ThePredator
The Ruger Deerfield has an 18-1/2" barrel.
I have shot two deer and a black Russian with the 44mag, the doe and boar were shot with a Win94, and a spike buck was shot with a 99/44 or Deerfield.
I used a Win/Nosler 250gr partition gold on the boar, shot him at 35yds, right behind the shoulder, he dropped at the shot, wiggled some, then died, recovered bullet weighed 231grs.
Shot the doe with a Remington 275gr Core-Lokt and boy did it mess her up, mucho damage, one shot kill. The spike buck was hit with a 270gr Speer gold-dot and it did a great job.
If you hit a deer in the shoulder, or any edible part, kiss it goodbye unless you are using hard cast. I would rate the 250gr partition load as the best expanding bullet with the 270gr gold dot a close second. Would like to handload a 200gr Barnes which would come close to 2,000fps and retain all or most of its weight, and really flatten the trajectory.
