44 advice for whitetail

[kb2112]

Hi all,

Ive been reading thru many posts, and am suffering from information overload.

Im looking to hunt deer with my 6 inch 629 this fall, and Id like to use some home made cast for that. I am somewhat recoil sensitive, so Id like to keep the velocity and weight in check. Max distance would be 75 yards +/-. If possible I'd like to stay away from gas checks. Im a keep it simple kind of guy.

What style and load would you suggest? I have been reloading jacketed for years, but am fairly new to cast.

Thank you

Kb

[hicard]

Kb

I would try a load with the Lyman 429421 245 gr SWC with a charge of 9.5 grs of Unigue which would give you a velocity of 1147 fps and energy of 716 fpe. If you sighted in at 50 yds, you would have to aim about 2.9" high at 75 yds. Should be pleasant to shoot and still get the job done.

[bbwhais]

Lee's 240 gn tumble lube molds cast with linotype and loaded over 21.5 gn IMR 4227. Mild mannered load that is as simple as you get. Cast, tumble lube, dry, load what could be easier. My 10 year old has no problems with recoil from this load out of a Super Red Hawk with a 7 1/2 barrel. Hope this helps.

[grumman581]

Given the difficulty in finding powder and reloading components these days, perhaps you should list the powders that you have on hand so that someone doesn't suggest a powder that you might not even be able to *find* before deer season.

[youngda9]

Pick any 240-255 grain bullet, doesn't matter which one, and launch it at 1000fps or just over and it will punch a 1/2" hole clean through any deer that should get within range. It really is as simple as that with a 44mag for deer. Look through a load book or an online powder supplier's data. Sight it in for 50 and it will be a bit low at 75. Aim for the center of the lungs on all shots and you don't even need to worry about trajectory.

[nagantguy]

Powders and components are hard to find now but the good news is there is no shortage of load combos for the .44 that will work good on deer, like almost any of them in the manuals, I've even dropped a large whitetail doe with a heavy .44 special load at 40 yards. As always shot placement is more important than any other factor.

[kb2112]

I have plenty of supplies so thats not a problem. What I need to find is the bullet style it self, then get a mold. Heck, I even have plenty of lead.

Thank you for the suggestions. Ill look into them, and please keep them coming.

[OnHoPr]

If you go harder with your alloy then stay with the larger meplat, if you go softer then any boolit should work if you double lung the deer.

[grumman581]

Pick any 240-255 grain bullet, doesn't matter which one, and launch it at 1000fps or just over and it will punch a 1/2" hole clean through any deer that should get within range. It really is as simple as that with a 44mag for deer. Look through a load book or an online powder supplier's data. Sight it in for 50 and it will be a bit low at 75. Aim for the center of the lungs on all shots and you don't even need to worry about trajectory.

Put a hole through both lungs and you're not going to be chasing / following that deer for very far.

I have the Lee TL430-240-SWC, but if I was looking for a heavier bullet, I would not have a problem with going with the C430-310-RF. The C430-310-RF is a gas check bullet, but there's nothing saying that you *have* to use a gas check on it.

[bbwhais]

I shoot the Lee 240 gn tl swc cast with 50/50 lino/pure, lubed with alox double coated and have had no leading at 1250+. Deer go down pritty quick with a hard cast through the sholder. A very little blood shot meat loss and little to no tracking involved. Lee is a little back logged on production, so to get the mold and work on load tweeking order soon.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I use a caliber .41 magnum Dan Wesson 6 inch or 8 inch on big east ILLinois deer off and on. Not realy any difference. I also cast for a friend who uses a 6 inch S&W stainless. We both have agreed to not use anything less than 240 grains. I use a 265 FN and he uses a 250 grain flat nose (429421).
We both are using WW with about 1% tin added. No boolit failures. We both generally wait for a "through both lung shot". There are so many does where we both hunt there really is no issue. My longest shot to date was 33 yards. Most are within 15 yards. I look at 1150 fps as plenty of "thump" from my caliber .41. Have never recovered a boolit. They go through with finess.
My hunting pard hunts far more than me. He has never lost any deer since switching to the caliber .44 (from a caliber .357). I do not remember for sure his powder.. but he never uses anything slower than Bluedot and buys 2400 in 8 pound containers as I do.
Mike in Peru

