New Guy Needs Help With .44 Mag Elk Hunting Load

[Texagator]

Can someone please offer some suggestions for for a good elk and black bear .44 magnum load?

I'm planning to take my Ruger Redhawk (http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c144/Texagator/redhawk1.jpg) elk hunting with me this year. Where we're going, it's a combination of long shots in between large areas of thick, dense forest. Based on past experience, it's certainly possible to get a 50 or 60 yard shot in the Aspens.

I was hoping to perhaps use a 300 grain cast bullet such as this wide flat nose gas check by Cast Performance (http://www.castperformance.com/Detail.bok?no=14) but I will defer to the experience of others. Please keep in mind this will be shot from a 4.2" barrel. While I do want enough force delivered to the target, I would like to avoid excessive unburned powder being sent into the air and/or unnecessary muzzle blast. I'm not sure which way to do this that is sensible or if that's even possible with this revolver. I need some help.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you.

[Lloyd Smale]

if it were me id load a 300 grain lfn or swc to about 1100 fps as a starting point. Try pushing it with 110/296, aa9, or 2400. 21 grains of 110 or 19 of aa9 or 18 of 2400 should get you in the ball park. Id use a mag primer with the 110 and aa9 and a standard with 2400.

[Shooter]

All I have shot is whitetails, but Elmer's load of 429421+ 22Gr. 2400 always worked well for me.
With that short of a barrel you don't have a lot of space to burn powder. I would try to keep shots inside 50 yards.

[Larry Gibson]

I use the Lyman 429244 cast of WW/lead 50/50 alloy. Mine weigh 270 gr fully dressed. Loaded over 23 gr of H4227 they push 1160 fps out of my 4" Colt Anaconda. When my eyes were good I could shoot'em into 3" at 50 yards. They go through an elk sideways and I did not recover either of the 2 bullets I put into/through the elk. 1st bullet killed her but I paid the insurance shot anyways. 1st shot at 45 paces went in behind the foreleg, angle forward through the heart and exited out between the brisket and offleg. Second bullet pretty much followed the first but was taken at about 60+ paces. She went maybe another 40 yards or so and went down.

Larry Gibson

[MtGun44]

250 Keith over 20 gr 2400 shoots into 2" at 50 yds in my S&W 629.

Will not stop in an elk. No need for heavier or faster.

Bill

[Jeffrey]

I searched these up for a friend that took 2 elk with his Dan Wesson 44 mag.
http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=54
Jeffrey

[EMC45]

250gr. 429-421K over 20gr. 2400. Accurate out of my SBH. Will plow through soft tissue.

[Doc_Stihl]

The lee 310 (out of the 6 cavity mold), sized .001 over, gas checked and lubed with Lars Red on top of 18-20Gr of H110/296 is my personal favorite. With the Redhawk you can crimp to the 1st crimp groove.

[gon2shoot]

A 265gr boolit (about 16 BHN) over 20gr of 2400 has worked for me out of 7 1/2" Ruger.

[The Shootist]

.44-250K (#2 alloy), with 22 gr. of 2400.

:castmine: