25 PM
Howdy and Congratulations again !
Sounds like you had that day planned right to the minute. How I like big heavy boolits also. They do a good job with no fuss involved.
Mike in Peru

taco650
01-03-2014, 06:05 PM
Pretty much regulated for 50 yds. I like the POI to be a little high, maybe 3" or so should a shot out to 75 yds. or so present itself. I also shoot tons of rounds loaded with 6.5 grs. of Unique, or now AL20/28 and a 429421 SWC. This load runs about 100 fps slower than my hunting load so POI's are very similar...certainly close enough for day-to-day practicing.

35W

So the 6.5/Unique is your every day practice round? That's good new for me because I have two bottles of this and looking for a good "regular use" load for my SBH.

blackthorn
01-03-2014, 07:53 PM
Nice deer. FYI it is far cheaper to pay for an outfitted hunt than move to a Mountainous State most of the time.

Yeah but---mountains ROCK!!!

35 Whelen
01-03-2014, 08:26 PM
Nice deer. FYI it is far cheaper to pay for an outfitted hunt than move to a Mountainous State most of the time.

Two things: I don't really care for using outfitters and most of all, I've always wanted to live in Wyoming, Idaho, etc.

35W

pls1911
01-05-2014, 10:11 AM
You prove once again shot placement is critical and the "daylight transfer" factor of .44 Special and .45 Colt simply WORKS!!

35 Whelen
01-10-2014, 10:26 PM
Went out to cut the meat up for jerky. Thought y'all might be interested in the damage done by the bullet. You're looking at where the bullet entered the off shoulder prior to exiting.

93145

35W

taco650
01-11-2014, 09:54 AM
Talk about eating right up to the hole, must not have expanded much. Lube color matches the meat too. What lube is it?

35 Whelen
01-11-2014, 10:06 AM
No, all that around the bullet hole is bloodshot meat. In fact I was really surprised at all the bloodshot meat. I shot two other deer this year both with plain SWC's and they left almost zero bloodshot meat. So given the amount of bloodshot meat, the size of the gash cut across the heart and the size of the exit wounds, I', thinking the bullet did expand.
The lube is Cerasin Red.

35W

358wcf
01-13-2014, 12:11 PM
35W-
Outstanding work, and thanks for sharing your great story with details-
When I hunt in the USA, I always carry one of my 44Special Smith&Wesson model 24 revolvers- yes, I even use them on ground squirrels, just to keep in practice- when I hunt in New Zealand, I positively feel naked, as no handguns are permitted at all- we should charish our freedom and hunting traditions, lest they be taken away by----
Standard load in my revolvers is also 6.5gr Unique (a bit smoky, but who cares?) behind the 250gr Keith SWC- slow, but it ALWAYS does the job- never failed.
Great shot and good eating!

Chuck
358wcf [smilie=1:[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

GooseGestapo
02-22-2014, 01:49 AM
I doubt that the bullet expanded much. I shot a pig with a similar SWC from a .357mag at ~1,150fps (4" Ruger Sec.6) 6.8gr Universal-aircooled w/w metal. I did recover the bullet; it had "riveted" a bit, but it cut a similar wound. I found it under the hide on the far side after a similar shot placement however I did hit the on-side shoulder. A lot of what you are seeing is from secondary projectiles from bone being hit. The shards of bone cut like razor blades and result in a much larger wound. Also, you are seeing the "cutting" effect of the leading edge of the bullet cutting a "cookie cutter" hole. I've seen in with .45cal 200gr SWC I shoot from a .50cal m/l with a .50/45 sabot. A deer it hit almost identical with it ran after the shot with a 1/2" stream of blood pumping out both sides after she emerged from the smoke plume. Ran similar ~25yds and leaned over as she ran and slid into the ground. Second deer stood almost long enough for me to reload for a second shot....

I'm trying the same thing with a Ruger NewMod. Blackhawk in .45colt with the 270gr RCBS SAA mold. I'm running it over 9.8gr of LongShot for ~950fps (1,100 with 11.2gr. I carried it elk hunting in Colorado where they have a 550fpe @ 50yd requirement).
Keep up the good shooting/hunting...

35 Whelen
02-22-2014, 10:16 AM
I don't know for sure with regards to expansion, but I really feel like it did some because of the bloodshot meat. As I stated in the OP, it's pretty soft bullet at 9.5 Bhn. The bullet did NOT hit bone anywhere.

35W

Dale53
02-22-2014, 11:02 AM
35Whelan;
Nice job, my man! The .44 Special is indeed, SPECIAL! 950fps-1000fps in a 250+ gr bullet .430" or .452" in diameter of proper shape will get the job DONE. A soft hollow point bullet will indeed work at that velocity. A .44 Special or .45 Colt will either do the work necessary when placed correctly.

"Rifle only" hunters can't know the satisfaction derived from taking a deer cleanly with a handgun at reasonable ranges. It's one of the most satisfying things I have done.

FWIW
Dale53