Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Hunting with a .44 Magnum

I am guessing you plowed some dirt before your slug hit Br'er Wabbitt. 1992-2000 I had the ultimate 'Elmer range' right out my back door. I was getting heavy-loaded 44 Mags and 45 Colts with 240-255 grain SWC's to shoot through one or both sides of a wooden pallet at 650 yards.

Also and more on topic to your question, I saw my dad put a 300-grain LFN length wise through a fork horn mule deer at about 175 yards. He did it as we were standing looking at the deer on a hillside when his friend said, "it's too far for you to hit it with a handgun."

About two seconds later, he shot, dirt kicked up on the far side of the deer, and the deer took about three steps and fell over dead.

We pretty much constantly had our .44s with us in those days and shot at times up to ten thousand rounds each through them in some years.

Yea I agree with Sarge, you most likely hit something else first Amigo.

RJM and I were shooting handguns (mostly 41 and 44 mags) at a target at my cabin that we lasered at 780 yards.

We had full penetration of the target board and the projectiles buried themselves in the dirt.

In fact, just for schitts-n-Grins, I shot at and eventually hit the target with my .45 ACP Glock 21. The 230 grain FMJ also punched right through the board and buried itself in the dirt.

A hard cast hot loaded .44 mag would punch clean through pretty much any deer standing broadside at 350 yards.


Plus one day RJM and I were at the Mackay reservoir, shooting out to the mid 400s (I think, I really can't remember the furthest range).

The lakebed was mostly dry and we were shooting at driftwood and various objects. I know He has some pics somewhere of the driftwood with holes in it. That stuff is pretty dense (especially compared to a rabbit! ).

Here is a pic of our "range" that day:



On 2 trips out to visit RJM and I have done some long range handgunning and the short version is that most would be quite surprised at how powerful heavy hardcast slugs are at extended distances.

Loads of fun!

Now that I think about it, I was running my 4" gun at the reservoir, and I recall running out of front sight to hold up out to the mid 4s.

I was using my standard 10 grain Unique with a 240 cast swc.

On later trips I ran my 5" and 6.5" .44s.



A tall front sight really helps. RJM came out the next year with his 41 mag Freedom arms, that had a custom made tall front sight.

He was scary accurate with it shooting at the 780 yard target at the cabin. As in accurate enough that I would be looking for cover if he started shooting at you, at that distance.

That sounds AWESOME!

Here was a good day with RJM:

Long range target shooting with our big bores, and elk backstraps for lunch, barbecued on the cabin porch.

Eaten outside on the remnants of an old horse drawn hay wagon. In fact that chunk of metal in the pic is the wagon's old hand brake.

Not sure nor do I know exactly how far other than a long way. It was standing in a two track and was far enough that the guy with me didn't believe it was a rabbit. He thought it was a bush. First shot was three feet or so low. Second with a little more elevation and no dirt puff and the rabbit slowly stood on its hind legs and then fell toward me. Dug through the hair on the off side and couldn't find an exit.

That looks fun

I was a teenager back in the days of heavy loading and shooting of shooting of .44s. I did most the loading and casting and worked for my dad and he paid for the reloading supplies. I didn't own a centerfire rifle and did all my hunting with a .44 or 16 gauge Model 12. Shot a lot of prairie dogs, rabbits and some IMSHA steel. Bought the first Super Redhawk I had ever seen when they came out and shot it until it was loose and would not consistently stay locked up on firing. Then owned a series of Super Blackhawks, which I never shot loose.

That's a BUNCH of shooting to shoot a SRH loose!

I'd hang that on the wall and be reminded of all the fun it was to get it there.

One thing about long range shooting, aside from picking a super accurate load, is crimp.

A heavy roll crimp makes a world of difference wen the ranges get long.

After RJM and I did a bunch of LR shooting, and noted some erratic points of impact, he suggested using a Lee roll crimp die and a heavier crimp.

I did and long range accuracy improved dramatically.

A good handgun hunter with a scoped 44 can easily take game at 100 yds and change, and his 100 yd accuracy would as good or better than your 50 yd accuracy. A very good gun and shot would be shooting those groups at 200 yds.

I have no doubt that a 270-300 gr 44 bullet leaving the muzzle at 1300 fps could take a deer at 200 yds. The issue becomes bullet drop. Bullets leaving the muzzle at 1300 fps drop quite fast past 125 yds, and handgun scopes haven't kept up with rifle scopes in terms of having turrets to dial in for longer ranges.

With my SBH hunter in 41 and Nikon 2x20, I can easily keep 210 xtp bullets w/21 gr H110 inside a paper plate at 130 rds FROM MY BENCH REST.

But I have not figured out how to get a nice buck to walk out in front of my bench.

Offhand, I would not shoot at game past 50 yds. With a solid rest like a boulder or tree, maybe 75 yds.

Yes, Mackay is spot on about what a marksman can do with a good revolver. Bob is scary good with his 41 magnums. With his help, I was soon impressing me with shots at dry gopher mounds out to lasered 700 yds.

I was surprised that I could hit anything at all when using a point at center of the barrel as a front sight.

...you mean this piece of driftwood...it was 250 yards....




Mackay shooting at the reservoir in 2013....the next year it was so wet we could not even walk out there...





Targets going across the reservoir...starting at 200 with a rock and the small bush is 500..




...can hardly wait to get back out there!!!

Bob

It is frozen solid right now. I drove past it on the way to Salmon this afternoon.

Ice fishing shacks are all bunched up on the lower section.

Addressing the width of the front sight for long range shooting:
I have several handguns with red insert front sights.
For long range shooting, I inserted a thin white stripe in the center of the insert.
When long range shooting, I have a much finer sight picture.

S&W M-19 4 inch barrel with long range index

You might want to try this.
A thin strip of white tape would do for testing.
If you decide that it works for you too, a more permanent white strip can be installed.

Steve

New powder coated bullets from Idaho 1945, conical hardcast from RJM and of course a carved 1AT from Milt Sparks. Until I got my hands on this, I did not know there was such a thing as a "Bucket List" holster.





[img]https://i.imgur.com/b2twG6e.jpg?1[/img]

WOW on the holster!

For those who can't see it:

Whoops, I meant a 200AW! Wrong model.

They do offer 1ATs (for 1911s) and I know at least one or two members have them here, but the one I have is for my 4" N Frame is a 200 AW model.

Mackey, that is a great looking holster. I’ve been wanting one of those for my 4” Redhawk.

I used to shoot scoped. Longest shot was 140 yards. XTP did not expand so I had to follow up with another shot. Now I shoot red dot and will take shots to 100 and a tad more if opportunity presents itself. 125 is my max.


SnT

Thanks David!

Yes it is an awesome chunk of leather.

Last Round, I am not sure if they do these yet for Redhawks. That said the answer is only a phone call away. I do know that I have a standard 200AW for a 4" Redhawk, and I have stuck a 4" N Frame in it, and it is a pretty decent fit. Not quite as good as one made specifically made for a N Frame, but it will work. That said, going the other way around, trying a Redhawk in the M29 holster does not work.

I have one of those holsters since maybe 1980 or 1981. Elmer Keith used one of those for his carry 4 inch S&W M29.
Yessirrebob.