.44 Special and 429244 HP Success

[35 Whelen]

For those of you who haven't seen this on Facebook, thought this might be of interest.

With a strong cold front bringing the opportunity to hang a deer for a few days, I sat in the blind last Sunday morning. This spike walked out and turned broadside a little under 40 yds. I was using a new Uberti Flat Top .44 Special loaded with a 429244 252 gr. SWCHP cast at about 8.0 Bhn and loaded over 8.5 grs. of Unique. MV is a little over 1100 fps and this is an extremely accurate load and I've shot it quite a lot at 75 yds.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Uberti%20%20Flat%20Top/429244%2075%20yds._zps4xukd8sv.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Uberti%20%20Flat%20Top/429244%2075%20yds._zps4xukd8sv.jpg.html)

Anyhow, after having practiced so much at 75 yds., the shot was easy and the buck never took a step.


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/Spike_zpszvhvqxpo.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/Spike_zpszvhvqxpo.jpg.html)

The bullet entered the rear of his left shoulder, broke a rib, clipped the bottom of the spine, broke another rib, passed through the right shoulder and came to rest under the skin. Retained weight was 236 gr., which I thought was very good.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/429244-2_zps9vrmnkgc.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/429244-2_zps9vrmnkgc.jpg.html)

35W

[Hickory]

Looks like an after cast hollow point.

[Treetop]

Congrats, 35 Whelen! You couldn't ask for better boolit performance than that. Outstanding marksmanship, too.
Are you seeing any signs of the rut starting up there yet? I'm not seeing any "crazed" bucks down here in central Texas, yet. TreeTop

[35 Whelen]

Thank you.

I saw a buck chasing a doe a few days ago, but nothing crazy.

35W

[Texas by God]

Good job, neighbor! Elmer & Skeeter would be proud. What a nice six shooter that is.

[Greg G]

Nice write-up. May I know the alloy you cast those with? Thanks.

[35 Whelen]

Nice write-up. May I know the alloy you cast those with? Thanks.

7 lbs. lead, 3 lbs. COWW and 2% tin

[Larry Gibson]

Very well done!

[Petrol & Powder]

I've said it before and it's worth repeating, the 44 Special is an outstanding cartridge when handloaded to where it should be.

A 240ish grain LSWC moving at around 1000 fps (a little faster in the OP's example !) is capable of excellent performance.

Well Done !

[jeffsmith13]

Excellent post , congratulations on the deer .

[nagantguy]

I’m very surprised by this post; I am impressed with the op’s skill and marksmanship and his wonderfully cast boolits but I’ve read on the inter webs no less that .44 special is gonna oddly under powered for taking deer sized game. When reading that I realized how lucky I’d been to harvest a few small southern whitetails with a 45 acp with factory black hills semi wad cutters. I immediately moved to a very large loud and heavy magnum rifle at well over and 3000 FPS.


All in good fun; thank you for the write up and I meant what I said above on your marksmanship and good looking boolits!

[pworley1]

Well done, good eating.

[35 Whelen]

Thanks everyone.

35W

[white eagle]

very nice love it when a plan comes together
My opinion is the 44sp is one of the best there is
I like it better than the 44 mag had one and like a
fool I though I needed a 44 mag
at any rate nice job with a good gun and cal

[glockky]

What are you drilling your HP’s with?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Nice shot! I've been jonesing for a 44 Special...

[35 Whelen]

What are you drilling your HP’s with?

No drilling, I cast it that way with this mould-

Mihec 429244 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?342068-CLOSED-MIHEC-429244-Thompson-44-Cal-Hollow-Point-SWC-Rerun-2-4-or-6-Cavity-options)

It's probably available on his website.

35W

[Petrol & Powder]

Clearly that's a fine bullet, a good load and a very good operator.