44 Mag distance

[kb]

Taking the accuracy out of the picture, what is the max range for a 44 mag handgun on deer?  I am just starting to hunt with a 6 inch scoped S&W 629.  

Thank you
kb

[44 Man]

KB,  Of course you are going to get lots of replies that state "What is YOUR maximun range that you can place the bullet effectively?"  And that is the number one consideration.  But I will try to give you a little "meat" to chew on. I have handgun hunted exclusivly for over 30 years and 90% of  my hunting has been with the .44 mag.  I have taken a couple of deer cleanly at 125 yds although most have been at 20 to 70 yds.  I have never been able to recover a bullet as all have passed thru.  I mostly hunt anymore with a Mag-na-port Stalker based on a Freedom Arms 83 in .44 mag.  I always sight my guns in dead on at 100yds.  The 125yd shots were taken with my shoulder and forearm braced against a tree for steadyness.  Always take advantage of any rest you can!  Hope this helps.  44 Man

[Hcliff]

44Man is correct.  It is Your skill level.  Se how far away out can hit a paper plate consistantly.  This is your maximum range.  This range will also depend on th elevel of rest you are using.  The more steady the further you can shot.  Go out and have fun and do some shooting.  The gun will have plenty of power.  Another fun game is take a cardboard bow hunting deer target and shoot at that  You will se how the crosshairs look at different distances.  You will also see your self shake  (everyone does to some extent) at the further distance and can see how you could misplace a bullet.  Good luck and have fun

Hcliff

[Graycg]

Good advice here by both Gents,
    A hot loaded 44 mag bullet will kill cleanly out to several hundred yards if it hits its target, it's a huge chuck of lead with lots of  momentum.  Trajectory and accuracy of the launching pad are the limiting factor, not the power of the round.
   I too am a huge advocate of the paper plate method, it is very useful.

regards,
 Graycg

[340wby]

Ive used a 44mag and 445 dan wesson super mag useing 275-300 grain cast gascheck bullets for deer hunting for over 30 years, as long as you can place your shot correctly killing a deer at under about 150 yards will not be a problem related to the cartridge, your problem tends to be getting good shot placement, as long as you can place yout shots in about a 4" circle your within your effective range, when you no longer can place ALL shots in that 4" circle your too far away,get closer!

[kb]

I know that it all depends on my personal max range, but I was more courious about the max energy of the round.  I personally would not be shooting beyond 75 yards as that is both my personal AND shooting lane distance.  I was woried that the bullet would not have the power to cleanly take a whitetail at that distance.  

What grain and type of round is everybody using?  I have been loading and practicing with 180 and 240 grain XTP's at just a little under max load.

Kb

[Bug]

Heavy, hard-cast bullets are all the rage, now. Some would have you believe that  if you aren't shooting a 325gr bullet, you aren't serious. Your choice of the XTPs is a good one. I would probably go with the 240, but that's just me. Use whichever one is most accurate. As far as your distance of 75yds., you have plenty thump for whitetails... Most anything else, for that matter. A .44 slug at 1100-1200fps will still have about 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 100yds. Certainly more than needed for most whitetails, and entirely adequate for larger species. Practice until you have no doubt about your ability, then go hunt... And ENJOY!,,,,,,,Bug.

[Questor]

I think the scoped 44 magnum revolver makes a dandy 100 yard gun. If you zero it at 50 yards, you'll be about 4" low at 100 yards.  The trick is to learn to shoot well enough to hit the game where it needs to be hit.  That will take practice. I've gradually increased my comfort zone out to 100 yards with the revolver, but I need a good rest to do it. Heck, I need a good rest to take any shot at an animal.

[Questor]

I agree with Bug about the bullets and weight. There's no reason to use anything heavier than 240 grain. The heavier bullets won't do anything extra for you on deer and they recoil quite a bit more than 240s. The XTP is a good deer bullet.

