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Thread: 44 mag devistator vs Lee 310 cast boolit for black bear

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    44 mag devistator vs Lee 310 cast boolit for black bear

    I am borrowing my buddy's kid my 77/44 to hopefully harvest his 1st black bear. It's the lightest rifle I own that fits him. The kid is 12 and small for his age. He will be hunting over bait and I plan on video taping the hunt.

    Which brings me to the question...between the two boolits which one has the best chance of dropping a black bear in its tracks with a properly placed shot and if it needs to be tracked I need to choose between the two boolits that will leave a bigger exit hole for a good blood trail.

    I would assume at this close distance they both are going to work fine. The devisator is PC,GC, ac COWW w/2%pewter and a BH of 14.3. I have it loaded pretty stout. 24g of w296 and probably will drop it to a lighter charge if needed. The 310 is WQ has a BH of 15. I do have some AC that should be at 14.3 BH. Lastly, I just casted up some devistators with 6% pewter and lead flooring, PC and GC that should be around 7.5BH which from what I've read probably want to load about 1400 fps.


    I'm leaning toward the 14.3 devistators hoping they will act like a partition and cause more trauma shedding the HP.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 08-24-2017 at 02:06 AM.

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    If the shot is put where it counts and I mean dead on where it counts I don't think there is going to be much difference. I myself would pick the RF and leave the HP in the truck.
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    I think either one would work fine, with the Lee 310 gr being my first choice.
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    I'm just learning the Lee 310 & it seems like a wonderful boolit. Have no experience to comment on the devastator but have a slight prejudice against HP's for those big critters. Just personal opinion here, but I'd go for that big 310 meplat and full pass through wounds. Mine are cast around and maybe just under a Lyman #2 alloy and I get my best accuracy (so far) with 20.5 gr's. of H-110. That load might be a little stout for a 12 year old.

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    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    I agree, and with 24grs behind that devastator, it is likely to shatter the "mouth" of the boolit and either veer off course or not exit or both, I would save those for deer and use the 310 air cooled
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    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    What size exit wounds are you booliteers seeing with the 310 on thin skinned game? I was just thinking I would have a larger exit hole with the devistators. Anyone have some pics of entry and exit holes with either boolit?

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    I doubt that any boolit or bullet will drop a bear in its tracks unless spined or head shot
    I would think either boolit will work just fine but it would all come down to the shooter
    make sure he is comfortable and accurate shooting with this choice and that is the one I would use
    Hit em'hard
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    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by white eagle View Post
    I doubt that any boolit or bullet will drop a bear in its tracks unless spined or head shot
    I would think either boolit will work just fine but it would all come down to the shooter
    make sure he is comfortable and accurate shooting with this choice and that is the one I would use
    I agree. Back in 2001' I watched 13 bear get harvested and the only ones that dropped were spined and the other was my shot through both shoulders with a 180g scirocco out of a 300 rum. I'm sure if I dint hit bone it would have traveled. The last one I harvested six years ago with the same rifle and a 200 partition went and bout 45 yards and only had Four drops of blood. The fat sealed its hole.

    I don't expect the bear to drop so I want to make sure there is an exit hole and want to use which boolit will make a bigger exit hole for the best blood trail possible.

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    "Lastly, I just casted up some devistators with 6% pewter and lead flooring, PC and GC that should be around 7.5BH which from what I've read probably want to load about 1400 fps."

    At 1400 to 1500 fps that is the bullet I would suggest. It will expand nicely, give all the penetration needed with a well placed shot and not "shatter". It will cause more internal damage than the other two bullets and thus will kill quicker.
    Larry Gibson

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    Took my last bear with a Keith 255 gr solid at about 65 yds (I think) using 22 grs of 2400 for about 1600 fps out of my 10" Ruger 44 mag. The shot took out both lungs & he did a back flip, rolled down the hill about 15 yds biting at the bullet hole & was out in 4-5 seconds. Your Devastator will work great in soft tissue with a BHN of 7.5, if you want to break shoulder bones I'd go with the 310 gr bullet & get an exit.
    Spring bears aren't usually heavy but they are short & compact. A fall bear can almost double in weight over what he weighed in the spring, depending on food source.
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  11. #11
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    A poorly shot and wounded bear with a 12 year old in the mix, I would certainly have a powerful "backup" in case things turn nasty. Just my concerned thoughts.

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    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    "Lastly, I just casted up some devistators with 6% pewter and lead flooring, PC and GC that should be around 7.5BH which from what I've read probably want to load about 1400 fps."

    At 1400 to 1500 fps that is the bullet I would suggest. It will expand nicely, give all the penetration needed with a well placed shot and not "shatter". It will cause more internal damage than the other two bullets and thus will kill quicker.
    Larry, if shoulder bone or spine was hit is 7.5 BH hard enough to Penatrate, brake, and pass through?

