The tapered ogive terminates to produce a narrow frontal area and does nothing to promote hydraulic wounding while the heavy construction can greatly inhibit expansion and therefore mechanical wounding potential. Hunters concerned with speed of killing should consider 1300fps as the cut off point for disproportionate to caliber wounding using the .44 bore. At 1300fps and below, weight loss tends to be minimal. The 300 grain XTP requires careful consideration. *Casing image above is an artist rendering and not a real photo of .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data) Ballistics cartridge. TFB Review: The .44 Magnum Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan - Normally preferring semiautomatics, magazine fed rounds and threaded barrels, I jumped out of my comfort zone … This cartridge is best utilized for woods hunting, regardless of the many long shots that have been taken with it. .44 Magnum For Black Bear If you are out hunting and come across an aggressive black bear or have a license to hunt black bear, your .44 Magnum … But in reality the tapered ogive tends to delay energy transfer on light game. During the 1920’s, U.S gun writer Elmer Keith (1899 -1984) became heavily involved in handgun hunting along with the development of his own projectiles combined with maximum power loads. This is a good bullet weight for factory ammunition manufacturers for the same reasons, a means to balance several factors including the wide range of game body weights customers might encounter. On the one hand 225 grains is a good middle weight, meeting plenty of resistance when striking lighter weight game along with adequate penetration on larger medium game such as mature boar. The 1:38 twist rate of the Marlin is certainly very slow but I have found that forend stress tends to be the greatest issue. This experimental work helped pave the way for development of the .357 S&W Magnum. The 240 grain XTP is another all rounder from Hornady but it should be noted that kills on light bodied or lean deer species are not as fast as that which can be obtained with the 200 grain bullet. Readers who wish to learn more on this subject can find information in my article – The effects of the meplat on terminal performance. Jacket core separation is non existent with the XTP at impact velocities of 1600fps and below. It should be noted that the XPB can vary in quality. This is a relatively deep penetrating bullet due to the fact that the shallow hollow point does not initiate rapid expansion, this unfortunately comes at the expense of wounding. But at impact velocities below 1300fps the XPB, depending on batch quality, can fail to expand. As an aside, those who have experimented with the .44 Magnum will know all too well that one can neither download (due to safety issues), nor compress H110 powder. Room for error (shot placement) diminishes accordingly. Were Hornady to make this bullet tougher, dead runs would be longer. It's fast too traveling and 1,317 fps on average. It is no longer the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world, knocked off its pedestal by such cartridges as the .454 Casull, the .460 Ruger, the .475 Linebaugh and the .500 S&W. The 240 grain XTP can penetrate the vitals of game weighing between 60 and 80kg (132 to 176lb) with tail on shots but this is the absolute limit of its performance. Like any tool, the more you get to know the .44, the better it can be put to use. This has since been replaced by the rather crudely named Hog Hammer load, featuring the 225 grain Barnes XPB loaded to a velocity of 1235fps. Muzzle velocities are 1180fps from 4” barreled handguns and around 1600fps in carbines. A small amount of exposed lead ahead of the jacket (on all three JHC projectiles) can, as a result of weight / mass shedding, also aid mechanical wounding. Of the two designs, the Hollow point bullet produces relatively uniform results when used in carbine rifles, displaying acceptable expansion and penetration on medium game. The Super X features a semi jacket with a good deal of exposed lead to promote rapid expansion, being similar to Remington’s 240 grain loading. From a 7.5” hunting revolver barrel typical working velocities for the .44 Magnum include 1900fps with the 180 grain XTP, 1750fps with 200 grain bullets, 1600fps with 225 grain bullets, 1500fps with 240 grain bullets, 1400fps with 265-270 grain bullets and up to 1300fps using 280 to 300 grain bullets. At low impact velocities the Swift projectiles won’t deal to a bear in the same manner as a large caliber rifle, but one would be hard pushed to find a better large game bullet for the .44. Blood trails can be poor at these lower impact velocities, the blood draining to the lower chest - even though both entry and exit wounds are at least a caliber in size. It is good when this