[Hcliff]

Elmer Keith killed alot of game with a 240 grain.  The 44 has alot of power in the 240 and up sizes.  I like the 300grain myself.  I have used XTP and cast.  My new load will be the  Nolser partition.

Hcliff

[Zachary]

I once shot a whitetail doe with a 44mag with 240 grain bullets at about 55 yards with open sights.  I know that it was about 50 yards because the deer was under the feeder.  In any event, the bullet hit the shoulder and the deer dropped in her tracks.  We never recovered the bullet.

I can't tell you what the "maximum" range is, but I can at least tell you form personal experience that you should definately feel comfortable knowing that the gun can do it's part at 50 yards if you do too. :wink:   Personally, I wouldn't attempt to take a longer shot with open sights on that pistol.

Zachary

[Graybeard]

I've stayed out of this one until now but a lot of folks have had a chance to input so I'm gonna jump in.

You CANNOT take accuracy out of the picture and have a realistic discussion of the useful range of a .44 Magnum revolver or for that matter any other tool used to kill game. The two most important things in taking game cleanly other than shot placment which is number one and use of correct bullet which is number two are accuracy and distance judgement along with knowledge of the trajectory of the bullet.

If you can't hit the kill zone every time at 25 yards then 30 yards and really even 25 yards is beyond your personal shooting range. If you are good enough and practiced enough then 100 yards is not such a much for a .44 mag. I've killed a couple of deer at or about that range. One was even on the move chasing a doe. Still made a one shot kill on him.

The trajectory of the .44 mag round really looks a lot like a rainbow when you get out much past 100 yards. Knowledge of the precise distance and the trajectory of your bullet (not from some chart but from actual shooting experience) are crucial to shooting beyond 100 yards.

If you use a hard cast with wide meplat then the bullet if 240 grains or more is up to the job probably at 1000 yards but I'd bet a fortune (if I had one :roll: ) that you aren't. I'm not! I've shot metal gongs out to 300 yards even with iron sights and hit pretty regularly ONCE I WALKED THE BULLETS IN. With game you don't get the chance to walk them in.

So if you wanna know what your person range limitation is I suggest you buy you a pack of 9" paper plates. Don't put a target on them. Deer don't have nice black or orange dots on a white background. At least where I've hunted they don't. Now forget the bench. Use field positions and shoot those plates. Whatever distances you can put five of five into the plate is a distance you can safely shoot at deer. Any distance you can't do that is a distance you have no business shooting at deer. It is beyond your ability.

You'll find your range limits vary depending on the rest you have. The more solid the further you can shoot accurately.

To look at this any other way is to court disaster and folks who do that have no business taking a handgun hunting.

GB

[Questor]

Well put, GB. One thing that seems not to be mentioned as much as it should in both handgun hunting and in archery is that we have more cases when we cannot take a shot, either because we lack a rest,  or skill, or mastery of trajectory.

[Mikey]

I am so glad you add to all these responses, you manage to strighten out the threads and put them al in the right direction.  You always add just the right amount of guidance and common sense.  Thank you.  Mikey.

[Zeus]

It appears that you have already established your max range from what you are saying so I see no use in going into spills of trajectory etc.  Practice at that range and become comfortable with it.  Don't worry about all this trajectory stuff if you are going to max out at 75.  In my opinion, you will be wasting your time.  Sight in a little high at 50 and see what happens at the range.  I prefer the 240 class bullets for deer.  I shoot a lot of heavy cast but the 240 XTP is hard to beat when pushed by ~24 grains of 296.  But to answer your question, you will have PLENTY of power from the 44 at 75 yards.  Shoot your gun a lot and get used to it and take it hunting.........Good luck

[kb]

So far I have not noticed that much differance in the recoil between the 180g and 240 grain XTP's.  I have been practicing at 50 yards on paper plates, and have been doing pretty good.  

I know that accuracy is everything, being a bowhunter has taught me that lesson, but I was worried that the round might not have enough power for a clean kill.  I think that my fears are settled, after hearing from you all, and talking with others at the range.

Thank's again,

kb