How fast for hollow point?

[Thumbcocker]

I have been handgun hunting with .44 magnums for many years and have pretty much used Keith boolits or more recently NOE 265rnfp's. The results are always the same big hole in big hole out dead critter. Recently I acquired a Miah plain base devastator hp mold. I cast up a bunch out of 16:1 for the .44 special that live here. They are VERY accurate over 8.0 of power pistol.

Recently I have noticed that my wrists don't appreciate my full snort hunting loads (22.0 or H110 265 rnfp) as much as they did. So my question is: can I run the 16:1 Miah hp at less than full snort without losing effectiveness on white tail deer? I was impressed with the results Sixshot got with his .41 and have been giving this come thought.

I am a bit reluctant to change a winning formula but I do like to experiment once in a while. Any experience would be appreciated.

[smkummer]

My experience from years ago when I hardened any hollow point by water quenching, they don’t open up when hitting the earth berm. And I hardened for my microgoove marlin. The super black hawk seemed to do better with softer bullets running fast even if getting leading. I just gave in and loaded jacketed hollow points fortime when I want expansion at max. speeds. But like you have noticed, 44 bullets don’t need to expand to kill deer fast. I have that same NOE 265 oversized mold that shoots wonderfully out of my Marlin. And I still have some at a slightly reduced 2400 load that were made for a deer hunt that never happened.

[Larry Gibson]

I would go with 30-1 for 44 SPL loads or 20-1 with Skeeters 44 SPL load velocity.

[Gamsek]

This is Miha’s (MP) 432-640. Devastator with deep HP, 20-1 alloy at 750fps recovered from mud.



What I wanted to say is with deep HP it makes impressive cavities but penetrate only 6-8” in wet paper compared to solid FP “Keith” which penetrated 18” in same paper, same test. 44spl velocities.

[35 Whelen]

A .44 Special loaded with the same bullet you've been using, only slower will do the same thing as the magnum load. Of the few head of deer and one hog I've killed with a 255 +/- gr. SWC with an impact velocity of <950 fps, all have sailed completely through on broadside shots. The two exceptions were a sow where the bullet smashed her shoulder then went on to be stopped by the spine, and a buck where the bullet travelled from the left last rib to the right juncture of the neck and shoulder. Point is, screaming velocities aren't required.

Regarding the HP, the three factors dictating expansion are velocity, alloy and the shape of the HP cavity. At this point I've killed two bucks and a sow using HP's and all of them were from Miha moulds using the "large" HP pin.

The first was a from a 5 1/2" Uberti Bisley 45 Colt, 265 gr. SWCHP- PB around 8.5 Bhn, MV ~1050 fps, range 48 yds. The bullet struck high in the right shoulder, clipped the spine and stopped under the skin on the off side.



Next was a 7 1/2" Uberti Flat Top .44 Special loaded with a 243 gr. SWCHP-GC, 8.5 Bhn, MV 1105 fps, range 38 yds. Bullet struck a few inches behind the left shoulder and angled forward, breaking the right shoulder and coming to rest under the skin.



I also shot a sow with a .358" 165 gr. RNFPHP-GC running 1700+ fps from a .357 '92 carbine at about 40 yrds. Bullet entered high in the left shoulder, angled down and stopped under the skin on the far side.



The common theme here is markedly reduced penetration. I may shoot one more with the .44 Special HP, just because the revolver and load are so insanely accurate, but I've found little reason to switch from a Keith SWC to a HP.

I use a .44 Special load similar to the one you mention and it too is quite accurate.



So there's my pittance of experience.

35W

[Groo]

Groo here
Hp bullets in a handgun are mostly to cut down on over penatration.
Flatnose bullets drive true and deep.
Also many shoot for shoulder or other bone not the old "back of the shoulder" shot that started with lower power BP guns..[ pure lead balls don't break bone well]
As the orginal 45 colt BP would drive through a horse and hit the "Ingine" on the other side,,, a flat nose bullet of normal weight for cal at around 900fps to 1100fps will take care of most "stuff"

[hc18flyer]

I would go with 30-1 for 44 SPL loads or 20-1 with Skeeters 44 SPL load velocity.

Curious, what velocity is Skeeters? Tom

[35 Whelen]

Curious, what velocity is Skeeters? Tom

Around 950 with a ~250 gr. cast bullet.

35W