Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .44 mag single shot loads?

I’m picking up a CVA Scout as my “long bow” pretty soon. Going to be killing @ 100-160lb whitetails with it at 50-125 yard ranges. I’ve got a bunch of 210gr Sierras, some 200 and 240gr XTPs, 240gr SWC, and maybe some 240gr Speer soft points. And lots of 4227 and Universal. Should I look at some h110 or h4227 and some 300gr bullets? Or just rock on with a combo that I already have?? And how much difference am I looking at between h4227 and IMR4227 in the old One Book/One Caliber manuals?

I've had good luck on wt deer and swine with
240gr Deep Curl and 2400 in my H&R and Marlin.
Standard large pistol CCI 300 priming

I’ve shot two critters with the 240 deep curl sp. Shot out of a muzzleloader, one about 80 yards and clipped both shoulders and one about 110 and typical lung shot. Both died, neither expanded much at all. It was .429 in and about .435 out. I think those bullets are jam up and jelly tight for BIG game, but not little deer.

Never used the soft point version

The ones I've used are the hollow points #4455

I've yet to recover one. All in and out.
One per critter

Of course, I should have also added that
every firearm is different, diamonds for
one is manure for another

I have a photo of my "best" wt with a 44 H&R
and my ammo, but it won't post on 24HCF
and I don't care to diddle with it to make it go.
If you want, I can email it

Any of what you have will work for 150 Point deer.
You certainly dont need a 300 grain anything for 150 pound deer.

Any of what you have will work for 150 Point deer.
You certainly dont need a 300 grain anything for 150 pound deer.

Or for 250 pound deer

What I’ll be shooting out of my CVA Scout 444 Marlin this season. Produced excellent results at the range with a 3 shot group of .659” going a touch over 2,700 fps.

https://bearcreekballistics.com/product/429-hv-reloading-bullets/

Use the 240's & 4227 you have, you'll be fine.
Hodgdon's website has data for both 4227's.


https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-data-center?rdc=true&type=54

I generally use 240 nosier sp in my 44 mag rifles but will be using 240xtp’s in my new single shot 44 in Illinois this year. The noslers have always killed deer cleanly and have a 100% pass through rate on maybe 8-10 deer. My buddy has shot about the same number of deer with 240xtp, starfires, and WW white box 240sp. All deer went down for the count. I’ve used 23.5gr H110/296 as long as I can Remember.

I will not use the light jacketed bullets, 240 grains and down, on meat from a .44 carbine. Years ago I quit using them even at revolver speed. For a carbine there's only one bullet I use anymore .. load a 300 grain XTP with 19.5 to 20 grains of H110 or Win 296, mag primer, with trimmed brass for consistent crimp. Other than that, I save the jacketed bullets for varmints where blowup is a good thing rather than game where blowup is a decided negative.

I shot 2 deer out of my muzzle loader with Speer 240 deep curl. Both shots were pass throughs. 4227 will work, but H110 and W296 are tried and true powders for 44 Mag. If you need to burn up some 4227, find a load with good accuracy and you will be fine.

I would not recommend the 200 xtp for any deer. It just lacks penetration. I know of a few guys that used to use those and it seemed like every year they ended up with a heck of a long tracking job, or lost deer, because of it.
On a perfect lung shot it works, but add a shoulder or bad angle and it is trouble.