occurs and we can do our best to encourage it, but we cannot fully rely on this mode of action due to the many variables at play. © Copyright GunData.org 2015  |  Koenig Media, LLC   |   Links   |   Sitemap   |   Advertise. The carbines make for useful farm tools and compact hunting rifles while handguns are guaranteed to put an ear to ear grin on any shooters face. The FTX borrows from the Hornady Critical defense and Critical Duty bullet designs. The 200 grain XTP fairs much better on light bodied game where raking shots may be encountered while still delivering broad, fast bleeding wounds. Since the 44 Magnum always beats … Changing ammunition can also change the POI by 9” or more at 50 yards. Federal currently produce ten loads for the .44 Magnum, enough to confuse and frustrate the most patient of customers. This is a slow to expand, deep penetrating bullet design. This load is however capable of deep penetration and one can apparently easily make up for any slow bleeding wounds by rapidly feeding an entire box of ammo through the lever gun. As for the 240 grain soft point, I do not recommend this (or the 270 grain soft point) bullet for general medium game hunting with a .44 Magnum due to slow expansion and therefore delayed energy transfer (limited wounding). Those using longer 6 to 7” barreled handguns should add an additional 150fps to approximate average velocities. But some measure of objectivity does need to be applied. Remington list the 180 grain UMC jacketed soft point at a rated velocity of 1610fps from a 4” barrel (above 2100fps in 20” barreled rifles). The 240 grain XTP is not an immensely deep penetrating bullet but will generally handle quartering shots on the fore mentioned game. On the other hand it is this change in form which makes the Silvertip so effective on lighter medium game. It may come up to about 600 ft. Lb. The 240 grain HP is too slow moving (even at carbine rifle velocities) to produce much in the way of nervous trauma, but it does generate broad internal wounding at impact velocities above 1400fps. The .44 Magnum delivers a large, heavy bullet with high velocity for a handgun. Bullets weighing between 210 and 225 grains can be thought of as a compromise weight. The 270 grain DCSP is designed for large animals and works well in this role. But as with all cartridges and loads, this type of shock and poleaxe effect is not fully consistent. A 125 yard shot seems like an easy accomplishment in theory. Bullet weight and construction are also major factors that go beyond energy figures. I must at this point emphasize the word slow. Although this bullet has not been designed for the .44, the 265 grain FTX offers a means for the handloader (carbines) to increase one’s bullet weight while (provided one does not shoot too far) avoiding impact velocities lower than 1300fps. Federal’s heavy weight bullet, the 300 grain Cast Core is designed for one purpose - deep penetration. This bullet is light enough for Hornady to drive it at a velocity which promotes broad wounding but has sufficient sectional density to withstand jacket core separation when used on medium game. To this end I have spent some time experimenting with 300 grain projectiles seated longer than SAAMI length. Range tests can be started at 50 yards but all rifle loads should be confirmed at 100 yards in order for the shooter to be fully confident in the behavior of the rifle and loads. Wounds are proportionate to the expanded caliber of the bullet though some minor evidence of hydraulic force may remain evident down to impact velocities of around 1200fps. A soft conventional cup and core bullet like the Hornady 180 grain XTP will expand to a diameter of around a half an inch at an impact velocity of 1000fps, producing a wound of about the same diameter. As time passed, the .44 Magnum became available in a variety of pistols and rifles while being supported by a wide selection of factory ammunition. It would perhaps be much easier for customers if federal would stick to just one basic design (the Powershok) rather than confusing customers with all of these options. For those shooting across river flats a basic Leupold 3-9x40 helps a great deal with the more difficult shots. A premium expanding bullet can in many cases offer the ultimate compromise. One can still seat this bullet long and simply apply a crimp away from the cannelure – no big deal. Loaded with an expanding bullet the.44 Remington Magnum is capable of producing hydrostatic shock (nervous shock – see game killing section) on medium game down to impact velocities of 2100fps. Hornady’s 300 grain XTP produces expansion without need of heavy hide or bone resistance. The action can be bedded following basic principles without any need for further bedding / harmonic experimentation. .338 A Square, .450 Marlin, .500-465 Nitro Express, .270 Winchester Short Magnum, .405 Winchester, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data), .32 H&R Magnum, .416 Dakota, 6.53mm (.257) Lazzeroni Scramjet, .500 A-Square, .257 Weatherby Magnum, .