Loads for small game - 44 Special

[curioushooter]

I take it you don't eat the rabbits silvercreek.

Anyone have a small game 44 special loads which are not terribly destructive?

I was wondering if a roundnose bullet may be better than flat nosed?

What is the ideal velocity range for ranges out to 50 yards at most?

Particular bullets?

My lightest .429 is the 429215.

[gunseller]

I have and still load a 210swc over 6 or 7 grains of Red Dot in a 44 mag case. Never check led it but it has got to be around 650 or 700. I have shot hundreds of rabbits and squirrels and 1 deer with that load. Not proud of the deer but it died within 15 feet. With the shorter special case you can get leading buildup in the chamber in front of the shorter special case.
Steve

[Larry Gibson]

Shot many rabbits with my standard 44 SPL load using a 240 gr cast [Lee 240 TL SWC or 426360] over 5 gr Bullseye for 800 fps +/-. Can be used with the RCBS 44-250-KT or Lyman 429421 also. Mostly body shot jacks and it dropped them fine with minimal damage. With edible cotton tails or snow shoes most often I head shot them and that 44 SPL load worked fine as accuracy was excellent. If I was specifically hunting the cotton tail or snow shoes for table fare I preferred my S&W M15 38 SPL with target WCs or my Ruger Single Six 32 H&R also with HBWC target loads with head shots being customary.

[Dale53]

I have, over the years, experimented with many calibers of handguns on edible small game. If I were hunting rabbits, both cottontails and snowshoe rabbits, exclusively, my favorite calibers are .32 S&W Longs/.32 H&R Magnum, or .38 Special/.357 Magnums. I have some superb “Perfect Packing” revolvers that are a delight to carry, while being especially effective on edible small game.

On the other hand, many times while I was roaming in a particular area, I preferred a bigger caliber. I have some dandy revolvers in .44 Special and .45 ACP that work extremely well, both for edible small game as well as for feral dog packs, and personal protection.

My S&W Model 624, with 4” barrel, has done exemplary duty for both small game and protection. My favored load is the “Skeeter” load (7.5 grs. Of Unique behind a home cast 250 gr. Keith bullet).

If the rabbits are close, I use a head shot. If they are farther, a shot “Through the Slats” gives an instant kill with no significant meat damage. My bullet alloy is COWW’s with 2% tin. NO hollow points - standard Keith design.

FWIW
Dale53

[missionary5155]

For small game that 44 is going to do them in if you hit them.. So I would find the most accurate load and get good with it.

[onelight]

I have taken a lot of rabbits and squirrels with 44 and 45 loaded between 750 and 850 FPS both BP guns and cartridge revolvers . If you pick your shot you won't loose any thing worth eating

[JoeJames]

With my soft cast (non water quenched) Lee .430" 240 grain swc's or Speer swaged .430" 240 grain swc's sitting on 6.8 grains of Unique I get around 894 fps out of my 4" Ruger BH. I have tried lighter loads, but accuracy tends to fall off, and dwell time kicks in. It seems to me that the Skeeter load of 7.5 grains of Unique would plumb blow a rabbit up, and would not be fun to shoot either. But I am kind of OCD on accuracy.

[44 flattop]

I've hunted small game with .44s for over forty years now. I almost always use a headshot, although I've shot grouse at the wing butt and bunnies behind the shoulders more than once with negligible damage. In the magnum case using 9grs of Unique with any Lyman or RCBS bullet between 215 and 275 grains does a great job. The same bullets with 7.5 grs of Unique in a .44 special case offers the same results. I've only used the 429383 from .44 Russian cases and five grains of Unique. I always like to carry an extra six of the Russian load in my belt loops while I'm on the trail, especially when carrying a .44 Rifle. Easy to thumb one into the chamber to nip the head from a grouse.

[Texas by God]

.433" rb with some LLA over 4 grs of Bullseye took many cottontails and squirrels for me back when I used a SBH and a S&W .44 Special. I used a similar load recently in my .44 WCF carbine for a couple of very delicious "fancy rats".

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Goofy]

I really like the lee 200 you might try a round ball too. I size down a 440 round ball and they are surprising accurate.

^^^The RB will be your friend. ^^^

[trapper9260]

I was thinking a RB would be best for lite load for use on small game like rabbit, for all what texas by God posted on it will work out then with RB size to what is needed then . From my understanding then .