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    Quote Originally Posted by retread View Post
    A poorly shot and wounded bear with a 12 year old in the mix, I would certainly have a powerful "backup" in case things turn nasty. Just my concerned thoughts.
    I would agree. You would no longer need a hunting round but a stopping round for less than ideal conditions.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BHill View Post
    I would agree. You would no longer need a hunting round but a stopping round for less than ideal conditions.
    His dad will have a 12 gauge with double 00 buck loaded and ready to go sitting in the blind. I'm video taping and will have either my 44 mag night guard or Andaconda strapped on. His dad and I have been bear hunting together for 17 years now and have had plenty of experience and witnessed a couple dozen harvests but you can never be too safe. I can still remember watching a 286lb bear fall 30' out of a tree after being shot in the neck about 15 years ago( I remember it like yesterday) it got up and knocked one of the houndsmen over like a bowling ball pin and kept trucking till the shooter hit it twice in the rear while it was running away with two more 12 gauge slugs. That was the last time I decided to hunt with dogs. It's all about the sit over bait and wait for a well placed shot.

    People get nervious when the word BEAR hunting comes up. Black bear are nothing like grizzlies. 99% will run from you like deer do when encountered. I couldn't tell you how many I've scared off bait sites when going into freshen up a bait pile. The first bear I shot in Canada I was on my knees looking for my arrow and I turned around and there was another 5' feet from me. A small 150 pounder tops. It was walking towards me sniffing the ground like a dog. I stood up and yelled hey! That bears rear paws kicked up dirt on me when he ran the opposite way. Needless to say I ran back to my stand and sat in it till my guide showed. Half way back up into my stand I heard a crack and it was about a 250lb bear walking right under me! Gotta love Canada. The bear I harvested that day made book by 3/16" of an inch.

    Black bear aren't any harder to kill than a whitetail but don't normally drop at the shot and travel some distance before expiring and it never fails that if you shoot a small diameter boolit their fat clogs the entry and exit holes which leaves zero blood.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 08-24-2017 at 03:37 PM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    Larry, if shoulder bone or spine was hit is 7.5 BH hard enough to Penatrate, brake, and pass through?

    Hit the spine and the bear will be down and out with any of the bullets. That soft glob of expanding lead of te soft cast Devastator at 1400 fps will smash through a shoulder bone of a black bear. I've shot 2 BBs with a 235 gr HP cast of 16-1 alloy out of a M1911 and a M1917. Those were going 900 and 1015 fps. Both smashed through off side shoulders and exited. Both BBs were treed.

    Was on another BB hunt in blind over bait with a friend with a Ruger Redhawk 44 using the 249244 cast of 16-1 and HP'd by your's truely. Velocity out of the RH was 1450 fps. He took a 250 lb BB through both front shoulders at a measured 42 yards.......BB reared around and ran maybe 15 - 20 yards biting at wound and collapsed DRT. Bullet not recovered as it was through and through.
    Larry Gibson

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  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    Hit the spine and the bear will be down and out with any of the bullets. That soft glob of expanding lead of te soft cast Devastator at 1400 fps will smash through a shoulder bone of a black bear. I've shot 2 BBs with a 235 gr HP cast of 16-1 alloy out of a M1911 and a M1917. Those were going 900 and 1015 fps. Both smashed through off side shoulders and exited. Both BBs were treed.

    Was on another BB hunt in blind over bait with a friend with a Ruger Redhawk 44 using the 249244 cast of 16-1 and HP'd by your's truely. Velocity out of the RH was 1450 fps. He took a 250 lb BB through both front shoulders at a measured 42 yards.......BB reared around and ran maybe 15 - 20 yards biting at wound and collapsed DRT. Bullet not recovered as it was through and through.
    Sweet!

    At 1400-1500 fps that means I can load it a little light of a charge to save on recoil.


    I did notice the other day when I loaded up some the 14.3 BH AC COWW the noses did not flatten and take off the casting burrs around the lip of the HP area. The 7.5BH did though so I was paranoid about them being too soft.

  17. #17
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    I'd opt for the heaviest flat point, the bears I have shot through both front shoulders did not have the bullet exit with big heavy FPs, so I feel a HP bullet would have less penetration.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master Thumbcocker's Avatar
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    Is fat and fur plugging the hp cavity ever an issue? I have never shot a bear.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    It's not plugging the HP cavity but the entry and exit holes get clogged by fat. Bear have about 3-4" plus of thick lard layer under its Hyde "Think of a can of crisco". It never fails that the fat shifts and plugs the hole preventing blood trails.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Skipper's Avatar
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    I'd use the one that feeds smoothest in the 77/44
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check