Russ, the 44 magnum revolver is an excellent elk gun with lots of different loads, if you want to use jacketed the Speer Gold Dot 270 slug works great, I'm sure the Nosler does as well, also the Barnes, these bullets are a little bit light, but just a little. With jacketed you have to be a little more choosy about your shot angle. Remember with a sixgun, shot placement & penetration, if you get both its elk steaks for supper.
The cast bullets of 250 grs on up are the raspberries on elk, they kill wonderfully if placed correct. Someone said that hard cast slugs make small wound channels......wow! They also said they kill slowly......double wow!
I've hunted elk all my life & many have been taken with sixguns, they are like anything else, hit them right... & deep & they go down, hit them outside the "box" & they are tough, just like using a rifle!
I've taken most of my elk with 250 gr cast slugs & most of these were running around 1100-1200 fps at the muzzle. I've taken 3 elk with the great 45 Colt (in a Ruger) using 325 gr WFN slugs, every elk had complete penetration & none, not one has ran more than 50-60 yds, I wouldn't call that killing slow.
Same thing with 250 gr slugs in the 41 magnum, its equal in killing power to the 44 magnum with 250's, & you get lots of damage inside before the bullet exits.
Bull elk taken in the early 70's, Ruger 44 magnum, 250 gr Keith & 21 grs of 2400 at about 50 yds he traveled about 50 yds.
Calf elk, Ruger 45, 325 gr WFN, 22 grs of H110, traveled about 5 yds, you can see the hole in the shoulder.
Whats left of the heart & lungs, would a rifle have done any better?
cow elk, 74 yds using a Ruger Bisley 41 magnum, 250 gr WFN & 9.2 grs of Unique, running almost 1100 fps, complete penetration through both shoulders, down without taking one step.
Heart & lungs from cow elk.
Bull moose, 45 yds, Ruger 480 & 370 gr WFN, traveled 20 yds, complete penetration.
Muley buck, 108 yds, Ruger 357 Maximum, 205 gr WFN, took 3-4 steps backwards & down, complete penetration
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Whats left of the heart & lungs from the cast slug.
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White tail doe, 92 yds, Ruger 41 magnum, 230 gr Keith, complete penetration, dropped in full stride.
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Another white tail doe, 15 yds, Ruger 41 Bisley, 230 gr cast, dropped at the shot.
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Muley buck, 95 yds, Ruger 44 magnum, 250 gr Keith, 21 grs of 2400, ran about 30-40 yds (3-4 seconds) complete pentration
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Muley doe, shot length ways, Ruger 44 magnum, 250 gr Keith, 21 grs of 2400, moved 10 feet & down
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Another white tail doe, Ruger 44 Special, 250 gr Keith & 7.5 grs Unique, running about 925 fps, compete penetration with both shots, one through both shoulders & one through the lungs, down & out in 25 yds.
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Mountain lion, 357 magnum, 173 gr Keith, 13.5 grs 2400 in a 38 special case, one shot at 5 feet, down & out in 5 seconds.
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Muley buck, Ruger 357 Maximum, 173 gr Keith, 55 yds, complete penetration, down & out in 10 yds.
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Cow elk, Ruger 45 & 260 gr Keith, 23 grs of H110, distance was 168 yds lasered, one shot, cow covered about 40-50 yds, complete penetration.
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Very nice color phase black bear, Ruger 10" 44 magnum, 250 gr Keith, 22 grs of 2400, 88 yds broadside, complete penetration, bear tumbled 20 yds downhill & dead.
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Remember 2 things with sixguns, shot placement & penetration.
Dick