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum (WSSM), 9.3x74R, 7mm Winchester Short Magnum (WSM), .303 British. The XPB can therefore produce abysmal accuracy in various firearms. In order to achieve fast killing shots must be kept well forwards and driven into major bones in order to enhance wounding effects. Developed as a big-bore revolver cartridge in the 1950s, the.44 … The Hammer Down is the latest from Federal, featuring a case with a tapered rim to help speed up side gate feeding, important for those who cannot kill an animal with less than 10 shots. At this weight we can experience good speed (regarding hydraulic wounding potential) but without greatly sacrificing penetration. As impact velocities approach and fall below 1300fps, hydraulic action diminishes. The 44 Magnum … Hunters should not overlook this bullet. Those who think otherwise may be better off trying Federal’s ‘where there’s lead in the air there is hope’ Hammer Down ammo. The 265 grain flat point (designed for the .444 Marlin) has now largely been replaced by the 265gr FTX. Since most 41 Magnums are built on a 44 Magnum frame, there really is not much advantage. Even at rifle speeds, the JSP will retain most of its weight when used at close ranges. This is a generally good bullet design, behaving like so many other 240 grain projectiles. Those who do not know where else to start (deer and boar) may wish to start with this traditional bullet, hunt for a time, assess killing performance and make changes (weight / toughness) accordingly thereafter. Unfortunately, the 180 grain XTP is no longer among these loads. Again, and not taking direct CNS strikes into account, the impact velocity of a .44 caliber bullet determines whether the kill is fast or slow. Designed and created for the purpose of optimizing the full capabilities of the 44 Magnum’s true power. Of the two loads, the hollow point produces broader wounding. The 200 grain XTP is an excellent compromise bullet weight. The final load from Winchester is the 250 grain Platinum load rated at 1250fps, producing around 1650fps in carbine rifles. One rifle may shoot so low at 50 yards that the ladder of the sights cannot be set high enough to get the rifle shooting dead on at 50 yards. To put this in perspective the 45 ACP (not a revolver round) has an average fps of 937. You're looking for the best 44 magnum revolver on the market 2021? In order to ensure that the new loading would not be used in older weaker arms, the new version of the .44 Special was lengthened by .125” ensuring it could not be chambered in .44 Special caliber pistols - but with the added bonus that .44 Special ammunition could be used in the new handguns. As for hydraulic wounding potential, readers should refer to the performance section of this article. I thought it would be fun to see the differences between the old champ and the 500 Magnum which is now … The 180 grain XTP is devastating when used on light bodied game (under 60kg / 132lb) at close ranges. More information on the A-Frame can be found within the hand loading section of this text. White Tail) due to its ability to produce massive wound trauma out to ranges beyond 100 yards as a result of both hydraulic force and what I call mechanical action as a result of bullet weight / mass shedding. The .44 Magnum levergun takes over where the .357 Magnum levergun leaves off, able to handle a few heavier chores. The 280 grain bullet is an especially welcome option as this helps to keep impact velocities over the 1300fps (hydraulic action) threshold. If this impact velocity cannot be achieved (often as not), aim to break bone as a means to enhance energy transfer. In the 357 Magnum vs. 44 Magnum, it has been seen that a.44 Mag transfer greater energy into the target than a.357 Mag even when it is fired from a distance of 100 yards. Both rifles can be coaxed to produce reasonable and sometimes outstanding accuracy. But such matters are perhaps beside the point. The .44 is infinitely better in this role than the .30 caliber but it should also be noted that the .45 (ACP projectiles) tend to trump all. In plain terms, the wider the expanded bullet, the faster the kill. But if our heart rate is high, the small light weight rifles can be difficult to settle. The platinum bullet does not therefore produce superior penetration to common 240 grain loads, but it still produces excellent performance and is well suited to medium sized deer species and wild boar. Both companies were keen to collaborate and set about upgrading the .44 Special. Readers will note that I have given little mention to the various