[turmech]

The Lyman 429421 (or any clone of it) with 10 gr of unique would be my recommendations based on your criteria.. Clean, accurate, and a pleasure to shoot. I use mostly 2400 for my hunting load mainly for flatter trajectory. My results with the unique have been excellent and much more enjoyable to shoot.

[jhalcott]

I've used 200 to 250+ grain bullets in the 44 mag to take deer. Both jacketed and cast! Pick any LEGAL load and practice with it till all your shots hit inside a 4" circle at 50 yards. Try a few at 75 and 25 to see what the bullet does at those ranges. SOME areas have different laws for handgun loads Power, caliber and other things. You should have NO trouble taking a deer with a 44 mag.

[kb2112]

How are the lee molds? The SWC almost look like round nose, are they any good for deer? If I get a mold that is designed for a gas check and dont use it, will it matter if I keep the load reasonable?

Sorry for the questions,

kb

[grumman581]

How are the lee molds? The SWC almost look like round nose, are they any good for deer? If I get a mold that is designed for a gas check and dont use it, will it matter if I keep the load reasonable?

I've never encountered a problem with not using GCs on bullets that were designed for GC. I suspect that you would encounter a problem at the same time you encountered a problem with a non-GC bullet.

With respect to the SWC being any good for deer -- well, I've taken deer with just a round nose without any problem. If you put a hole through both lungs, they aren't really going to be going that far.

[Blammer]

I would recommend the Lyman 429667, it is very accurate for me out to 100yds and kills deer nicely. I don't load mine to max velocity, just to max accuracy.

I have had more luck with accuracy when shooting a round flat nose than a SWC style.

[DanWalker]

Get a boolit with a flat nose, moving at 900 fps or faster, and put it through the shoulders. Punch a hole in the lungs, and try to break one or more shoulders, and you've got meat. I'm with Blammer on this. Go with accuracy first. On critters smaller than elk, more velocity and heavier boolits just make more noise, recoil, and a deeper hole in the ground behind the critter. They don't die any faster.

[Iowa Fox]

Whitetails are actually pretty easy to kill with shot placement and the 44 mag does an excellent job. Blammer is correct, load for accuracy first. My best power for accuracy in the 44 mag that I have found is Unique. The days of H110 are almost over for me due to recoil plus I could never get the very small groups that I could with Unique. I have a 629-1 Classic hunter and a Encore 12" both do an excellent job, I would stay under 300 grains when you choose your mold.

[kb2112]

Thank you everyone.

Well I now have a Lyman 429421 SWC 245g 2 cavity mold. I'll be casting some up later.

In the mean time, I'd like to continue to hear of what others found to work with this projectile. I have bullseye and unique to use.

I know each firearm is different with it's tastes, but in general, what was your more accurate load?

(I'm getting ready for rotator cuff surgery soon, so I'd like to get the big things taken care of before I'm out of commission. It looks like my bow season will be canceled this year).

Thank you again.

[richhodg66]

Haven't shot one with a handgun, however, I have killed a couple of deer with m cast .44sin an inline muzzle loader. I was trying for a lighter load for a recoil sensitive kid, went with the RCBS 225 grain SWC which is a gas check design and 70 grains of Hogdon 777. In the cheap green sabots I used, it got decent accuracy and killed deer OK (two, one maybe 25 yards and one maybe 60, both through the lungs). Neither gave a real impressive exit hole, but neither deer went very far either. I would think performance of that type from a long barreled revolver would be similar.

That bullet doesn't have a real big meplat, by the way. Since the kid lost interest and I'm the only one using the rifle, I'm gonna go to a heavier bullet and bigger powder charge this year