copper bullet designs. When range testing at 100 yards the .44 can destroy a ¾” ply backboard in fairly short order. In many situations the 200 grain bullet weight can prove to be the most emphatic. In dense and dark bush such as that found in New Zealand, open sighted rifles can be very difficult to use beyond 25 yards, especially at dusk and or with aging eyes. Whether it was expressly designed for this purpose, I cannot say. As far as ballistics, when fired from a 6-inch barrel revolver, a heavy 240-grain.44 Magnum bullet can reach speeds of up to 1,380 feet per second, generating kinetic energy at … I’m guessing that wouldn’t have made Dirty Harry’s lne cool. These mechanical aspects aside, the FTX does not by its pointed form, turn the .44 into a flat shooter or enhance its terminal ballistics effects at extended ranges. Today on Kentucky Ballistics we shoot 48 inches of 10% ballistics gel with a 44 Magnum and a 454 Casull. But what it always does is punch on through, with most projectiles generally producing good expansion down to impact velocities of around 700fps. All other loads set at sight height of 1.6” (scope use). Hand it over to the Nathan Fosters of the world and all bets are off. But like all cartridges, the .44 Magnum has its strengths and limitations. It should also be noted that impact velocities over 2100fps can place a great deal of stress on conventional cup and core bullet designs. The 240 grain Fusion is rather unique for a bonded projectile. Anyone who has used the .44 Special for hunting will know that one cannot expect large wounds at such low impact velocities. During product testing, Elmer Keith described the model 29 as being pleasant to shoot but many hunters found that its recoil stung the hands, so much so that the .44 Remington Magnum was not immediately popular, even after loads were reduced to 1350fps. The 200 grain is an excellent choice for lighter bodied medium game. Using either load, the handgun hunter should expect clean but delayed kills. Initially factory loads for the .44 Remington Magnum propelled a 240 grain .430” bullet at around 1450fps. An expanding bullet will produce the largest wound, being somewhat forgiving of shot placement, but at the expense of some penetration. The subsonic hunter must therefore select a bullet which boasts an already wide frontal area and produces as much expansion as possible. It can be used on medium to large bodied deer but hunters are advised to maintain realistic expectations. Sturm Ruger also announced a new revolver for this cartridge, having somehow apparently gained access to either cartridges or spent cases during its development. But in addition to this, the cannelures helped to prevent jacket core separation due to the heavy crimps and also by structurally weakening the jacket so that it folded back against the body of the bullet rather than flattening out and becoming like a parachute with the core ejecting thereafter. Compare all 44 Magnum … Find Bulk 44 magnum ammunition fast and cheap with Americas best ammunition search engine. A wide meplat projectile can deliver disproportionate to caliber wounding as a result of hydraulic action. Whether used in a carbine or handgun issues surrounding both stability (accuracy) and quality (terminal performance) can render this bullet useless beyond 50 yards. .44 Mag Results in fps Click here for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this … When used at close ranges the 180 grain bullet produces both wide wounding along with some measure of nervous trauma. For the sake of both trajectory and wound potential, one should try to keep muzzle velocities above 1000fps. Being that it is designed for such low speeds, the 200 grain Gold Dot cannot be expected to produce optimum performance at .44 Magnum handgun or rifle speeds. In order to enhance the performance of this projectile it can be drilled down to its gold dot with a 9/16 drill bit. .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Federal JHP, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Hornady Flex Tip Expanding, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Hornady JHP/XTP, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-CCI Shotshell, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Winchester Silvertip Hollow Point, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Magtech FMJ Flat, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Federal Barnes Expander, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-American Eagle (Federal) Jacketed Soft Point, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Cor-Bon JSP, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Federal Hi-Shok JHP, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-PMC Jacketed Hollow Point, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Winchester Partition Gold, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Speer GDHP - Short Barrel, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-Sellier & Bellot SP, .44 Remington Magnum (Pistol Data)-PMC Starfire Hollow Point. In other instances an adjustable peep sight or scope may have to be used if the rifle has mounting options. It is important to understand that solid copper bullets can produce problems in any of the handgun cartridge designs including the .44 Magnum. The further the bullet falls below an impact velocity of 1600fps, the weaker the hydraulic force potential. For example, one could increase wounding potential by utilizing a weight shedding bullet, but penetration would be reduced. Although both the Speer and Swift A-Frame projectiles are bonded, the Swift pills feature deep hollow points. Further to this, the hinged block which mates to the barrel is generally so solid as to act as a dampening force, enough to overcome the harmonic forces of the .44. Here is top 7 Best .44 Magnum Revolvers in 2021 Reviews. As previously mentioned, this bullet can be slow to expand, especially at handgun speeds. Beyond these basic considerations, this bullet does its best work on larger bodied deer and boar though impact velocities will invariably affect outcomes. Suggested sight settings and bullet paths. Of the two projectiles, the rubber tipped FTX has a weaker (hollow) ogive, making this somewhat better (rapid expansion) for those wishing to utilize a 265 grain bullet in the slower .44 Magnum. After long experience, I can comfortably … If bullet expansion is poor, the hand loader should obtain a set of needle files (any engineers supplies) and make efforts to further weaken the bullet jacket at the skives (helpful on the 240 and 300 grain XTP). The first number is the value of this cartridge, and the last number is the value of the most powerful round in our bullet database. New Zealand and Australian pig hunters should also take note that this bullet may be selected if one is trying to prevent over penetration. When used in a carbine at close ranges the Fusion may expand back until it almost completely loses its form and can lose significant weight during this process. A 41 Magnum is on the list sometime down the road but mostly for having fun working with a new cartridge. To get the most out of this bullet weight on lean animals it helps to carefully work up fast loads (most emphatic in rifles where 1800fps can be achieved) and to keep ranges fairly short. A last word must go to hard cast bullet designs such as those produced by the Grizzly Cartridge Company (Cast Performance) and Beartooth bullets. In practice, the pointed ogive of the FTX tends to cause a slight delay in expansion which can help to enhance penetration. This bullet is at its very best when used on Red, Mule deer or Elk as the upper limit. Two of the very best powders for reloading the .44 Magnum include Winchester 296 and Hodgdon H110, which if I am not mistaken, have for some years been the same powder. Cartridge Type: Handgun Height: 1.285" Width: 0.514" Average FPS: 1317 Average Energy: 897 Average Gr: 233 Recoil: 1.45 Power Rank: 6.14 of 7 The .44 Magnum/.44 Rem Magnum is a cartridge based off an extended and maxed out 44 Special, and like the .357 magnum it was created by Elmer Keith but this time he was in his 50's and wanted an even bigger bang. So while I may state that the .44 can produce rather humble results at low impact velocities, wounding cannot be described as altogether narrow or in any way insufficient when hunting at woods ranges using either a rifle or handgun. The 44 Magnum was the world’s most powerful handgun at one time. The 240 grain Winchester Super X hollow soft point has for many years been the standard load used by Australian and Kiwi pig hunters when shooting over dogs. … At low impact velocities the .44 does not produce immensely wide wounds or fast bleeding to the same extent. In order to avoid such disappointments, shots should be placed well forwards (major bones etc.). Having already discussed the 225 grain XPB (Remington factory ammunition), there is little more to be said about this California friendly Prius. Like any tool, it takes time and experience to gain proficiency and to create concrete habits. The 180 grain Powershok is by contrast an excellent choice for game weighing up to around 60kg (132lb). How to Sight in a Scope - Step by Step Guide. At impact velocities of around 1100 to 1200fps the heavy 300 grain XTP can produce a small measure of hydraulic force but internal wounds may not exceed 1.5” in diameter. It can be used to take heavily raking shots on medium deer species, but with some reduction in wounding potential. In some instances the very act of disassembly, applying grease to weather proof the rifle followed by reassembly is enough to upset the apple cart. Hydraulic and mechanical forces are maximized via the major change in form after the bullet impacts its target, the bullet mushrooming back until its width exceeds its length. A generic cup and core hollow point handgun bullet tends to shed a good deal of weight down to impact velocities of around 1600fps. A 41 Magnum … Regardless of this technology, the Dual Bond can at times shed its outer jacket while the inner jacket and core may peel back like a banana skin, especially when used at carbine rifle velocities. Their new Raging Hunterhas been steadily increasing in popularity and starting this month, they are producing the same line of revolvers but chambered in the more potent .… Nevertheless, the 200 grain Gold Dot has merit as a high velocity hunting bullet and should not be overlooked. At impact velocities over 1300fps a good measure of hydraulic force may be evident. A non-expanding bullet can produce outstanding penetration but at the expense of wounding (depending on the impact velocity), being the least forgiving of less than ideal shot placement. The .44 is by far and away more reliable than the likes of the .300 Blackout factory loaded to subsonic speeds with the 208 grain A-MAX (ELD-M) which simply will not expand. This gives a good comparison, as the bullets are similar in size. Shot placement is another factor. The .44 Magnum/.44 Rem Magnum is a cartridge based off an extended and maxed out 44 Special, and like the .357 magnum it was created by Elmer Keith but this time he was in his 50's and wanted an even bigger bang. But whether loaded in a handgun or at top speeds in a rifle, this projectile has some limitations, partly due to its design and partly as a result of the limitations of this cartridge. But it is hard to state whether this is the fault of the FTX or whether it simply shows how good the XTP was to begin with. The gear-head in me would suggest that the best way to put this bullet to use is to load it hot (I could be accused of saying this about many cartridges) in order to enhance terminal performance. But in rifles that can take a longer COAL it can be worth experimenting with high speed loads for the sake of enhanced bullet stability (accuracy) and terminal performance - provided the hand loader does not compromise safety. In the first instance this bullet weight can be driven fast, up to 2100fps in rifles. This concludes the hand loading section for the .44 Magnum. This single … The .44 was adequate for many decades before this bullet design came along. Personally, I tend to use a separate board for .44 and .45 testing - such is the destructive power of these wide bores. For example, some hand loaders drop too low, settling on muzzle velocities of around 900fps. Here again is another go to bullet for .44 Magnum users for general deer hunting. NB: This load will eventually be replaced by the Federal Syntech bullet, featuring a polymer jacket. It was for this very reason that Elmer Keith worked towards higher case volumes (velocities). If we try to rest the rifle against the tree, chances are that the barrel or tube will make contact, not the forend, causing enough harmonic disturbance to send shots well off target. The 225 grain FTX is another compromise of sorts. This does make one think about the trend towards tough all copper bullets without such safety measures, however perhaps it is best to not pursue such lines of thinking. If experimenting with copper, test for accuracy and test for expansion across the velocity spectrum by whatever means possible. The 200 grain Gold Dot is designed for use in the .44 Special, chugging along at around 875fps. One can buy the cheapest of factory loads, taking little notice of the actual bullet design or rated velocity and simply expect this bullet weight to work. On the other hand, an expanding bullet cannot by itself magically make up for poor accuracy. Before we begin, readers are advised to take note that most published factory load data for the .44 Magnum is derived from 4” test barrels. Without a hollow point or skives, the JFP is slow to expand. Once bedded, the rifle can be rested over a very soft front rest (a pack rather than sandbags) and by omitting the sling and keeping the forehand well centered under the forend it is possible to keep this rifle at around 2 MOA with 300 grain bullets. The 180 grain projectile does shed weight quickly but the trade off can be worth it due to its very fast killing performance. The trigger can also be tuned without a great deal of fuss. But when it comes to tough game such as mature wild boar, the 240 grain HP proves to be the more reliable bullet weight. Keith took this a step further by utilizing a concave ogive on his bullet molds to allow more of the projectile to be seated outside of the cartridge case, thereby increasing case capacity.